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Investigating Pot Sherds
Sixth graders measure pot sherds and use their knowledge of Pi to infer possible uses of pottery. They also infer possible functions of ancient ceramics. After tracing rounded pottery pieces onto paper, 6th graders use compasses to...
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Artifacts of Wisconsin's Pre-european Cultures
Learners research forms of artistic expression in four cultures. They create a representation of art from one of the cultures and create museum information cards. They develop a rubric to evaluate each others work.
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Investigation of Pot Sherds
Fourth graders review their prior knowledge on the concept of pi. Using broken pieces of pottery, they calculate the circumference from a section of the circle. In teams, they compete against one another to get the most accurate...
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People of the Past
Students investigate the four groups of people that existed in the U.S. before the European settlers arrived. They predict how the people arrived in the U.S., then investigate their predictions to find out whether or not they are...
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Measuring Pots
Students use an activity sheet to construct analogies about possible function of ancient or historic ceramics and compute circumference from a section of a circle as they study measuring pots.
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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...
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Pottery Traditions
Learners make and decorate a replica of a North Carolina coiled pot after summarizing why archaeologists study pottery and how Indian people of North Carolina made and used coiled pottery.
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Filling in the Picture
Young scholars study archaeological sites. They discover some of the problems inherent in choosing sites and what parts are chosen for excavation. They evaluate and explain their choices for study and articulate the process of...
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Gridding a Site
Students establish a grid system over an archaelogical site. They label each grid unit. They determine the location of artifacts within each grid unit. They construct a scientific inquiry concerning the location of artifacts on the site.
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Mending Pottery
Students act as archaeologist and mend broken pottery to see what they can learn.
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Discovering Pi
Students investigate the math concept of Pi (specifically, what pi is, the significance and how it is used in the real world). This is a hands on lesson in which the students actively participate with their investigations.
The...
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Classifying Artifacts
Students examine pictures of pottery and classify them. They work together to create a list of characteristics for each piece. They share their findings with the class.
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Becoming a Louisiana Archaeologist
Pupils examine pieces of pottery as they role play archaeologists. They use cutouts and examine them for markings. They complete a worksheet to end the lesson plan.
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Pottery Analysis
Students study how archaeologists analyze artifacts to answer questions about past cultures. They explain why pottery is important to archaeologists and how they use classification to answer their research questions.
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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,...
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Vocabulary Charts
Seventh graders are introduced to the vocabulary associated with archeology. Using a dictionary, they practice finding the meaning of various words and create sentences. They also identify an appropriate use of the word and draw an...
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Gridding An Archaeological Site
Students investigate using some of the basic skills of an archaeologist while using a Cartesian coordinate system. They establish a grid system for a dig site and determine the locations for different artifacts. Students use the...