{Water faucet} {Basket and ears of corn}
______________________________ A.
{Pet cat} {Clay pot in fire pit}
______________________________ B.
{Microwave oven} {Water pot and dipper}
______________________________ C.
{Canned and packaged corn} {Domesticated turkey}
______________________________ D.
{8-9} The boxes list items used by Ancestral Pueblo people at Mesa
Verde. Read the items in each box, then use the blanks beside the box to
write the name of the natural resource used to make everything in the
box. One is started for you. (_Hint: Answers are in the 10-up activity
word list below._)
Bowl
Mug
Mortar
Plaster
______________________________
Sandal
Rope
Mat
Shampoo
Needle
Basket
Food
Paintbrush
______________________________
Feathers
Food
Bone tools and jewelry
Warm blanket
______________________________
Pine nuts (food)
Timber for building
Pitch for waterproofing
Firewood
______________________________
{10-up} To learn more about Gentle Rain's life in Mesa Verde, fill in
the blanks to read the following story. If you have little brothers or
sisters, they might like to hear the story when you are done. (_Use the
word list to fill in the blanks and complete the story._)
clay
corn
hand
kivas
metates
pinyon
pottery
rabbits
seep
turkey
yucca
My family and I live in a stone room of a cliff dwelling. The people of
my village wake up very early and start cooking fires in the rooms and
courtyards. Every morning, my mother goes to collect water from the
nearest ______________________________ spring while I feed the turkeys.
As soon as the morning meal is eaten, the men and boys climb up the
cliff face using ______________________________ and toe holds to reach
the fields. Spring days are spent clearing the fields and planting
______________________________, beans, and squash. Corn is our most
important crop. The women use manos and ______________________________
to grind the corn into meal. But for now, my mother is teaching my
younger sister how to make ______________________________ from
______________________________. We use it for cooking, and storing food
and water.
Throughout the year, the men hunt mule deer and
______________________________, while children help the women gather
wild plants, such as nuts from the ______________________________ pine
trees, grains from ricegrass, and pads from the prickly pear cactus.
Much of this food is stored for the winter. We also collect
______________________________ leaves to pound into fibers to make rope,
sandals, and baskets. My father weaves ______________________________
feathers with yucca fibers to make blankets for the winter.
When the ______________________________ are not used for ceremonies, we
spend time in these warm, underground rooms listening to the stories of
our people, or working on crafts such as weaving, basketry, and making
tools.
No matter the time of the year, my people are busy with the daily tasks
needed to survive in Mesa Verde.