Field Trip Itinerary

Field Trip Itinerary

Activities at Stations:

• Cabin—Listen to history of VBJ as explained by a VBJ interpreter.
• Tipi—An interpreter will discuss how to jump a buffalo and the tribes who likely used the Vore Site.
• Scavenger Hunt—Students read the interpretive signs as they walk into the sinkhole. Chaperone will write down answers to scavenger hunt questions. The scavenger hunt questions are available for download.
• Excavation Building—VBJ guide will explain the excavation and answer questions.
• Excavation Building Uses of the Buffalo puzzle—Students complete game/view artifacts.
• Snack—We suggest that teachers buy Tatanka bars (available at various area stores) or jerky and read a story such as The Buffalo Jump by Bill Farnsworth. Books are also available at the Jump.
• Arrowhead Dig—Dig for arrowheads.
• Artifact Dig—A lesson plan for the artifact dig box was created by Gene Gade and is also available for download – click here to download.

Group 1

9:00—9:15Cabin

9:15—9:30Scavenger Hunt

9:30—9:45Excavation Building with guide

9:45—10:00Excavation Building —Uses of Buffalo puzzle

10:00—10:15Tipi

10:15—10:30Arrowheads

10:30—10:45Snack

Group Members:

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2.

3.

4.

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9.

Group 2

9:00—9:15Scavenger Hunt

9:15—9:30Excavation Building with guide

9:30—9:45Excavation Building —Uses of Buffalo puzzle

9:45—10:00Tipi

10:00—10:15Arrowheads

10:15—10:30Snack

10:30—10:45Cabin

Group Members:

1.

2.

3.

4.

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9.

Group 3

9:00—9:15Excavation Building with guide

9:15—9:30Excavation Building —Uses of Buffalo puzzle

9:30—9:45Tipi

9:45—10:00Arrowheads

10:00—10:15Snack

10:15—10:30Cabin

10:30—10:45Scavenger hunt

Group Members:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

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8.

9.

Group 4

9:00—9:15Excavation Building —Uses of Buffalo puzzle

9:15—9:30Tipi

9:30—9:45Arrowheads

9:45—10:00Snack

10:00—10:15Cabin

10:15—10:30Scavenger hunt

10:30—10:45Excavation Building with Guide

Group Members:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

Group 5

9:00—9:15Tipi

9:15—9:30Arrowheads

9:30—9:45Snack

9:45—10:00Cabin

10:00—10:15Scavenger hunt

10:15—10:30Excavation Building with Guide

10:30—10:45Excavation Building —Uses of Buffalo puzzle

Group Members:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

Group 6

9:00—9:15Arrowheads

9:15—9:30Snack

9:30—9:45Cabin

9:45—10:00Scavenger hunt

10:00—10:15Excavation Building with Guide

10:15—10:30Excavation Building —Uses of Buffalo puzzle

10:30—10:45Tipi

Group Members:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

Group 7

9:00—9:15Snack

9:15—9:30Cabin

9:30—9:45Scavenger hunt

9:45—10:00Excavation Building with Guide

10:00—10:15Excavation Building —Uses of Buffalo puzzle

10:15—10:30Tipi

10:30—10:45Arrowheads

Group Members:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

Vore Buffalo Jump

Scavenger Hunt

Begin at the big sign by the parking lot, and then go to the first sign at the top of the trail. Follow the signs down to the pit! Read each sign and answer the questions.

Big Sign:

1. What 6 material needs did buffalo provide for the Plains Indians?

• ______
• ______
• ______
• ______
• ______
• ______

1. What time period did the tribes use the sinkhole? ______

1. What is important about the location? ______

______

1. Where were the archeologists from that documented the sinkhole:

______

“Preparing for Impending Blizzards” sign

1. Why did Plains tribes conduct communal hunts in autumn? ______

______

1. Approximately how many buffalo were killed here? ______

1. How many tribes used this site? ______

1. What were the 3 stages?

• ______
• ______
• ______

“Ideal Hunting Ground” sign:

1. What provided drivelines? ______

1. What did the Black Hills provide? ______

______

1. Why were Indians attracted to this location? ______

______

“Understanding Bison Behavior” sign:

1. Was it easier to (A) manipulate herds or (B) control individual animals?

1. What happens when bison sense a threat? ______

______

1. What was one decoy the Indians used? ______

“Trapping Buffalo” sign:

1. What 3 things did Indians use to move the buffalo herd to the trap?

• ______
• ______
• ______

1. Where was the real danger for buffalo? ______

______

1. What was the primary driveline at the site? ______

______

1. How were buffalo killed? ______

______

“Community Processing Plant” sign:

1. What needed to happen right after the kill? ______

______

______

1. Who probably carried the meat out of the sinkhole? ______

1. What is a travois? ______

______

1. What were brains used for? ______

______

“Discovering the Vore Site” sign:

1. How was the site discovered? ______

______

______

1. What is the horizontal and vertical extent of the materials?

______

1. What period does the site represent?

______

1. What percentage of the site has been excavated?

______