Voices of the Ancient Workshop Schedule

The workshop will begin on Sunday evening with a Welcome Reception at the Frontier Homestead State Park in Cedar City. The park has a remarkable collection of historic structures that have been relocated to the park for preservation and interpretation, an extensive horse-drawn wagon collection, and a Native Heritage exhibit with a replica pithouse.

This will be a time to introduce the faculty (see list), participate in a team building activity, introduce the theme, and review the itinerary. During the course of the evening, participants will get to explore the historic and prehistoric shelters on the property. This will prepare them to find commonality among all cultures and start their journey to exploring the Fremont world.

Teachers will experience the first lessons of the Investigating Shelter curriculum in the morning at Southern Utah University (SUU). In the afternoon, participants will explore the artifact collection in the SUU Archaeology Repository with Barbara Frank. Then, they will meet in the Special Collections area of the SUU Library where they will meet Mrs. Eleanor Tom. She will share traditional stories in the Paiute language and some of the traditions passed down to her by her grandmothers. Afterward, Mrs. Paula Mitchell will introduce a few of the historic collections that contain photographs, artifacts, and documented oral histories of the Paiute people.

After experiencing and applying the tools of archaeological inquiry through classroom appropriate lessons, teachers will use the campus computer lab to learn the basics of geospatial science. Professor David Maxwell will show teachers how to use online software to explore the ancient landscape of the Fremont culture. Teachers will use GIS technology to analyze authentic archaeological data to better understand past environmental conditions, community structure, trade, use of resources, and the like. In the afternoon, teachers will explore the archaeology of the Parowan Valley by visiting the Paragonah Mound site and the Parowan Gap petroglyph site. Participants will use an app on their phones or tablets to log their journey.

The group will travel by bus up to the Fremont Indian State Park (about an hour drive). Mr. Richard Talbot will review the archaeological evidence of the Fremont people found at Five Finger Ridge and in the surrounding canyon. Participants will start the Fremont shelter investigation, and engage in a museum activity, where they will use observation and inquiry to become experts on a particular artifact in the exhibit. Teachers will then have free time to explore the exhibits and/or take short hikes on the surrounding petroglyph trails. Mr. Rick and Mrs. Rena Pikyavit will provide their perspectives on the Fremont, and teachers will have time to engage in meaningful discussions with them.

In the morning, workshop faculty will introduce the rock art lessons in Investigating a Fremont Pithouse and Investigating Rock Art. After lunch, participants will take a short walk to a replica petroglyph monument dedicated to the Paiute Creation Story in front of the Cedar City Public Library. After returning to campus, Mr. Virgil Johnson will engage teachers in classroom appropriate rock art lessons. Participants will return to the GIS Lab to look at the data they have collected and create a story map of the Fremont to share with their students.

Teachers will start the day with a lesson on stewardship of past cultures. Then, all will participate in a discussion with special guests Ms. Charmaine Thompson, Dr. Tim Riley, Mrs. Eleanor Tom, and Mr. Virgil Johnson. After lunch, teachers will complete the final performance of understanding for the Investigating Shelter unit. Additional time will be given to finalize story maps. A special dinner program will be provided by the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah in the evening.