Dig Site Educational Outreach
As a child, did you dream that someday you could be a paleontologist, or an archaeologist, or possibly a geologist?
Wenas Mammoth Dig Site Facilities
Address:
1760 South Wenas Road, Selah, WA
Become Inspired and Cultivate Curiosity
Paleontology, Archaeology, and Geology Summer Camps
Youth learning the methods of Paleontology, Archaeology, and Geology in a real hand-on learning environment.
The Wenas Mammoth Foundation offers Paleontology, Archaeology, and Geology camp for 3rd grade through 12 grade students. The first year students learn the methods of paleontology, archaeology, and geology which includes learning about the history and geology of the Wenas Creek Mammoth Dig Site, STEM earth science careers, maintaining field records, laying out a dig-site unit, excavation processes, and identification of findings. Return students will be given the opportunity to take the skills they obtained in the first year, and utilize those skills in the field, and learn more about the geology of the area.
Welcome to our website
What do kids learn when they participate in the WMF's STEM Youth Paleontology, Archaeology, and Geology 3-Day Day Camp?
2024 STEM Youth Paleontology, Archaeology, and Geology Camps
The WMF has scheduled the dates for the 2024 youth camps. Each youth camp consists of 3-day day sessions that operate from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Camp Group A is for new 1st year campers. Camp Group B is for returning campers. Each camp group has a limit of 32 campers. Registration Fee is $120.00 for each camp.
WMF STEM Youth Paleontology, Archaeology, and Geology 2-Day Day Camp Flyer
2022 Gallery
Our latest and best photos
Here are a few photos from the 2022 teacher and youth camps.
WMF 2024 STEM Teacher Camps
Teachers can earn up to 15 STEM clock hours upon completion of the class. Engage a student's curiosity in local earth science into a desire to learn more.
Teacher STEM Paleontology, Archaeology, and Geology Summer Camps in May 2024
The Wenas Mammoth Foundation and ESD105 (Educational Service District for South Central Washington State) will be offering 2 unique STEM learning opportunities for K-12 teachers. May 4th and 5th, Class T1 STEM Teacher Paleontology and Archaeology 2-Day Day Camp and May 11th and 12st Class T2 STEM Teacher Local Geology 2-Day Day Camp. Teachers are not only learning the methods of paleontology, archaeology, and local geology, but are given resources to take back to the classroom. Teachers will be able to access curriculum that includes: lesson plans, slide presentations and questions, videos and questions, quizzes, and group discussion questions. They will also be given information on other resources, such as books, websites, videos, and activities that support the curriculum. Teachers who complete the class will earn 15 STEM clock hours through ESD105 per class. Teachers must enroll through ESD105 and also complete the WMF Registration Form. Class fee is $150.00 per camp plus clock hour fee.
WMF STEM Teacher Paleontology, Archaeology, and Geology 2-Day Day Camp
Setting Up the Gridlines
Using math, spikes, string, and levels to set up an excavation grid.
What a beautiful day to dig in the dirt!
Wet Screening
Looking for clues in soil samples
Looking for small bone fragments, rodent bones, seeds, and more.
Removing Soil from the Unit
Carefully removing the soil, keeping the area level throughout the unit.
You must be patient and not damage any fragile bones!
Classroom learning is also part of the process.
Geology Lesson
How do you identify the types of soils, and why is that important?
Documenting and Recording what has been discovered.
Special forms and science journals are both used to document and record finds.
Information must be accurate and complete.
A Mammoth of a Discovery!
This team has discovered a mammoth tooth, rib, and tusk in their mock unit!
Now they are ready to do a real dig!
Tours are available for schools, groups, and families.
Dig Site Tours
What can you do?
The actual archaeological Wenas Creek Mammoth Dig Site is not being excavated at this time. We do hope that we will be able to open the dig in the future. However, there are several things to do and see!
• History of the Wenas Mammoth Dig Site Presentation and more
• Life-size silhouettes of a mammoth and a ancient bison constructed by YV-Tech and Perry Tech students
• Murals that depict the Wenas Valley 17,500 years-ago. Painted by La Salle High School Art students
• Columbian Mammoth and Bison Antiquus bones that were discovered at this site
• Many displays on Ice Age paleontological and geological history
• Hands-on activities for kids of all ages
The Wenas Mammoth Foundation offers scheduled tours at the dig site between April 1st and October 31st. Tours are open to schools, groups, and families.
To schedule a tour for your family, group, or class, click the button below.
Photos from one of the 2022 Tours at the Wenas Mammoth Dig Site
Local home school program visits the dig site. Students and parents learned about the history of the dig site, made clay fossil imprints, brushed for bones and identified what bone they found, and pressed a mammoth on a penny.
Photos from 2022 Day-at-the-Dig Event
It was a beautiful day on Wenas Mammoth Mountain for our annual Day-at-the-Dig event.
CWU Professor Lubinski
WMF Volunteers
CWU Student Volunteers
Popular Booth!
Garrett from the Yakima Arboretum
Wolf Haven International
Brushing for Bones
A stroll to the bison
Learning about living fossils and clues left from wildlife
Dig Site Educational Projects
Partnering with community educational institutions and funders to bring unique learning opportunities to students. The WMF's focus is to give students the opportunity to utilize the skills they are learning at school and apply them in a real-life work setting.
Life-size Bison Antiquus Silhouette
Perry Tech Welding Program fabricated the 2nd silhouette. The life-size metal ancient Bison Antiquus silhouette was erected in 2019. Thank You to the Yakima Fresh Hop Group for funding this project.
Mural Project
La Salle High School Art class painted the 2nd mural in 2018 depicting what the Wenas Valley may have looked like 17,000 years-ago. The class would research, plan, and practice before starting the actual mural. Thank you Fresh Hop Group for funding this project.
Wenas Mammoth Mountain
In 2012, Wenas Mammoth Foundation officially submitted a request with the WA State Department of Natural Resources the State Geographic Name Application to have the mountain on which the mammoth was discovered named Wenas Mammoth Mountain. This was accepted both by the state and nationally. In 2013, the YV-Tech welding students fabricated a metal sign to place at the entrance to the dig site. The sign was painted and UC Signs donated the attachable Open and Closed Signage, as well as the Facebook and Website sign. Thank you to U. C. Signs and Tree Top for sponsoring this project.
Dig Site Facilities
Over the last few years the WMF has been improving the site by adding two 40 foot cargo containers. One is used for storage, and the other is a classroom and display area. The WMF has also constructed a mock excavation unit that is used to teach the methods of paleontology and archaeology. In 2019, we were able to get electrical power into the site. This gives us the ability to use technology in the classroom. In 2020, work was done at the site to make a large turn-around where school busses can safely drop-off and pick-up students. Thank you to Yakama Legends Casino and Hotel, Simple Box Containers, Helms Hardware, and PacifiCorp Foundation for funding this opportunity for local earth science education.
Silhouette Projects
How big was the mammoth? In 2015, a life-size mammoth metal silhouette was fabricated and erected at the Wenas Creek Mammoth Dig Site by the construction program at YV-Tech and the welding program at Perry Tech. In 2019, a life-size ancient Bison Antiquus was also fabricated and erected by the welding program at Perry Tech.
Mural Project 2017
What did it look like in the Wenas Valley when the mammoths were here? The WMF partnered with La Salle High School Art class to paint a mural that would depict what the Wenas Valley may have looked like 17,000 years-ago when the Columbian Mammoth and Bison Antiquus roamed the valley and hillsides. Students needed to research, plan, and practice before starting the actual mural on a challenging canvas.