Online Learning Activities

Canyon Rock Art: A Native American Cultures Activity

In this exciting activity, students take a virtual trip to the canyon lands of Utah, where they study ancient rock art with the experts.

The Earthwatch Institute and Scholastic have teamed up to offer students the thrilling “Canyon Rock Art” activity (grades 4–8). Students head to southeastern Utah and the Four Corners region (where Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona meet) to search for ancient canyon rock art. Leading the expedition is archaeologist Sally Coles, who has led dozens of expeditions to document over 300 ancient rock art sites.

Through text and images, students gain an understanding of how the rock art, like pottery, offers clues to the way ancient people lived. Students can also:

• Read Sally’s field reports from the Utah Canyon, which detail her findings and what they might mean
• Get to know archeologist Sally Cole by reading an interview with her
• Use Scholastic’s interactive map to become explorers like Sally by researching and reporting on local Native Americans

Learning Objectives

While participating in the “Canyon Rock Art” activity, students will:

• Discuss the importance of exploring and preserving ancient artifacts
• Read online texts from the Field Sites and Field Reports to build comprehension of the process of exploration and to gain an understanding of other cultures
• Use a variety of technological and informational resources to conduct research about their state's past and present Native American cultures
• Gather, evaluate and synthesize data from a variety of sources
• Communicate their discoveries in the form of a presentation or an informational essay
• Trace historical developments of a specific culture
• Identify the values, lifestyles, and cultures of varied Native American groups

Related Resources