The Centennial Museum has resources for teachers online, and more are to come. Investigate the Learning Links noted below for classroom lessons, authoritative summaries, and personal intellectual enhancement. Check back frequently for new material.
The Pass of the North site was made possible by a grant to the Centennial Museum at the University of Texas at El Paso from the El Paso Community Foundation, El Paso, Texas. Lessons supplement the information in a booklet and exhibit by Oscar Martinez. The booklet is included as part of the website.
The Centennial Museum has been working closely with Region 19 in the development of several teaching modules. The Chihuahuan Desert Module is now available.
Desert Diary is a daily, 90-second, radio presentation on KTEP, National Public Radio for the Southwest, concerning the cultural and natural history of the Chihuahuan Desert. It also is available as web presentations that have an audiostream of the day's broadcast along with images and references. Some web presentations have Learning Links associated with the day's subject for teachers and students. In those cases, a Facilitator's Page gives the information desirable for the teacher, while the Learner Page is designed for the student.
The following presentations include Learning Link lesson plans and a facilitator's page (use your browser's "back" button to return):
Cockroaches. Uses Cockroach buddy poem to illustrate how facts gained through research can be incorporated into a writing activity that creates visual images. Learners also can use this knowledge to create their own buddy poems.
Pockets. Learners find that some animals have pockets, and they will play a game where they have to try to collect "food" as quickly as possible. They will compare how much food they can get when they can stuff food into an open pouch (pocket) as compared to one they must open and close (mouth).
Scat. Use "Discovery Cookies" to show ways scientists can dissect various materials (including scat) to find what is in them. This may tell them such things as what an animal eats or how various parts of an organism work together.
Trade Rats. Play "Fill the Midden" to teach learners how trade rats collect items to use in their middens. This game can also be modified to resemble "Old Maid", where each player could end up with the "Empty Midden" card. Students get an idea of what sorts of things trade rats might collect. They could also use their knowledge to create their own playing cards.
Rattlesnake. Learners will play like they are rattlesnakes that are trying to conserve their venom by only biting (or injecting venom) into things they can eat.
Last update: 8 Feb 2006