Casa Grande Ruins National Monument Junior Ranger Program

Previous to arriving I printed the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument Junior Ranger Program to give us a head start on our Exploration Notebook.  To earn your Junior Ranger Badge you must complete the same amount of pages as your age, in addition to visiting the touch table and being able to list three items you saw to a Ranger.  Let me just start off by saying this is a twenty-three page book that goes into a lot of detail for a younger child it is overwhelming.  Even though it is not required to complete the entire book since we are utilizing the Junior Ranger book as curriculum we usually try to attempt to complete the entire book.  So that Jaxon would not get discouraged we broke this book up into three sections.  Prior to our visit we were able to pull out, discuss and complete ahead of time pages 6, 7, 12, 15, 16, 18, 20 and 22.  These pages included activities such as puzzle solving, crossword puzzles, we discussed our ancestors, where the Sonoran Desert is located, explored pottery and mazes just to name a few.  This gave us a great opportunity to lay a strong foundation and have an idea of what to expect upon our arrival.  We also included the wonderful pop up book Ancient Dwellings of the Southwest, which was a great conclusion to our trip since it contained a great deal of the locations we had previously visited .  Since this location was the first United States archeological preserve a great majority of the Junior Ranger book is teaching the children how to investigate in the same as an archeologist might.  Prior to entering the National Monument we read all of our safety tips for exploration on page three, and followed by reviewing the map and guide of the location on page four so that we knew where everything was located. 

As we were driving down the small country road we were able to see the towering Casa Grande Ruins in the distance.   It was like nothing we had experienced on our entire trip and immediately our bodies filled with excitement as we pulled into the gate.  No picture could be taken to explain the presence you feel when standing next to the ruins. 

Immediately following our arrival we walked the gardens located directly in front of the visitors center locating each plant and matching their names before proceeding into the museum.  

We then made our way to the theater to watch the film Case Grande: House of Many Stories.  This was a great film to help tell the story of Casa Grande and the people of its past.

During our exploration of the National Monument we carried with us the below scavenger hunt for animals unfortunately we had arrived in the heat of the day and only saw lizards during our visit.

When exploring the Ancestral Sonoran Desert homes I read Jaxon the plaques in front of each home along with the year.  Take note that the dates stated on each plaque actually have nothing to do with placing the houses in order from oldest to newest.  Due to this we got the entire page incorrect.

As you enter the museum on your left you will find a plaque that discusses the native language of the ancient Sonoran Desert people.  This plaque gave us the ability to complete page fourteen completely.

The displays within museum were fantastic and extremely well done which I somehow was overwhelmed and did not capture.  The last page we completed inside the museum was exploring trade clues on page seventeen.  This took some time as we went through the large exhibit discussing each item that they grew and had access to.  Then turned towards the discussion of what trade was and how it worked and then onto some of the items they might have traded.  Since we had not discussed this previously it took us a little bit of time to learn on site.  

After exploring outside we returned to the museum to locate yet another awe inspiring exhibit which incased a model of how the ruins might have looked in the beginning.  We then completed page eighteen of our Junior Ranger packet.

The location was a wonderful experience opening up subjects of exploration, history and preservation.  It was almost as if it was meant to be after a long trip of learning so much history it ended at a location that's main purpose was to explore ruins discovering stories of the past and how to preserve it for generations to come.

Holiday Inn Express Silver City

During our vist to Gila Cliff Dwellings we choose to stay at the Holiday Inn Express soley based upon the highly rated reviews on their cleanliness and good complimentary breakfast.  After our long day exploring Gila Cliff Dwellings we were all extremely eager to arrive at our hotel.  Upon arrival we entered the lobby to an extremely clean and well kept location with a very small business center off to the corner.

I personally was drawn to the amazing Native American painting that hung on the wall adjacent to the front desk.

We had booked a one King Bed Suite Non-Smoking.  

The room included a sitting area, Keurig coffee pot, microwave and small refrigerator all housed in a small wet bar area for us to prepare our own meals for the evening.

When tired from a long day of exploring it is always nice to end your day in a clean room that is comfortable enough to spread out while everyone cleans up and relaxes their tired feet for the evening.  The Holiday Inn Express in Silver City gives you just that.  Feeling fully rejuvenated when we woke up the next morning we made our way downstairs to make a selection from their great breakfast options.  Soon after we were on our way to our next adventure.

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument

To reach Gila Cliff Dwellings you have to travel on the Trail of the Mountain Spirits National Scenic Byway.  This journey is not for the weak hearted.  The road is not recommended during the winter months as they do not plow the road on weekends.  It is extremely narrow and windy at times.  It took us two hours to reach the National Monument leaving from Silver City and traveling only 30 miles.  The Mountain Spirits National Scenic Byway holds a lot of history, yet our only goal this trip was Gila Cliff Dwelling National Monument.  We were told they are one of the few cliff dwellings left in the United States where you can climb inside.  Particularly due to the fact that they have very few visitors daily.  I would assume this is the case solely due to the treacherous scenic byway which is the only way in and out.  

