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Forensic Detectives: Archaeology at Work
Dig in! Middle schoolers learn about archaeology by exploring the remnants of the Chiribaya bodies found in Illinois. Compare archaeological investigations, and then write a mystery detailing the discovery of a body! Consider bringing in...
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Transparent Shoebox Dig
Take this simulated archaeological dig one layer at a time with your young pupils to encourage observation, critical thinking, and careful attention. Using a transparent box full of layers of sand and artifacts, pupils examine the...
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Culture Challenge
Learners identify and classify characteristics of the four pre-European cultures in Wisconsin. They playing a game about the different characteristics that belong to each of the cultures studied.
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Layer Cake Archaeology
Excavating cake? Why not! Kids spoon into some layers and artifacts during this tasty hands-on activity. The cake, a simulated archaeological dig, is the object of observation and discussion.
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Cultural Murals
Seventh graders research the cultural time period of early Wisconsin people. They create a mural depicting the diet, shelter, activities, climate, clothing, tools, and other materials used.
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My Wet Robot
After hearing about the 2006 PHAEDRA mission that explored the Aegean Sea, middle schoolers work in groups to create a robotic vehicle. They must consider power, propulsion, and other vital systems. Use the multitude of external...
Ocean Explorer
Looking for Clues
Upper graders become "shipwreck detectives" by studying the debris field from a shipwreck in the Aegean Sea which took place in the 700s. A website is accessed that gives specific information about the debris field, and pairs of...
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This Old Ship
Junior archaeologists will be able to describe shipwreck artifacts and the information they reveal. They work in small groups to reasearch wreckage features of different period ships, making this not only a science lesson, but a social...
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Basics of Archaeology
Students identify what and how to complete an Archaeological excavation is conducted. They identify the transition from one layer to the next more easily if the colors of the layers are different. When creating a dig, the teacher...
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Archaeology
Students explore purpose and process of archaeology, as well as demonstrate how it applies to their own lives, through a simulated archaeological dig.
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Wreck Detectives
Junior archaeologists examine types of artifacts from the Bronze Age on the internet. In collaborative groups, they create a story about a ship from this period and then construct a model of the ocean floor after their ship has sunk....
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How Do We Learn About the Past?
Sixth graders discuss the role of an archaeologist as a class. After viewing photographs, they relate the objects found in their local area and Ancient Egypt. They draw a picture of an object that represents their own culture and gives...
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Dig It Up
Students participate in an archaeological excavation to determine how archeologists make inferences about various cultures. They reconstruct the site using layers of drawings. They discuss the kinds of information they learned.
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Archaeology is ...
Students demonstrate the importance of context for learning about ancient people. They assess the importance of preservation of cultural resources. They exchange papers with a student in class. The students with the paper are responsible...
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Do You Have a Sinking Feeling
Students determine how marine archaeologists use historical and archaeological data to draw inferences about shipwrecks. Students plot the position of a shipwrecked vessel, and draw inferences about the shipwreck from artifacts that have...
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Leaarn to Think Like an Archaeologist
Students examine how to act as archaeologists by examining artifacts. The inquiry is meant to teach learners about analysis of ancient civilizations and scientific finds. Fossil evidence is also covered to make connection to the...
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Archaeology of the Future
Students view pictures of classmates' homes, make list of different objects in picture, and discuss what they can tell about place from evidence in picture. Students then observe artifact pictures, and read and complete artifact chart.
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National Marine Sanctuaries Shipwrecks
Junior oceanographers access the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Shipwreck Database and plot the locations of several shipwrecks. Shipwrecks are always an enthralling subject and this activity allows your learners to act as...
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Artifacts 1: What Can We Learn From Artifacts?
Sixth graders are introduced to artifacts and explore an online archaeological site to connect clues about how people once lived. In this deductive reasoning lesson, 6th graders participate in the stratigraphy game on Kids Dig Reed.com...
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Archaeology as a Career
Fourth graders read about archaeology as a career. They develop a list of questions they would like to ask an archaeologist and then actually interview an archaeologist on the future of archaeology as a career.
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Archaeology What Gets Preserved?
Students view a video on a culture and list what would be preserved over time. In this investigative lesson students study preservation and what gets preserved in different cultures.
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Digging Detectives
Students experience exploring an archaeological site utilizing various archaeological methods and techniques to help them synthesize multiple aspects of past life and culture to today. They explore what an archaeologist can learn from an...
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Forensics: Who Killed the Iceman?
Students explore how archaeologist examine mummies. In this research based lesson, students work in groups to research two mummies and report their findings to the class through role-playing and using a model of the mummy.
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Methods of Collecting Information
Third graders examine a bag or box of soil containing items that they dig for. Their task is to become detectives to make conclusions about the area from which the items came as real archaeologists do.