IN-REACH PROGRAMS

In addition to museum tours, WMMI offers a variety of educational In-Reach programs designed to enhance your experience. WMMI’s In-Reach and Out-Reach activities can be adjusted to a wide range of grade levels. The grade levels below are alignment ranges based on the activity’s content and the Colorado Academic Standards. Please email education@wmmi.org for any further information or assistance.

Docent-Led In-Reach Lessons

This section is for lessons that can be taught and facilitated by a professional WMMI educational docent in our Schisler-Molloy Museum Library at our main building. Typically the in-reach lesson is followed by a free museum tour/ machine demonstration. Please email education@wmmi.org for any further details and booking. 

In-Reach Lessons Summary:

WMMI Program: Recommended Grades: Primary Colorado Standard: Standard Code

Birdseed Mining: 3–8: Earth & Space Science / Natural Resources: SC.5.3 / SC.MS.3.8

Pikes Peak Regional History: 3–5: History & Geography: SS.4.1 / SS.4.2

Simple Machines: 3–5: Physical Science / Forces & Energy: SC.4.2

Artifact Analysis: 4–8: History + Scientific Inquiry: SS.4.1 / SC.4.1

Mine Models: 4–8: Earth & Space Science / Resources: SC.MS.3.8 / SC.MS.3.10

Mineral Identification: 4–8: Earth & Space Science / Scientific Inquiry: SC.MS.3.8

Rock Identification: 3–8: Earth & Space Science: SC.MS.3.8

Additional Lessons Summary:

Corn Husk Creations: 3–6: Visual Arts: VA.4.3.2

Stitches of the Mining West: 3–6: Visual Arts: VA.4.3.2

"Mining for Music" Movie: 3–8: History: SS.3.1 / SS.4.1

GEY1111– Physical Geology: High School/ Early College–College: Earth & Space Science / Natural Resources & Human Impacts: ESS3.A/ ESS3.C

Mining WebQuest: High School/ Early College–College: Social Studies: SS.HS.1.1 / SS.HS.5.2 / SC.HS.3.9

In-Reach Lessons Details:

1.) Birdseed Mining

Grade Level: 3rd–5th Grade; adaptable for 6th–8th

Colorado Standard: Science — Earth & Space Science; Earth & Human Activity / Natural Resources

Standard Code: SC.5.3 — Earth & Space Science, Grade 5, Earth’s Systems / Earth & Human Activity

Additional middle-school connection: SC.MS.3.8 — Humans depend on Earth’s resources, including limited/nonrenewable resources.

Student Learning Objective:

Students will explain how humans use Earth’s mineral resources and evaluate the economic and environmental considerations associated with extracting those resources.

Activity:

Students work in mining teams to purchase a claim, select mining tools, extract simulated gold, silver, copper, and iron, calculate their results, and determine whether their mining operation made a profit or incurred a reclamation fine.

Why it fits:

The activity directly connects mineral-resource extraction with economics and reclamation. The middle-school standard specifically addresses Earth’s mineral resources and their uneven distribution and limited/nonrenewable nature. 

2.) Pikes Peak Regional History

Grade Level: 3rd–5th Grade; especially strong for 4th Grade

Colorado Standard: Social Studies — History & Geography

Standard Code: SS.4.1 — History: Colorado history, individuals, groups, and ideas

Additional connection: SS.4.2 — Geography: Colorado geography and human-environment interaction

Student Learning Objective:

Students will explain how people, geography, natural resources, and historical events influenced the development of the Pikes Peak region.

Activity:

Students role-play prospectors in the 1850's preparing for a 1-month long journey into Colorado’s mountains. They use “mining cash” to purchase supplies at a General Store and respond to an unexpected challenge to see how well they prepared for the journey.

Why it fits:

Colorado’s 4th-grade Social Studies standards specifically ask students to understand Colorado’s history and use geography to understand interactions between humans and their environment. 