I printed our Junior Ranger Book for Gila Cliff Dwellings ahead of time so that I could plan our day in the Park.  If you would rather pick up your Junior Ranger Book at the Visitors Center you will actually drive past the entrance of the Cliff Dwelling to the location of the visitors center and then backtrack to enter the park.  The visitors center also has restrooms, a small museum area and a gift shop.  The long drive to the National Monument gave us the opportunity to discuss what to expect and complete pages 2, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 13 prior to our arrival.  These pages covered a wide range of topics such as, habitat, the Mogollon's native language, the wide range of settlers to the area during different courses in time, and what rules to follow while visiting the National Monument.  To become a Junior Ranger at Gila Cliff Dwellings you must visit the Cliff Dwellings, explore the museum, and complete all the activities that feature a Ranger Hat symbol as seen here.  

As we were intent on making the only ranger guided tour offered daily we did not spend much time in the museum area.  The tour begins at the cliff dwellings, approximately one-half mile from the beginning of the trailhead this may not sound like much, but when you are in a hurry, in the heat of the day it feels a lot longer then you think.  As we entered the beginning of the trailhead a ranger was standing at the entrance reviewing the rules with each and every visitor prior to them making their way up to the dwellings.  The entire hike is a one mile loop divided into the lower trail and upper trail.  The lower trail is shaded and fairly easy.  We did not end up taking the upper trail due to the fact that while we were in the caves a thunderstorm moved in and it was no longer safe to take.

Once we arrived Ranger Nancy led us through each dwelling helping us imagine what it might have been like to live up high in the cliff dwellings.  The tour was a wealth of information and really helped us picture life as an Ancient Puebloans of the Mogollon area and the struggles they might have encountered.  

To be able to see up close each artifact pictured in the Junior Ranger book was truly an educational experience.  It helped us to understand why and how you knew which room was utilized for cooking not just by seeing the grinding stones pictured below in the book but by having the ability to look up and see all the soot that was covering the roof.  Children are naturally curious so if we could inspire them to investigate how or why the wealth of knowledge they are able to absorb is astonishing.

Once the tour had ended we were able to leisurely walk through the dwellings exploring each area in such detail on our own timeline left us the opportunity to complete almost the entire Junior Ranger Book.

In the last cave Jaxon choose to draw a pictograph that had been on the wall.  It was so far in the distance that we could not get a really clear picture of it but if you look real close you can see a faint red paint on the wall located right above the wall on the right.

On our return hike down from the cliff dwellings Jaxon took a seat on a bench to complete page three of his Junior Ranger Book.  This page came extremely easy for him as we were hiking down in the mist of a thunder storm so the sounds of the storm superseded anything else in the area.

As we drove back towards the visitors center we stopped at the Trail of the Past located right next to the Lower Scorpion Campgrounds to complete the page below.  The trail is a very short trail and can be done in less then ten minutes.  

The last page of our Junior Ranger book took us on a journey of reflection on our visit.   Asking us the simplest question, What did this special place mean to you, the people you know, and the people who choose to spend their time protecting it?

MothaPalooza at White Sands National Monument

We were extremely fortunate to be visiting White Sand National Monument on the same day as their annual MothaPalooza special event.  This just happened to work out perfectly as Jaxon had two very short lesson plans that needed to be accomplished on moths.  So this grand adventurous nighttime event was going to take the place of some mediocre crafting project that I would have had to most likely dig for on pinterest to accompany two books on moths.  The first of the two studies was when we were directed to read the following book, What's the Difference Between a Butterfly and a Moth?,  after studying Butterflies to be able to understand the difference between them.  

Upon our arrival we were met in the parking lot by an array of educational tables set up for the children to explore.  Each table was fully equipped with different topics all relating to the wildlife at the National Monument.

The most exciting event for myself as a home educator was the table that related to second book that we had to read in order to learn about moths, Night Life of the Yucca, The story of a flower and a moth.  Not only were we able to read about this amazing phenomena, we were given the great opportunity to witness the process first hand. At the Yucca Plant table they had placed a paper, basically a review for us after reading this book, but it explained the unique relationship between the Yucca Plant and the Yucca Moth.  How without each other neither would exist in this world.  The beautiful symbiotic relationship that they have reminds us how so many living things depend upon one another.

Of course Jaxon loved that they were breaking open some of the pods from the Yucca Plant so the children could see where the Yucca Moth larva was living and what they looked like.

