Curated OER
Traces: Historic Archaeology
Students list at least five different kinds of artifacts archaeologists have found in U.S. excavations. They cite artifacts when describing life at a particular archaeological site.
Curated OER
Back From the Future
Students pose as archaeologists, famous for their scholarly excavations, writing, and lectures about ancient cultures and are invited back to the 20thy century from the year 3000 to explore an archaeological sit, their classroom.
Curated OER
What Can We Learn From the Past?
What would future archeologists learn from your scholars' personal belongings? Have them bring in a box of "primary sources" from their home. Discuss the difference between observations and inference, using some of your own items to...
Curated OER
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.
Curated OER
Archaeology Preservation Lab
Students imagine themselves excavating their classroom 5000 years in the future. They discuss what they find there, what items be preserved and which not, and what the objects tell about the people who lived there.
Curated OER
Saving the Past for the Future
Students discuss an archaeological dilemma. They write a paragraph about possible solutions to the problem.
Curated OER
Looking into the Past (Archaeology)
Students discover how to be an archaeologist. In this archaeology lesson, students research the basic information about an archaeologist. Students then observe different artifacts and learn what questions to ask in order to discover the...
American Museum of Natural History
Create Your Own Time Capsule
The corona virus pandemic is indeed a historic event. A time capsule activity permits young historians to document these days of social distancing, remote learning, and quarantine by collecting artifacts that capture what their lives are...
American Museum of Natural History
Piecing It All Together
Archaeology digs are much like giant jigsaw puzzles. The artifacts found are often in pieces and scientists must reconstruct them. A hands-on activity lets young archaeologists experience this facet of the job as they create, smash, and...
Curated OER
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.
Curated OER
Energy and Cars: What Does the Future Hold?
Young scholars examine alternative energy. In this research based lesson, students study alternative energy and how it will influence transportation in the future. They will write a report and give an oral presentation of their findings.
Curated OER
The Dawn of Humanity
Students investigate recent archaeological challenges to theories of human origins. They research the history and geography of various African regions to create proposals for future excavations.
Curated OER
Life in Ancient Mesopotamia
Students reconstruct and make drawings of vessels in the same manner as an archaeologist. In this archaeologist lesson plan, students each get a piece of a broken pot and they have to work together to put it back together. Once it is...
Curated OER
Unearthing the Past
Students analyze artifacts from an early society to determine information relating to daily life in that society. They consider which artifacts from our society would be most valuable to future archeologists.
Curated OER
Archaeologists Puzzle Pieces
Learners identify how archaeologists use typology to interpret artifacts. They interpret sample artifacts as if they discovered them.
Curated OER
Lesson plan: Archaeology - Its Methods and Use
Students study the field of archeology. In this archeology instructional activity, students participate in 12 activities that require them to examine archeology, garbology, artifacts, ethical issues, and field specific vocabulary.
Curated OER
Archeology of the Future
Students are introduced to the basic vocabulary of archeology. Using the vocabulary, they classify artifacts and make inferences about their uses. In groups, they create a chart for the criteria needed to analyze artifacts and share...
Curated OER
Back From the Future
In this activity, students have the opportunity to step away from the daily life of their school community and examine its culture from the point of view of someone from the future.
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
Message to the Future
Designing a monument can be fun. It is a way to learn about the ideas and planning that go into the creation of a monument. Future archaeologists may learn a lot about our culture from the monuments we leave behind.
Curated OER
Saving the Past for the Future
Students review web images to identify human impact on nature and site destruction.
Curated OER
Discovering the Past Using the Future: Remote Sensing and the Lost City of Ubar
Learners use a video, maps, worksheets and Internet research to explore the role that sensing played in locating Ubar - the lost city of Arabia.
Curated OER
Can You Dig It?
Students use a mock archaeological site to dig up artifacts. They read an article about artifacts found in Syria. They develop a list of artifacts that are related to specific sites in the community. They create an exhibition of these...
Global Oneness Project
After the Quake: Preserving the Artifacts of Kathmandu
On April 28, 2015, a 7.8 earthquake ruptured the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal. Seven UNESCO World Heritage sites are located in this valley. The efforts of experts and archeologists to restore three of them—Kathmandu Durbar Square, Patan...