3.) Simple Machines

Grade Level: 3rd–5th Grade; adaptable to any grade level

Colorado Standard: Science — Physical Science; Forces & Interactions

Standard Code: SC.4.2 — Physical Science, Grade 4: energy, motion, and interactions

Student Learning Objective:

Students will identify and manipulate simple machines and explain how machines can change the way force is applied to accomplish work.

Activity:

Students will be guided through hands-on experiences with the six simple machines and manipulate each machine to investigate how work and force are distributed.

Why it fits:

The program’s hands-on investigation directly supports Colorado’s elementary physical-science emphasis on interacting with physical systems and investigating how energy and forces affect objects.

4.) Artifact Analysis

Grade Level: 4th–8th Grade; adaptable to any grade level

Colorado Standard: Social Studies — History / Historical Inquiry

Standard Code: SS.4.1 — History: Colorado history and interpretation of historical evidence

Additional connection: SC.4.1 — Science: developing and communicating explanations from evidence

Student Learning Objective:

Students will use evidence from authentic historical objects to develop, test, and communicate hypotheses about an artifact’s material, age, purpose, and historical context.

Activity:

Students handle authentic mining artifacts and analyze their physical characteristics to form hypotheses about the artifact’s material, time period, and use.

Why it fits:

This explicitly asks students to apply scientific thinking to historical analysis and use evidence to construct an interpretation.

5.) Mine Models

Grade Level: 4th–8th Grade

Colorado Standard: Science — Engineering / Earth & Space Science

Standard Code: SC.MS.3.8 — Earth & Space Science: Earth’s mineral resources

Additional connection: SC.MS.3.10 — Human consumption of natural resources and impacts on Earth’s systems

Student Learning Objective:

Students will use models to investigate how mining systems access mineral resources and consider the relationship between resource extraction, technology, and environmental impact.

Activity:

Students construct/use mine models to investigate underground mining structures and how resources can be accessed and removed.

Why it fits:

The activity provides a concrete model for understanding mineral resources and the technological systems humans use to access them. Colorado’s middle-school standards explicitly address mineral resources and human impacts associated with resource consumption. 

6.) Mineral Identification

Grade Level: 4th–8th Grade; adaptable to some younger grades 

Colorado Standard: Science — Earth & Space Science; Earth’s Systems

Standard Code: SC.MS.3.8 — Earth’s mineral resources

Additional connection: Science & Engineering Practices — planning/conducting investigations and analyzing evidence

Student Learning Objective:

Students will use observable physical properties and evidence from scientific tests to identify unknown minerals and explain how scientists classify materials.

Activity:

Students examine mineral properties and conduct multiple tests to determine the identity of unknown mineral samples.

Why it fits:

This program is an investigation using the scientific method and inquiry. The activity is therefore particularly well suited to evidence-based scientific investigation and geological exploration.

7.) Rock Identification

Grade Level: 3rd–8th Grade;  adaptable to some younger grades

Colorado Standard: Science — Earth & Space Science; Earth’s Systems

Standard Code: SC.MS.3.8 — Earth’s mineral resources / Earth’s materials

Student Learning Objective:

Students will observe, compare, classify, and identify rocks using physical characteristics and evidence from investigation.

Activity:

Students examine unknown rock specimens and use observable properties and testing to determine their identities.

Why it fits:

Rock identification naturally supports Colorado’s Earth & Space Science expectations and the broader scientific practices of observation, evidence collection, classification, and explanation. 

Teacher-Led / Add-On Outreach Activities 

This section is for activities that the teacher/ instructor will conduct with their student either before or after the WMMI Field Trip visit. 

1.) "Mining for Music" Movie

Grade Level: 1st–8th Grade

Colorado Standard: Social Studies — History

Standard Code: SS.3.1 / SS.4.1 — Historical inquiry and regional/Colorado history

Student Learning Objective:

Students will use historical media to examine how mining influenced communities, culture, and the development of the American West.

Activity:

Students view and discuss the mining-themed film/video and connect its content to mining history and the development of the West. 