Also on site for the preservation of another species of animals was an amazing man who saved bats for a living.  Having him on location discussing the safety of bats gave everyone who attended the opportunity to see the bat up close in a rare vision of him holding and handling the bat seen below in the towel.  Later that night he released a group of bats that he had rehabilitated ealier this year.  

On this evening we had the distinguished pleasure of listening to a lecture by Eric Metzler.  I remember when I attended college and there was always those hand full of teachers everyone fought to get into their courses because they made you want to learn, they challenged your mind in a way no one else had.  I can imagine that Eric Metzler was that teacher.   His passion for moths and all other living things left you wanting to learn more.  This remarkable man came to White Sand National Monument to volunteer his time to study the moths of this area.  In his time here he has unveiled many new species of Moths while learning so much more about existing species.

Following the bat release everyone was welcome to drive in their cars out to the Big Dunes Nature Trail for a moth sheeting event.  A moth sheeting event is where black lights are placed to attract Moths to the sheets for viewing purposes only.  I was so excited about this event for so many reasons.  First when would you ever be able to see moths up close like this ever again.  Second,  when would I ever go walking in the desert sand dunes of New Mexico at night.  The excitement as we exited our car, flashlights in hand was unbelievable.

As we made our way towards the first sheet we began seeing so many exciting insects.   Below you can see a Darkling Beetle and a Walking Stick.  We stopped and observed both these insects for sometime before moving onto new discoveries.

As we came to the second sheet we were able to observe our first moth with a whole new appreciation for these creatures we watched the beauty they hold as they sat under the light with total stillness.

As we approached the top of the dune we found yet another fluorescent light set up against a giant rock formation where we found another handful of giant moths along with some even more exciting creatures.

We had recently studied in depth about animal adaption.  Yet I can honestly say I had never seen in such obvious the color adaption animals make to their environment until we came to white sands.  The lizards, moths, frogs and many other creatures here have adapted to the color of the dunes and appear almost completely white as the sand.  We stayed and watched the frog for a short period in awe of its color and transparency up against the sand dune.

We then heard all kinds of commotion to find that someone had found a scorpion.  As Jaxon's interest took a running start across the dune to the gathering of park rangers all observing the scorpion hunt for its pray under the fluorescent light held by the rangers.

I do not know if I could ever attend an event that will hold as much excitement, knowledge, and great educators as I did that night.  I will however hope and dream of returning another year to attend Mothapalooza.  Next time it might even be the reason for our journey.  

Fairfield Inn & Suites

During our visit to White Sands National Monument we decided to stay at the Fairfield Inn & Suites in Alamogordo.  

Located in the lobby was a small business center adjacent to the front desk equipped with computers, printers, high speed internet access, along with a fax machine.  The hotel offered free wifi throughout the hotel.

Once we checked in I wondered over to the market to see what they might have to offer.  The entire area was empty with tags showing me all the great variety and choices I could have if they had been well stocked.

As we made our way to the elevator we passed the indoor pool available to all guests during their stay.

During our stay we booked a kitchen suite.  Meaning our room came with a fully equipped kitchen including a full-sized refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher and twin burner stove.  It was perfect since we had not been able to replenish our kitchen since our stop in Santa Fe.  While we were able to take advantage of a full size refrigerator we found it very difficult to use the small corner stove behind the microwave.  The kitchen claimed to be fully equipped yet when we arrived we found what they considered kitchen supplies all thrown on top of each other in a pile under the sink.  It did not appear to be very clean nor fully stocked.  When we went to pull out some utensils there were only random left overs in the drawer, one fork and two spoons, so we ended up passing on using any of their supplies.

Our room came with a separate living room.  This made for a great escape in the evening for us while Jaxon was tucked into bed we could sit and discuss the adventures we had experienced that day and all the feelings they had brought us.

The room included a king size bed and a television in the separate bedroom for our comfort and Jaxon's enjoyment.

Even though we were unable to utilize the kitchen to it's full potential the room still gave us the space to relax for the evening so that we would be refreshed and ready to go the following morning.  

Junior Dunes Ranger at White Sands National Monument

I had really no expectations when we planned our stop at White Sand National Monument.  Once we arrived we found the beauty of the dunes to capture our mind in a stillness I have never experienced.  The wonder and questions I had during our visit are still not completely answered.  White Sand National Monument is one of the most unusual places I have ever visited.  It is one of the few magical places that draws you in and makes you want to return over and over.  Not just for all the questions but for the adventure that lies in the dunes awaiting your discovery.  

Prior to our arrival I downloaded the Junior Dunes Ranger Activity Book for the White Sands National Monument giving us the ability to begin completing the required activities needed to earn our patch.  The Junior Dunes Ranger Activity Book is broken into three groups based on age.  We completed the entire Lizard activities within the book.  Located at the top of each page you will find the symbols that are required to complete that page in order to receive their Junior Ranger certificate, badge or patch and become a Junior Dunes Ranger.

