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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mapping and Excavating a Jello Mold

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders, in groups, map the three layers of different colored jello layers in molds and note the placement of fruit in them. On the grid paper they draw each grape, raisin, or other object and carefully remove each layer. After...
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Website
BBC

Bbc: Radio 4: Unearthing Mysteries: The Meadowcroft Rock Shelter

For Students 9th - 10th
Presenter, Aubrey Manning, explores the excavation of Meadowcroft Rockshelter Aubrey Manning with archeologist, Dr. James Adovasio who has been excavating Meadowcroft Rockshelter campsite for the past 30 years. Details of the inside,...
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Website
Curated OER

National Park Service: Archaeology Program: The Earliest Americans Theme Study

For Students 11th - 12th
This exhaustive study of Paleo-Indians examines many of the sites where evidence of their occupation is found across the North American continent. This National Park Service study looks at evidence in found in projectile points,...
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Article
Smithsonian Institution

Encyclopedia Smithsonian: Paleoamerican Origins

For Students 9th - 10th
This detailed article from the Encyclopedia Smithsonian lays out the theories and evidence of who were the earliest inhabitants of North and South America. Beginning with the traditional theory of migration using the land bridge, and...
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Website
Other

Early Cultures: Paleo Traditions

For Students 5th - 8th
This interesting site shows many aspects of the Paleo culture. Learn about the ways the Paleo Indians hunted for food, the tools they used, and find a chart which organizes all the information.
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Graphic
Other

New Mexico Museum of Art: Prehistory: Paleo Indian Sites

For Students 9th - 10th
Download a great map of New Mexico showing the Paleo-Indian sites from 10,000 B.C. to 5,500 BC. [pdf]
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Website
Texas A&M University

Csfa: Circum Pacific Research by the Csfa

For Students 9th - 10th
Center for the Study of the First Americans at Texas A & M University is researching many different sites across North America looking in to theories of "Clovis First" and "Pre-Clovis" as to who were the first people to inhabit North...
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Website
Other

Mississippi Valley Archaeolgy Center: Common Projectile Points

For Students 9th - 10th
This scholarly work describes the various projectile points used by Paleo-Indians and later cultures in the Upper Mississippi Valley. Find diagrams, photographs, and descriptions of the points, and compare their differences and...
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Article
University of Iowa

University of Iowa: A Brief Cultural History of Iowa

For Students 9th - 10th
Read the interesting story about the many different cultures that influenced the state of Iowa throughout its history.
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Website
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Comission

Explore Pa History: Meadowcroft Rockshelter Historical Marker

For Students 9th - 10th
An interesting article about the Meadowcroft Rockshelter and how archaeologists were able to dig through enough strata to determine that it was the home for paleo-Indians in Pennsylvania about 16,000 years ago. See pictures of some of...
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Website
PBS

Nova: Mystery of the First Americans

For Students 9th - 10th
Read the transcript of the NOVA program about Kennewick Man, how he was found, and why his discovery was so important.
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Website
Other

Native Peoples of North America: Paleo Indian Period and Tradition

For Students 9th - 10th
An overview of the three major Paleo Indian cultures, Clovis, Folsom, and Plano, found in North America from about 11,400 BC to 8,000 BC.
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Website
Other

State of Iowa Historical Museum: Evidence of Paleo Indian Culture

For Students 9th - 10th
Read about the evidence arrow points made Paleo-Indians in North America. See pictures of Clovis and Folsom points.
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Article
Other

Usc News: Pnas: Topper Site in Middle of Comet Controversy

For Students 9th - 10th
The disagreement between those who theorize that Clovis man was the first to inhabit North America and those who beleive that there was a pre-Clovis culture continues even today. Archaeologists have found evidence of pre-Clovis points at...
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Graphic
Texas A&M University

Center for the Study of the First Americans: Cactus Hill Site, Virginia

For Students 9th - 10th
Pictures of the Cactus Hill paleo-Indian site in Virginia show the site itself and artifacts from the pre-Clovis and Clovis periods of time. There is no commentary about the pictures other than a caption.