Project Archaeology is a comprehensive archaeology and
heritage education program for anyone interested in
learning or teaching about our nation’s rich cultural
legacy and protecting it for future generations to learn from and enjoy.
Mission
Project Archaeology uses archaeological inquiry to foster
understanding of past and present cultures; to improve science and social studies education; and to
enhance citizenship education to help preserve our shared archaeological legacy.
Project Archaeology Network
Workshop OutcomesParticipate as a learner in selected sections of Project Archaeology: Investigating Shelter Learn about the interdisciplinary nature of archaeology Explore how scientific inquiry and culture are integrated in archaeology; andPrepare to teach Project Archaeology in your classroom.
Teaching an inquiry-based archaeology curriculum
The Sage on the Stagevs.
The Guide on the Side
Thinking Like an Archaeologist
Inquiry through the lens of archaeology.
Project Archaeology: Investigating Shelter
Investigating the PoplarForest Slave Cabin
Investigating Shelter Database
Kingsley Plantation (Florida, Georgia)The Basin House (Colorado, Wyoming, Utah)Northwest Coast Plank House (Alaska, Washington)Great Basin Wickiup (Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, California)Colonial Earthfast House (Maryland, Virginia, US History)Tinsley Historic Farmhouse (Montana)Poplar Forest Slave Cabin (Virginia, US History)Rock Shelter (Colorado, Utah, Wyoming)Plains Tipi (Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota)Pawnee Earthlodge (Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri)
Curriculum Development Model:
Understanding by Design
Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe 1998 and 2005
The Structure of Investigating Shelter
Understanding by Design:The Basics
Enduring Understandings – what do you want students to remember 20 years from now?Essential Questions – questions that guide the uncoverage of knowledgeAssessment – Evidence of understanding. How do you know students understand?Plan learning events and activities – based on essential questions
Enduring UnderstandingsUnderstanding the past is essential for understanding the present and shaping the future.Learning about cultures, past and present, is essential for living in a pluralistic society and world.Archaeology is a systematic way to learn about past cultures.Stewardship of archaeological sites and artifacts is everyone’s responsibility.
The Structure of Investigating Shelter
Unit OrganizationLesson Organization– Enduring Understanding– Essential Question– What Students Will Learn– What Students Will Do– Assessment– Materials– Background Information– Preparing to Teach– Procedure (Uncover Prior Knowledge,
Discover New Knowledge, Assessment, Reflect On New Knowledge)
– Assessment Procedure
Word BankMisconception
Alerts
The Learning Cycle
Lesson One: Knowing Shelter—Knowing
PeopleAll people need shelter, but shelters
are different from one another.Basic needsDetermine why shelters are different
Lesson One: Knowing Shelter—Knowing
People
Lesson Two:By Our Houses You Will Know
UsWe can learn about people by
exploring how they build and use their shelter.
Collect information (data) about their own homesAnalyze and graph the data
Lesson Two: By Our Houses You Will Know
UsWhat do you think, “By Our Houses You Will Know Us” means?If I were to visit your home tomorrow, what might I learn about you from the objects in your house?
Lesson Three:Culture Everywhere
Everyone has a culture and our lives are shaped by our culture in ways we
may not even see.
Show the different ways cultures meet basic human needs.
Conceptual Tools of Archaeology
Using the tools of scientific inquiry, archaeologists study
shelters and learn how people lived in them.
Lesson Four: Observation, Inference, and EvidenceLesson Five: ClassificationLesson Six: ContextLesson Seven: Every Picture Tells a Story
Lesson Four: Observation, Inference, and Evidence
Lesson Four: Observation, Inference, and Evidence
Is this an old house?How long ago did people live in this house?Which is a better question? Why?
Lesson Five: ClassificationUsing the tools of scientific inquiry, archaeologists study shelters and learn how people lived in them.
Lesson Six: ContextThink of a room and the distinctive objects found in that roomDraw the objects on the cards (1 object on each card)Pass the cards, removing one card each time the cards are passedInfer the use of the room for each group
Lesson Six: ContextThe Old Ghost Town Dilemma
Imagine you are visiting an old ghost town in a state park with your family. Several rock buildings are still partially intact. There is a large sign by the ruins saying, “These walls are very fragile! Do not take anything, and do not walk on, or go into the ruins.” You are eating your lunch when a family arrives and ignores the sign. Kids are walking on top of the ruins and are picking up glass fragments and old nails and putting them in their pockets.
What do you do? Would you respond in any of the following ways? You might choose more than one answer. Think about what you have learned about context as you choose your answer.
Ask the family politely if they have read the sign.Ignore them; it is really none of your business.Tell them they are damaging an archaeological site.Tell them they are breaking the law.Say nothing and go to the Park Headquarters to find a ranger and report them.Other
Assessment – Lesson 4,5, & 6
Context AssessmentDirections:Here are three drawings of the same artifact from an archaeological site.1. Put a over the picture that would tell you the least about the
person who used this room.2. Put a * under the picture that would tell you something about the
person who used this room.3. Put an X under the picture that would tell you the most about the
person who uses this room. 4. Why can you learn more about X than ?
______________ _______________ _________________
What different kinds of scenes, events, animals, and/or people do you capture in your photographs?Why do you and/or your family take photographs? Do you save your photographs? Why or why not?Do photographs tell a story? Can we learn something about you from photographs?
Lesson Seven: Every Picture Tells a Story
Lesson Seven: Every Picture Tells a Story
Lesson Seven: Every Picture Tells a Story
Lesson Eight:Being an Archaeologist
Studying a shelter can help us understand people and cultures.
Conduct a complete archaeological investigation using authentic dataObserve, infer, and use evidenceInterpret data and make inferencesRead site maps and place data in spatial context
Investigating the Poplar Forest Slave Cabin
What can we learn about the history and lives of enslaved people by investigating a log cabin?
Lesson Eight: Being an Archaeologist
The investigation is divided into 2 sections:– STUDENTS: Archaeology Notebook. – TEACHERS: Instructions for Teachers. The investigation is divided into 4 parts:– Introduces Mr. Jefferson– History of slave cabins– Artifacts and Quadrant maps– Connecting the past and present
Part One: Meet Mr. Jefferson
Part One: Geography
Part Two: History
Part Two: History
1774 Entry 1805 Entry
Part Three: Archaeology of the Poplar Forest Slave Cabin
Just as human feet leave afootprint, shelters also a leave a “footprint.”
Archaeological Map
Classify Artifacts & Make Inferences
Part Three: Reading the Dirt
Artifact Density Map Calcium Density Map
Part Four: The Slave Cabin Today
Lesson Nine:Stewardship Is Everyone’s
ResponsibilityStewardship of archaeological sites
and artifacts is everyone’s responsibility.
Evaluate lawsEvaluate guidelines for visiting archaeological sites
Lesson Nine: Stewardship Is Everyone’s Responsibility
Lesson Nine: Stewardship Is Everyone’s Responsibility
Final Performance of Understanding: Archaeology
Under Your Feet!Debate preservation of an African American site from four different perspectives.
Final Performance of Understanding: Archaeology
Under Your Feet!City Council meeting– No interrupting– Be brief and to the
point– Speeches should
not exceed 2 minutes
Each group presentsGroups may respond after everyone presents
Teaching Scientific Inquiry and Culture
Understanding through ArchaeologyRevisiting the Enduring
Understandings
You are now a member of the Project Archaeology
network!