Prior to arriving at the monument we completed the Desert Safety page discussing the importance of packing properly for a desert hike.  For this discussion we were able to complete both pages even though it was not required of his level I felt he really needed to understand how to prepare for the desert heat.  We also reviewed Nature Manners discussing how to respect the park and other visitors by having good manners.

Upon our arrival we began our journey in the garden located directly in front of the visitor's center.  Then making our way indoors to explore the museum, gift shop and gather information for our day of adventure.  This gave us a great beginning and orientation for what to expect during our visit to White Sand National Monument.  It also brought to our attention the unique geology that exists in the region.  White Sands National Monument is the largest white gypsum dunefield in the entire world and though it is called White Sands it is actually crystals that cover the miles and miles of breathtaking landscape.

Once we headed out on our journey to the dunes we had Jaxon fully equipped with a clipboard to begin his Scavenger Hunt completing two pages of our junior ranger program in the process.

The most exciting discovery we made was observing the lizards of White Sand National Monument.  A large majority of animals that live in the dunes have adapted overtime and shimmer white to match the gypsum dunes they inhabit.  We sat and observed the lizard above as he dug himself a burrow to escape the heat of the midday hot sun.

When we made our way farther into the dunes it appeared to be miles and miles of untouched land as the untouched ripples invited you to come explore.

After our visit to the Monument and learning so much about the Soap Tree Yucca I have now come to admire their beauty from a distance growing wild in the interdune area. I am fascinated that they hold such a beautiful symbiotic relationship with the Yucca Moths.  

During the heat of the day with temperatures reaching at least 100 degrees we imagined the sand to be scorching hot.  Yet when we got out to explore the area next to the trailhead we found the sand was cold to the touch we were actually able to walk barefoot through it during our adventures and not be affected at all.

When choosing a hike we choose the Interdune Boardwalk since it incorporated many different educational exhibits along the way.  

Half way down the platform are seats to sit and observe the natural surroundings.  Taking in the stillness of the dunes, watching for any wildlife that might be out braving the heat of the day, and having the ability to take your time in the shade and read through all the wonderful educational exhibits about the Monument.

After completing our hike we raced back to the courtyard at the visitors center to attend Skins & Skulls in hopes to learn about all the animals of White Sands National Monument.  We did not realize that this Ranger Program was just a table set up to explore at your own pace.  So since we had completed exploring the table within five minutes we decided to interview Ranger Emily to complete our Meet the Ranger page located in our Junior Ranger Book.

After completing the required pages and receiving our patch the fun began.  It was time to go sand sledding!  We headed to the top of the dunes and enjoyed sand sledding for our first time.  It was as if we had all the dunes to ourselves.  When we reached the top as far as our eyes could see were rolling hills of white. 

White Sand National Monument is a great natural wonder of this earth and I am so glad that we discovered it during our travels.  I sometimes wonder what attracts people to specific National Parks.  Why do we all flock to Yosemite, Yellowstone or Grand Canyon?  Why do so many of us overlook such grand adventures as White Sands National Monument.  

Bandelier National Monument Junior Ranger

Our exciting journey through the Indian Reservations opened up a whole new educational experience into the Native American culture.  This laid a great foundation for our entire road trip through the southwest.  As we embarked on the next leg of our trip it brought us even further back in history to Bandelier National Monument.  To take an adventure through the Ancient Pueblon history would fulfill a long time dream of my mother's to climb the many ladders to the top of the Alcove House.

We arrived extremely early so that we were able to drive our own vehicle into the park.   Bandolier National Monument is one of the few monuments that during peak season visitors who arrive during operating hours must ride a mandatory shuttle into the park.  Arriving prior to 9:00 am gave us the opportunity to drive our own vehicle into the park and continue our journey on after Bandolier National Monument through the Jemez Mountain Trail.

Bandelier National Monument is the only park I have currently found that has broken it's Junior Ranger Program into four age groups consisting of Pre K to 1st Grade, 2nd Grade to 3rd Grade, 4th Grade to 6th Grade, and Deputy level being 7th Grade and up.  Offering a different patch for each age group makes it exciting for children to return to the park often embarking on a new adventure each time they return.  We downloaded our booklet at home prior to our visit and will be walking you through our journey of Bandolier National Monument for the Pre K to 1st Grade age group. Before we even set out on our adventure we were able to compete pages 4, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14 and 15.  This taught Jaxon how to respect and protect the monument during our visit, what animals live in the surrounding habitat, and what the ruins would have looked like when the Ancestral Puebloans called them home.  

Prior to our departure we picked up a trail guide at the Visitor's Center for $1.00 to guide us through this small piece of amazing human history.  As we began our journey down the main loop Jaxon kept him self entertained by playing Bandelier Bingo.  

