2nd Edition

Hands-On Archaeology Authentic Learning Experiences That Engage Students in STEM (Grades 4-5)

By John R. White, Mattie Oveross Copyright 2019
    212 Pages
    by Prufrock Press

    Hands-On Archaeology immerses students in the world of real-life archaeologists. Through engaging authentic learning experiences, students will discover artifacts from the past and participate in archaeological digs while building STEM skills, as well as making connections to geography, history, art, and English language arts. This book is packed with activities that can easily be conducted in the classroom using everyday materials and includes everything teachers need to help students conduct real-life archaeological digs. From participating in digs in the classroom to conducting digs in the community, students will not just learn about archaeology—they will be archaeologists!

    Grades 4-5

    Introduction Part 1: Introduction to Archaeology Chapter 1: Getting Started Activity 1.1: Archaeologist by Day Activity 1.2: Building an Archaeology Kit Activity 1.3: Making an Excavator’s Scoop Activity 1.4: Keeping a Journal Activity 1.5: Site in a Bag Activity 1.6: What in the World? Activity 1.7: Shape and Material Equals Function Activity 1.8: Wastebasket Archaeology Chapter 2: Using the Scientific Method and Recording Data Activity 2.1: What Do You See? Activity 2.2: Forming and Testing Hypotheses Activity 2.3: Designing a Recording Form Activity 2.4: Filling Out Forms Part 2: Preparing for Fieldwork Chapter 3: Pre-Excavation Research Activity 3.1: Measuring Distance on Maps Activity 3.2: Map Reading Activity 3.3: Learning UTM Activity 3.4: Measuring UTM Distances Activity 3.5: Who Lived There? Chapter 4: Laying Out the Site Activity 4.1: The Classroom as Site Activity 4.2: Gridding a Site (Arbitrary Units) Activity 4.3: Gridding a Site (Nonarbitrary Units) Part 3: The Dig Chapter 5: Excavation Activity 5.1: Excavation Techniques Activity 5.2: Playground Pick-Up (Phase I) Activity 5.3: Playground Pick-Up (Phase II) Activity 5.4: Tabletop Archaeology Activity 5.5: Labeling Unit Bags Chapter 6: Maintaining Field Records Activity 6.1: Recording the Throwaways Activity 6.2: Recording Features Activity 6.3: Recording Artifacts Activity 6.4: Informative Photography Activity 6.5: Completing a Photo Log Chapter 7: Cataloguing and Maintaining a Repository Activity 7.1: The Accession Log Activity 7.2: Pot Repair Activity 7.3: Labeling Artifacts Activity 7.4: Separating the Artifacts Activity 7.5: Building a Repository Activity 7.6: Repository Opening Ceremony Part 4: Post-Excavation Chapter 8: Producing a Site Report Activity 8.1: Setting Up a Site Report Chapter 9: Creating a Museum Display Activity 9.1: Building a Diorama Activity 9.2: Building an Interpretive Exhibit Activity 9.3: Advertising an Event Activity 9.4: Prepare a Press Release Chapter 10: Taking the Show on the Road Activity 10.1: A Suitcase Museum Activity 10.2: TV News Show Appendix A: Additional Archaeology Resources Appendix B: Archaeological Forms Appendix C: Letters of Communication About the Authors Common Core State Standards Alignment Next Generation Science Standards Alignment

    Biography

    John White has been a professor of anthropology and archaeology for more than 35 years. Presently the chair of the department at Youngstown State University, Dr. White is actively involved in field research covering a wide range of interests. His research has resulted in the publication of more than 200 scholarly articles, reports, monographs, and books on various subjects ranging from archaeological method and theory to Native American civil rights and Ohio and Oregon prehistory, early ironmaking, archaeoastronomy, and industrial archaeology. He is the local forensic anthropologist and along with his students is involved in local crime scene investigations. He has been awarded six research professorships and on five occasions has been voted Distinguished Professor. Since 1980, he has been involved in archaeology as a teaching tool in elementary and secondary schools. It was this latter interest that led to the writing of this book for teachers. He presently is working on a book on forensic anthropology for students in grades 6-12. He enjoys acting—he has been in more than 25 plays—and sitting on his deck with a good book and a pair of binoculars for bird watching.

    Mattie Oveross is a doctoral student at the University of North Texas pursuing a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology with a concentration in Gifted and Talented Education. She is also the curriculum director at a private school that serves gifted and talented students.

    This book could actually serve as the backbone of your curriculum. It definitely is a hands-on resource for teachers who want to inspire new and amateur archaeologists to learn more about the past and how the past can shape our future. Students will be able to gain an overview of human history and the science that brings it back to life.,Linda Biondi,MiddleWeb, 2/13/20