Colorado Archaeology in the Classroom

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TheÌýColorado Archaeology in the ClassroomÌýproject, modeled after theÌýFossils in the Classroom, continues to enhance and expand the Museum’s and University’s outreach efforts across the state by providing much needed hands-on resources on archaeology to teachers and students. This project provides classroom kits featuring hands-on artifacts and casts, standards-based curriculum, in-district teacher professional development and a classroom presentation. The response from teachers to the kits has been overwhelmingly positive, as a hands-on and affordable resource for teaching Colorado history.Ìý


The Colorado Archaeology in the ClassroomÌýis developed for Colorado School Districts by:

  • Dr. Stephen Lekson, Ph.D.ÌýProfessor, Anthropology, and Curator of Archaeology, CU Museum of Natural History, Boulder.
  • Dr. Samantha Fladd, AssistantÌýProfessor, Anthropology, and Curator of Archaeology, CU Museum of Natural History, Boulder.
  • Dr. William Taylor,ÌýAssistantÌýProfessor, Anthropology and Curator of Archaeology, CU Museum of Natural History, Boulder.
  • Jim Hakala,ÌýSenior Educator, CU Museum of Natural History, Boulder.

Partners in the Colorado Archaeology in the Classroom project include:

  • provides educational materials for the Colorado Archaeology in the Classroom kits and collaborates in the in-district teacher training for the project.
  • The provides printed and digital educational materials for the Colorado Archaeology in the Classroom kits.
  • The (BLM) "Discovering Archaeology in Colorado" and "Intrigue of the Past" is used with BLM's collaboration as the curriculum/teacher guide for the kits. This standards-based curriculum is widely used and well established in the field.
  • The provides the publication "Ancient Colorado: An Archaeological Perspective" for inclusion in the classroom kits.Ìý
  • The in Cortez, CO provided important visual timeline materials and hundreds of pottery sherds for inclusion in the kits.
  • The , provided hundreds of pottery sherds for inclusion in the classroom kits.
  • advertises and manages the logistics for the Colorado Archaeology classroom presentation.

To find out how to get a Colorado Archaeology kit and curriculum for your classroom or school, arrange an in-district teacher training, and/or a presentation for your classroom, please contact Jim Hakala, Senior Educator, University of Colorado Museum of Natural History at 303-492-4458, orÌýjames.hakala@colorado.edu.

Colorado Archaeology in the ClassroomÌýis generously funded by theÌý¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬÌýOffice of Strategic Relations and Communications and the ¾«Æ·SMÔÚÏßӰƬ Museum of Natural History.