Curated OER
Jamestown Fort: Finding History
Students identify artifacts discovered from the exploration of the Jamestown fort in order to help them create a short fictional account about the lives of Jamestown's first inhabitants. In this history lesson, students research the...
Curated OER
The Importance of Site Maps in Archaeology
Students consider the importance of site maps in archeology. They interpret site maps, draw site maps of their classroom and home and then participate in simulated Paleolithic archeological camp activity.
Curated OER
Mapping with a Compass: A Simulated Survey
Students use compasses and grids to map the locations of artifacts found in a simulated dig site. In groups, they role-play as future archeologists excavating a school site. Groups begin at their assigned datum and site the artifacts...
Curated OER
Dell House Dig
Students demonstrate basic procedures for archeological excavations. They participate in an archaeological dig exploration off of Blackhawk Island in the Wisconsin River where the Dell House once stood.
National First Ladies' Library
King Tut and All That
Students study the field of Egyptology and archeology. They create an artifact for posterity and create a special edition that tells the story in words, maps, and pictures. They create a storyboard for a "comic book" edition of the story.
Curated OER
Relative Dating in Archaeology
Students create a timeline that explains how ancient cultures used artifacts. In this Relative Dating in Archaeology lesson, students examine artifacts and draw conclusions about their origins. Then students analyze antiquated objects or...
Curated OER
Looking for Clues
Young scholars infer the cause of a shipwreck based upon information about artifacts found in the wreck. In this marine archeology lesson, students use an inventory list to infer the cause of a shipwreck. Young scholars discuss the...
Curated OER
The Battle of Stones River: The Soldiers' Story
Learners organize items in a "doohickey kit" distributed by the teachers, creating categories using classification schemes. In this classification instructional activity, students compare systems within groups and write questions that...
Curated OER
Mystery of the Maya
Students research the Mayan civilization and complete an artifact dig. In this archeology lesson, students watch an IMAX video about the Mayan civilization. Students discuss archaeology related vocabulary and then work in teams to...
Curated OER
Digging Detectives
Students demonstrate basic procedures for archeological excavations. They explore an archeological site, students using various archeological methods and techniques to determine some of the aspects of past life and culture.
Curated OER
Protecting the Past: Give a Hoot, Don't Loot
Young scholars discuss the looting and vandalism of various archeological sites. In pairs, they read and complete a worksheet and review their answers as a class. In groups, they role play a artifact preservation skit and perform it to...
Curated OER
Save Our Past -- Act It Out
Fourth graders identify and examine the importance of civic responsibility and the result of losing many archeological sites in Texas. In groups, they are given scenerio cards and act out each scene for the class. They also write a...
Curated OER
Living in the Oak Woodlands: Early People of the Jewett Mine Area
Students examine the archeology and native peoples of the Jewett Mine area of Texas. Using a map, they explain the economic patterns of the native groups and how the geography of the area affected activities. They compare and contrast...
Curated OER
An Archaeological Adventure
Students simulate an archeological dig in the classroom to explore a culture through its artifacts.
Curated OER
Making Inferences About a Llano River Rancheria
Seventh graders research the Indian groups that lived 1,000 years ago on the Llano River. They analyze paintings and photographs of tools and artifacts, develop inferences and conclusions about how the Indians lived, and present the...
Curated OER
My How Things Have Changed
Eighth graders discuss the impact geography had on hunter-gatherer societies, their toolmaking. They work in groups to create a Web page that links pictures of artifacts to explanations about what the artifact tell us about the lives of...
Curated OER
Stratigraphy -- Layers of Time in the Earth
Learners are introduced to the process of stratification. Using the internet, they read about the Richard Beene archeological site near San Antonio. Using a map, they color code the different layers present at this site and answer...
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Pieces of the Past
Seventh graders compare and contrast the way of life of Native Americans in Texas and around the country. As a class, they brainstorm about the uses of pottery today and use broken pieces of pottery to create an artifact. In groups,...
Curated OER
Lesson 6: Examining Events from Different Perspectives Friend or Foe?
Fifth graders sequence events of European exploration and colonization by creating timelines. They define the differences between primary and secondary sources. They discuss claims to Texas land in the 17th Century.
Curated OER
Seeing Ancient Worlds
Students view the images from the Nature Images Photo Gallery and identify various elements of nature. They then group the elements into categories and discuss what these images tell about the worlds of ancient Native Americans.
University of Chicago
Ancient Egyptians and Death
What archaeological evidence remains of ancient Egyptian burial and mortuary practices, and what can this information tell us about ancient Egyptian society?
Curated OER
Classic Columns
Sixth graders present a PowerPoint presentation on Greek columns. They realize that Greek culture is centered around religion. Students create a model of one of the columns. Also they find examples of Greek architecture in major Greek...
Curated OER
Digging up the Past
Young scholars explore history through archaeology. In this critical analysis instructional activity, students work in teams to recreate a model of the archaeological discoveries made in the excavations at Monticello. This instructional...
Curated OER
America's Stone Age Explorers
Students watch a Nova program examining the earliest in habitants of the Americas. In groups. they take notes on various topics covered in the program. Among the topics covered are: the Clovis people, Solutrean culture, migration...