It did not take us long to complete as for every corner we turned we were surrounded by wildlife.  

As you turn the corner looking up at the enormous mountain you see in the distance small holes not yet realizing that each one was eloquently carved out by a human being.

 As we took the 1.2 mile trail it led us past an intact Kiva and through what remained of a small village area before descending up the hill to the base of the cliff dwellings.

 When you reach the base of the cliff dwellings you have the opportunity to climb numerous ladders into a number of the homes that still are intact today.  

When we arrived in front of the Long House we sat on the bench to discuss what the difference was between a petroglyph and a pictograph while completing page 9.  This was Jaxon's first encounter with any form of a petroglyph.  It was the beginning to many new petroglyph discoveries along our quest of learning.  He now studies them with ease trying to put meaning behind each individual picture he finds.

Once we completed the leisure walk around the main loop we returned to the visitor center to walk the gardens and learn how the Ancient Publeon people used each plant in their daily lives. 

When we finished we headed back to the Visitor Center to turn in our completed Junior Ranger Book and be rewarded with an amazing Patch showing the accomplishments of our day learning through the Monuments awe inspiring historical site.

After completing our Junior Ranger Program we set out to conquer the Alcove House.  

The Alcove House trail is 2.7 miles long reaching 140 feet above the canyon.  Which can only be reached by the four sets of steep ladders and stone stairs that take you on a journey from terrace to terrace up the mountain.

In the heat of the day we began our climb.  We were extremely relieved by each terrace we reached stopping to catch our breath and drink some water before resuming our climb to the next knowing we were just a little bit closer each time.

Once we reached the Alcove House we felt a great sense of achievement as we looked down below at the people who choose not to take the challenge.  As they wait at the foot of the mountain for their loved ones they appeared to be ants.  Giving us great perspective on how life must have been for the twenty-five people who once occupied the Alcove House.  The climb they choose to make everyday to fetch water, and gather food.  

Homewood Suites Santa Fe - North

After a week in the Grand Canyon and making the all day drive to Santa Fe we found the perfect location to refuel, do laundry and replenish our kitchen at the Homewood Suites Santa Fe.  We choose this exact location due to the proximity to Bandolier National Monument which is where our adventure would continue the following day.  It was located a meer 30 miles to the entrance of the National Monument right next door to the Hilton Santa Fe Buffalo Thunder.  The Santa Fe Buffalo Thunder Resort included an onsite Spa and Resort, Casino, four restaurants and a Golf Course all located right next door giving you the option to make a short walk to enjoy the facilities offered.

At the time of arrival the hotel was hosting their nightly evening social.  A majority of roadside hotels now serve hot breakfast, but an evening social with alcoholic beverages was a great surprise at our time of arrival.  This made for a wonderful evening off from cooking a meal. 

When we arrived to our room we found a small bag located on our kitchen table welcoming us to the hotel.  Inside contained two protein bars each attached to a bottle of water with an enclosed welcome letter inviting you to make yourself at home.  

We booked a two queen bed one bedroom casita suite non smoking for our night.  The room was extremely spacious and comfortable.

The fully equipped kitchen included a full-sized refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher and twin burner stove.  The perfect size to spend the evening replenishing our lunch supplies before the next leg of our trip.

While we were at the hotel we took full advantage of the laundry facilities which was kept extremely clean.  The following morning restocked and refreshed we headed downstairs to enjoy a hot breakfast before beginning our next adventure.  During all of our travels we found the Homewood Suites to be one of the only hotels that went above and beyond what was expected.  

Statue of Liberty National Monument

We saved the best for last.  This was also Jaxon's highlight of our entire trip.  Our entire trip was planned around the Statue of Liberty Crown Access tickets.  We had tried to make a quick stop months prior on our way to Florida and quickly learned that Crown Access sells out months in advance.  Learning our lesson we actually booked our Crown Access tickets before our flights this time.  The Crown Access tickets give you access to everything you could possibly want to see the pedestal, museum, audio tour and grounds area.  These tickets are only available online.  I suggest planning way in advance to get your tickets here.  This is the only official provider of Crown Tickets.

To prepare for our trip to the statue of liberty we read L is for Liberty.  My favorite part of this book is that towards the end they celebrate the Fourth of July which really relates to our entire journey to New York.  For Jaxon's reading assignment he read The Statue of Liberty, a Step up to reading book.  I find it really takes Jaxon's reading to another level when the book focus's on something we are learning in another subject.  It then takes the focus off the fact that I am asking him to read but, that we are taking an adventure to learn about something new.