Download "Mining for Music" movie HERE

2.) Corn Husk Creations: 19th-Century Toy Making 

Grade Level: 3rd–6th Grade (with Grade 4 CDE alignment)

Primary CDE Standard: Visual Arts – 4th Grade, Standard 3: Invent and Discover to Create

Standard Code: VA.4.3.2

Colorado Academic Standard: Utilize media in traditional and inventive ways to communicate personal intent.

Activity:

Students learn how historical communities used readily available materials to create handmade toys. They will fold, bundle, tie, and shape corn husks into a simple doll while learning about material culture and everyday life in the 1800s.

Student Learning Objective:

Students will use natural materials and traditional crafting techniques to create a handmade corn husk doll while developing problem-solving, creativity, and craftsmanship skills.

3.) Stitches of the Mining West: 19th-Century Burlap Sewing

Grade Level: 3rd–6th Grade (with Grade 4 CDE alignment)

Primary CDE Standard: Visual Arts – 4th Grade, Standard 3: Invent and Discover to Create

Standard Code: VA.4.3.2

Colorado Academic Standard: Utilize media in traditional and inventive ways to communicate personal intent.

Activity:

Students learn basic sewing techniques, including threading a needle and creating a simple running stitch. They use burlap to create a small sewn object while discussing how textiles, tools, and practical crafts were part of everyday life in historical communities.

Student Learning Objective:

Students will use burlap, needle, and thread to learn basic sewing techniques while creating a simple handmade object and developing craftsmanship, persistence, and problem-solving skills.

4.) Mining WebQuest (Designed by Lillian Gumpf of University of Colorado Colorado Springs)

Grade Level: High School/ Early College/ College

Primary CDE Standard: Social Studies - High School History

Standard Code: CAS SS.HS.1.1 / CAS SS.HS.5.2 / CAS SC.HS.3.9

Colorado Academic Standard: Apply the historical method of inquiry to formulate compelling questions, evaluate primary and secondary sources, analyze and interpret data, and argue for an interpretation defended by textual evidence.

Activity: 

Students will be able to analyze different careers in the mining industry and their evolution from the U.S. Industrial Revolution until now.

Student Learning Objective:

Students will be able to analyze how mining impacted the U.S. Industrial Revolution and the ways it has affected modern society.

Download Teacher's Lesson Plan and WebQuest PDF below vvv

Mining WebQuest PDF Download HERE

5.) GEY1111 – Physical Geology (Designed by Miriam Primus of Colorado Early Colleges: Castle Rock High School) 

Grade Level: High School/ Early College/ College / Introductory Geology (GEY-1111)

Colorado Standard: Science — Earth & Space Science; Earth’s Systems & Human Activity

Secondary: Physical Science; Energy & Engineering   Secondary: Social Studies — Colorado/Western History

Standard Code:

ESS3.A — Natural Resources

ESS3.C — Human Impacts on Earth Systems

ETS1 — Engineering Design 

Student Learning Objective:

Students will use museum exhibits, artifacts, and demonstrations to investigate the geological, technological, historical, and environmental dimensions of mining, including mineral resources, ore deposits, mining methods, energy use, mine safety, reclamation, and the human impacts of resource extraction.

Activity:

Students complete a 25-question museum investigation requiring them to observe exhibits and use exhibit information and prior classroom learning to investigate:

• Mining machinery and its historical development
• Minerals and mineral identification
• Electricity and steam power in mining
• Nikola Tesla and the Tesla coil
• Railroads and Colorado mining
• The General Mining Law of 1872
• The Manhattan Project
• Environmental Protection Agency and environmental protection
• Background radiation
• Superfund sites
• Mine closure and reclamation
• Progressive reclamation
• E-waste mining
• Mining inventions and electrical engineering
• Mining districts and the Gold Rush Mining claims
• Ore and placer gold
• Industrial minerals
• Dredging and hard-rock/lode mining
• Mining hazards and safety 
• Hoist engines and air compressors 
• Assay and fire assay
• Mine surveying
•  Mining equipment

Students then complete a 1-page reflection connecting their museum observations to geology, mineral resources, environmental impacts, and Colorado’s mining history. 

You can review, download, and print the worksheets for the GEY1111 lesson below. vvv