Field Trips

Field Trip Programs

Basic Tour (grades K-5)

• Introduction and multi-media presentation - Groups receive an overview and view an 8 minute presentation in the theater.
• Packing a Travois - Students learn about the roles and responsibilities of American Indian family members through costumed role-playing of a Dakota girl and boy as they prepare to move to another location on the prairie.
• Atlatl Range - Students learn about the atlatl, (spearthrower) an ancient hunting device used before the bow and arrow. They will receive instruction on how to properly throw a spear using an atlatl while trying to “hunt” a life-size bison (target).
• Winter Count - Students discover how American Indians kept track of their history with a Winter Count. The students create their own Winter Count symbol.
• Prairie Walk - As the students walk up the trail to the rock carvings they will learn basic information about prairies.
• Viewing of the carvings - Students are led on a guided tour of the carvings. Their guide will help the students see the carvings and tell information about them.

Optional Activities for grade K-5 students

These activities can replace Travois and/or Winter Count activities:

• Prairie Animal Tracks (max. 25 students) - Learn about various animals of the prairie by examining their pelts and making plaster animal tracks.
• American Indian Games - Learn how to play the Moccasin game and/or Double-Ball.

Basic Tour (grades 6-8)

• Introduction and multi-media presentation - Groups receive an overview and view an 8 minute presentation in the theater.
• Travois Program - Working Together To Survive on the Prairie. Students work in small groups as they investigate items in a parfleche or tipi bag and determine who would have used the items and why each item was important for survival.
• Atlatl Range - Students learn about the atlatl, (spearthrower) an ancient hunting device used before the bow and arrow. They will receive instruction on how to properly throw a spear using an atlatl while trying to “hunt” a life-size bison (target).
• Winter Count - Students discover how American Indians kept track of their history with a Winter Count. The students create their own Winter Count symbol.
• Prairie Walk - As the students walk up the trail to the rock carvings they will learn basic information about prairies.
• Viewing of the carvings - Students are led on a guided tour of the carvings. Their guide will help the students see the carvings and tell information about them.

Optional Activities for students grade 6 and up

These activities can replace Travois and/or Winter Count activities:

• Survivor: 7,000 B.P. - Students travel through time investigating how the Early Indian People were able to face the daily challenge of survival. Students examine and handle important tools and other (reproduction) items that people developed and used during each of four time periods: Paleo-Indian, Archaic, Woodland, and Mississippian. Students are guided through questions designed to engage the students in their travel through 7000 years of history. The program ends with a “Survivor” game in which students answer questions about information they learned from the outreach program.
• Artifact I.D. – Students will “Be Archaeologists” as they go through the process of identifying arrowheads.

Scheduling

The basic tour option is 2 hours in length. Extra time is needed for the gift shop or to eat lunch.

• Group rate per student - $4 (paid the day of the visit by check, cash or credit card)
• Basic tour option - 2 hours in length. (If a visit exceeds 3 hours- an extra fee is required)
• Pre/post visit materials provided.
• Extra time is needed for the gift shop, to eat lunch and drinks /restrooms
• Minimum # of students - 10
• Maximum # of students - 100
• Teachers/Bus Drivers/One chaperone is needed (admitted free) for every 10 students
• A small attached sheltered picnic area is available (40 people-max.)
• Reservations required: call 507-628-5591 or fill out our online field trip request.

Legacy Field Trip Support Fund
Financial assistance is available to offset field trip transportation costs in the 2012-2013 school year. Learn more!

Teacher Materials

• Pre-Visit Packet (pdf)
• Post-Visit Questions (Word)
• Social Studies Standards (pdf)
• Science Standards (pdf)

Outreach Programs

Jeffers Petroglyphs staff can bring outreach programs to you if you can't come to us!