We pre-printed our Statue of Liberty Junior Ranger Activity Book.  When downloading the Junior Ranger Program this park actually has two choices. The first one is a short double-sided page meant for visitors wanting to earn their badge.  The second one was created for teachers to utilize during field trips to the Statue of Liberty.  Since we were including the book in Jaxon's "Time for Kids" Social Studies curriculum we chose to utilize the field trip based Activity Book.  We also included a short educational video by BrainPOP Jr.  Jaxon loves to watch  Annie and Moby bring topics to life through short cartoon clips.  Prior to our visit we were able to complete Activities 5,6,7,8 and 10 at home.  This gave Jaxon a great foundation of understanding the history and meaning behind such an important monument to american history. Below you can see how I took Activity 8 and expanded the topic into a small science project for a better understanding of how copper ages.  I found this great activity with the worksheet included by Buggy and Buddy. 

At the top of every Activity Page they give you a Hint where to find the answer which made it much easier to maneuver as we walked around the monument.  

Activities 1 and 2 we actually saved for last since both pages are to be completed in the information center at the same location that we would complete our Activity book and turn it in to a Ranger.  Activity 1 includes watching a video.  I would highly recommend leaving a good amount of time for these two activities, the information center is extremely small and tight.  Once you get more then one family trying to complete the same activities and meet with the rangers to sign off on the books it becomes cramped very quickly.  

The monument has an amazing children's audio tour that I highly recommend for children and adults.  It takes you on a tour through the gardens and then continues on around the entire outside grounds of the Statue of Liberty.  These tours are done at your own pace.  So you are able to listen in one area and then take your time walking until you reach the next stop.

After we returned our audio tours we quickly walked to the pedestal area where we were directed to leave all of our backpacks in a locker and only proceed with cameras that you have the ability to carry.  At this point you enter the pedestal and museum area and must proceed immediately to either the elevator or stairs during your selected tour time. We choose to take the stairs just to rule out the idea of us missing anything.  We didn't miss anything it is literally a corridor of stairs that lead you to the same location as the elevator.  At this time we met up with a Ranger who then told us how long we would need to wait before proceeding to the crown stairs.  

As we made our way to the top of the crown we were completely alone and able to climb at our own pace. 

The crown itself was so much smaller then I expected but, we have no regrets and would do the entire thing over again.  It was absolutely amazing being able to walk up the stairs and see all of her features from the inside.

After we made our climb down we headed to the museum to explore more on the history of the Statue of Liberty.

In the end after a long day of exploring the monument we all enjoyed an ice cold fresh made cup of Statue of Liberty Lemonade.  

Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration

Jaxon's First grade study of Immigration took us on our journey to Ellis Island.  This was another trip inspired by Jaxon's "Time for Kids" Social Studies curriculum.  I decided when planning this trip to split up the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island so we could take our time and do both Junior Ranger Programs and not be in a hurry.  Honestly,  the last thing I wanted to happen was for all of us to be exhausted and not enjoy the exploration.  That ultimately was the best decision we made by the end of our day on Ellis Island I couldn't wait to get back to our hotel and relax.  I could never imagine doing it any other way now.  

I would like to first discuss the Junior Ranger Program.  If I could go back and do things differently that would be the one thing I would change.  I attempting to be prepared printed the Junior Ranger Booklet at home.  Which I printed immediately after booking our trip in March.  The Junior Ranger Book I printed was at least ten pages long and by the time we had made it to the third floor we were exhausted, hungry and could not easily find any of the answers.  Once we completed the third floor questions we took a break and went and grabbed lunch in the cafeteria. We then returned to the last two pages which was all located in the main entrance area.  After still having major difficulty finding the answers I opted to go to the ranger desk and ask them how many pages needed to be completed.  When I questioned the ranger he notified me that the Junior Ranger book I had printed was out of date and meant for teachers use.  The now Junior Ranger Program was two pages.  So lesson now learned going forward I will always visit the ranger desk prior to beginning our day.

One of the reasons that I always try to print the Junior Ranger Book out ahead of time is so that we can do as many of the pages ahead as possible.  This helps us lay a strong foundation for our trip and allows us a little more time to enjoy the monuments at a more relaxed rate.  On this trip we were only able to complete the first page before arriving.  The entire packet is designed to be completed at particular exhibits.  Below is an example of one page of the packet.  I then went to plan b and organized our entire day by floor and exhibit which made it much easier while traveling through the museum.

In preparation for our trip we utilized BrainPOP Jr.'s short video on Ellis Island. If you have never heard of BrainPOP Jr. you absolutely need to look into it.  We pay $1.99 a month to have unlimited access to their app.  BrainPOP Jr. has six different categories science, health, reading and writing, social studies, math art and technology.  Within each of these are subcategories with endless subjects full of short educational videos that appeal to children.  There are times I can explain the same topic to Jaxon over and over and he still just stares at me completely lost.  This is when I pull out BrainPOP Jr. and all of a sudden a lightbulb comes on in his head.  There are times when he is honestly just tired of hearing my voice and that is completely understandable.  For this reason I try to incorporate all forms of education in his curriculum including educational movies and videos.

The page below was the only time I assisted Jaxon in writing in his Junior Ranger Activity Book.  I knew that this would be a huge challenge for him to sit down and write his own manifest so I interviewed him as if he was entering a real legal inspection and wrote all his answers below.  It actually made for a fun change of dramatic play during our tour of Ellis Island.

We also took the children's audio tour while on Ellis Island.  My first suggestion is to bring the children their own headphones.  They do not come with headphones and the rooms are small and can get quite loud.  We actually went back to the audio tour counter and asked if they had any we could borrow due to the volume of noise in the rooms.  The audio tour was absolutely perfect for children, a mouse who lives on Ellis Island takes you on a journey to meet some of his friends and explore their journey to the new world.  

Another great feature of the audio tour is it is enjoyed at your own pace.  Each room the tour leads you to has a plaque on the wall and the children just follow the mouse footprint numbers when they are ready to begin.

Once we had completed our Junior Ranger Program and our audio tour I took Jaxon on a more personal tour of Ellis Island.  We wandered the American Immigrant Wall of Honor in search of my Great Grandfather's name.  My Great Grandfather had traveled to Ellis Island from Belgium to start a new life for his family in America.  I wanted Jaxon to understand that Ellis Island is a historical landmark for many reasons and it is personal to every person who has had an ancestor pass through.  For if it was not for our ancestor's coming to America to start a new life we would not be here today.

Jaxon came to Ellis Island with very little knowledge or understanding of the concept of immigration and coming to america.  For a young child to learn history is one goal during most National Monuments but, to understand a concept of how we all came together to become what is now the United States of America is a little more difficult.

Clinton Castle National Monument

During our recent visit to New York we wanted to be able to do as much as we possibly could in walking distance of our hotel located in Battery Park.  While exploring Battery Park we found ourselves inside Castle Clinton National Monument.  

Castle Clinton does not have their Junior Ranger Book online so you have to pick one up once you arrive.  The rangers are walking around so you just have to stop and ask one of them.  They do not have an official area that you are able to talk to them except their private office which is the door to the left as you pass through the arch.  The book is designed for ages 4-7 to complete three pages and ages 8 and up must complete all the activities.  Jaxon was able to complete the book with little to no problems.

As we began filling out our book we did lose sight that there was an outside so I would suggest walking around outside to see the plaque at the entrance which answers some of the questions on page nine.  

When it came to the Cannons on page three we had to ask the ranger for assistance that is when we discovered that at some point in time someone had stolen their signs.  That is why we were having a difficult time finding the answers we needed to complete the book.  This is when I am happy we have technology today that gives us the ability to sit down and look up the answers.

The one area that was located inside is set up with dioramas of Castle Clinton so that you have the ability to see the transformations it has gone through over the years.  This is where we found a majority of the answers for pages 7 and 10.  The history of the building and all it has been used for was astonishing.  Technically by right it was the first Ellis Island for our country and yet somehow we never hear much about it during our Nation's history.

As we wandered around Castle Clinton Monument completing our junior ranger book we noticed out the corner of our eye that a group of men dressed in colonial day attire had arrived.  Sparking our interest we walked over to admire their amazing attire.  It was at this time we came to find out that they were going to be re-enacting a colonial band by performing patriotic songs in spirit of the Fourth of July holiday.  After studying the history of the Fourth of July prior to our visit this was an exciting opportunity for us.  To not only read, listen and discuss but now to actually see what it was like in the past to witness a colonial band playing such patriotic music was a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

In the end Jaxon was very excited to receive his Junior Ranger Badge and Patch.  When we come across a location that has the opportunity to collect a patch it makes the experience extra special.  

Clinton Castle National Monument is an under appreciated National Monument that is sadly shadowed by the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Islands who have taken over the gift shop, ticket stands and will call in the center.  I highly recommend taking the time to visit the location next time you are in New York.

Best Western Plus Taft

If you ever find yourself looking for a hotel in Taft I would highly recommend the Best Western Plus over any other hotel in town.  When I began my search to look for hotels nearest to Carrizo Plains National Monument I found Taft was the closest town.  Taft is located in the middle of oil fields.  Driving into town was such a sight all you could see was oil rigs for miles.  Our entire experience in Taft ended up being a diamond in the ruff.  The hotel was located directly behind the main street so it gave us easy access to be able to walk around town in the evening. Growing up in a small town it was a breath of fresh air when we walked up an down the streets.  The town was very quiet and has history lining the streets.  As you strolled up and down the sidewalks every couple feet you would come to a piece of the oil industry history.  At the time of booking the hotel I expected to use it as a starting point for our journey into carrizo plains I had no idea that we would become a part of our journey itself.  We found ourselves intrigued and drawn to the town itself.  It left us wanting to return to explore more.

This Hotel included free wifi and breakfast with our stay.  There are times I am at 5-star hotels and the wifi barely works.  The Best Western in Taft had such excellent wifi that I was able to work on uploading pictures with ease.  The Continental Breakfast had more variety than most and was prepared on site.  

The Hotel only has standard rooms which made me a little nervous, since this trip my husband joined us, it would be tight.  It ended up not being a problem at all as we spent most or our afternoons at their pool which was extremely well kept and comfortable.  The rooms were extremely clean and modern.  Each room was fully equipped with a refrigerator and microwave.  

The staff at the Best Western Plus is a great example of hospitality.  During our last day enjoying the pool we met a local man who's air-conditioning had went out and was using the hotel as an escape.  As our conversation took us to our current hotel location, he informed us that he was so delighted that they opened as it was the only hotel in town that did not have a green pool.  I'd say we made the right decision.

Carrizo Plains National Monument

I find through our travels and educational journeys that I too learn alot along the way.  When we began our Landform studies I foolishly assumed most of the central valley was a Plain.  Until I found out the only Plain left in the state of California was Carrizo Plains National Monument.  Once we arrived we explored using the Junior Explorer Field Guide.  This activity book can be picked up at the Goodwin Educational Center or printed from home.   I highly recommend printing out the Junior Explorer Field Guide prior to visiting.  We were able to complete pages 3, 7, 9 and 10 before we even arrived.  This laid a great foundation for what we were going to explore during our visit.  Another reason for printing it out ahead of time was The Goodwin Educational Center is located in the Center of the monument and we had half of the book completed before we even arrived.  

We woke up before the sunrise to be able to get to Carrizo Plains at first daylight, so we could avoid hiking late in the afternoon during the hottest time of the day.  Our drive to Carrizo Plain took about one hour from our hotel in Taft.   When researching the Monument we found that there are numerous entry points, some are even shorter drives from other hotels and cities.  We choose Taft due to it's proximity to Goodwin Educational Center,  the list of services that were provided in town and the level of accommodations available.  A majority of what needs to be accomplished to complete the Junior Explorer program takes place on the California Valley side of the Park. 

Equipped with our clipboard and binoculars we entered the park on the California Valley side off of Highway 58.  Throughout our entire drive Jaxon was kept busy with the Carrizo Plain Checklist.  As he searched for wildlife.  He even had the excitement of seeing a snake.

Our first Hike was up Overlook Hill to answer the questions from page Five of our Junior Explorer Book. All of the answers were all located on the plaque at the top of the hill.  This was a very short, steep 500 foot hike that left from a small dirt parking lot.  Overlook Hill gave us the opportunity to see just how large Soda Lake below us really was and our next stop.

Our next stop was Soda Lake Boardwalk Trail which, was located directly across the street from the road we turned on to reach overlook hill.  We started by taking a short dirt path to the edge of the lake where a boardwalk begins that runs along the lake.  The lizards kept Jaxon entertained the entire walk down the dirt path.

This walk was extremely easy and was under a mile round trip.  At anytime during your visit you can complete page twelve as it is a journal entry the children fill out about their experience in the park.  

This area gave us the opportunity to see some small wildlife.  While walking on the boardwalk we were able to not disturb their habitats.  During this stop we completed page six of our Junior Explorer.  

We then stopped and took a short walk up to Wallace Creek and the San Andreas Fault.  This walk can be made as a short walk to the plaque at the end of a short trail which then gives you the option to connect to other hikes that can last much longer during your visit.  We opted for the short walk up to the creek and were able to complete all of page eight during this stop.  This concept was very difficult for Jaxon to understand as we had never discussed or studied what an earthquake was.  I would highly recommend at least a one day discussion with activities just so they understand more of what they are observing at the fault line.

The last two pages can be completed at The Goodwin Educational Center. The Goodwin Education Center was a great ending to a wonderful day.  The Center is only open from December to the end of May.  When we arrived they were actually packing up to close for the summer months.  Their exhibits were extremely well kept and informational.  The Ranger that was there was a wealth of information and interacted with Jaxon.  He pulled out a Rattlesnake Rattler, Horns and Antlers showing him and allowing him to touch and ask as many questions as he felt necessary.  We ended our visit with Jaxon taking his oath and receiving his Junior Explorer Badge.

We were able to explore the Monument and complete the entire Junior Explorer Field Guide in just one day.  The only exception that was Painted Rock.  There are only two ways to visit Painted Rock.  During the months of July 16 until the end of February you have to obtain a permit to take a self-guided tour of the area.  During the months of March 1st until July 15th you have to take a guided tour which you must book ahead of time.  Everything for the time we were visiting was completely booked.   I was sad that we were unable to do the Painted Rock Tour and I hope to return next year to visit that area of the park.