American Museum of Natural History
What Do You Know About Archaeology?
A 10-question interactive permits young anthropologists to study the field of archaeology and the tools archaeologists use to dig into history.
Curated OER
Ancient Origins: The Role of Archaeology in Reconstructing the Past
Students read information about the ancient origins of art and archaeology with a focus on the Malian culture. In this art origins lesson plan, students read background information for the topic and compare ancient and contemporary...
Curated OER
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...
K20 LEARN
The Spiro Mounds Builders: Oklahoma History
Long before European settlers arrived on the shores of what is now the United States, pre-contact Native American cultures thrived. Young scholars investigate the Spiro Mounds Builders' history and learn how archaeologists put together...
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
Utah Archaeology
Students study past cultures of those who made areas of Utah their home by exploring the artifacts these cultures left behind. Students will explore different types of fossils and learn that fossils are evidences of past life.
Curated OER
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.
Channel Islands Film
Cache: Lesson Plan 3 - Grades 4-5
Should the excavation of what is believed to be the cave of the Lone Woman of San Nicholas Island be allowed to continue? As a practice exercise designed to prepare pupils for a timed writing exam, individuals read two Los Angeles Times...
Channel Islands Film
Sa Hi Pa Ca (Once Upon a Time): Lesson Plan 2
What tools do archaeologists and anthropologist use to learned about what life was like in the past. After watching West of The West's documentary Once Upon a Time that details how scientists use artifacts to establish a history of the...
Channel Islands Film
Cache: Lesson Plan 2 - Grades 4-6
Class members will dig this activity that has them trying their hand at recovering artifacts. Groups are assigned a section of a sandbox, carefully uncover the artifacts in their section, and then develop theories about who might have...
Curated OER
WOMEN IN ANTHROPOLOGY
Twelfth graders explore women (or men if they are underrepresented) who are leaders and achievers in the particular core content curriculum area. In this Anthropology lesson, 12th graders study the women who have distinguished...
Aurora Trust
Journey Under the Sea
Discover the interesting world of maritime archaeology and explorations under the sea with this nice set of worksheets, which cover such topics as search tools and techniques of underwater archaeology, carbon dating, vessel types, and...
Curated OER
Artifact Classification
For this artifact classification worksheet, students are given a list of key terms and two activity sheets about classifying artifacts of the Pee Dee culture. Students analyze artifacts and group them to answer questions on the...
Curated OER
Lesson plan: History Underfoot
Students study Native Americans of Virginia. In this Virginia history instructional activity, students take on the role of archaeologists as they analyze a site and its artifacts. Students use the information to draw conclusions about...
Curated OER
Forensics: Who Killed the Iceman?
Learners explore how archaeologist examine mummies. In this research based instructional activity, 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.
Curated OER
What Artifacts Reveal About The Past
Middle schoolers take a closer look at artifacts to learn about the people who used them. In this colonial America lesson, students examine photographs of everyday items used in colonial times and determine what the uses of the tools may...
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
Clay Wipe Away: Ceramics
Discuss Pre-Colombian South American art with your class, then get out the clay and create some. Pupils practice using the wipe-away technique to create a ceramic tile similar to those made by the Maya. Great web links and a...
Channel Islands Film
Cache: Lesson Plan 1 - Grades 9-12
Archaeologists have discovered a cache of Native American relics. They want to preserve these relics by removing them from the rapidly eroding site to a lab where they can be studied. Native American traditions demand that the items be...
Curated OER
Enduring Influence: Rome, Greece, and Byzantium
Learners explore ancient cultures. In this ancient history instructional activity, students view programs that depict the ancient Roman, Greek, and Byzantine cultures. Learners consider how archaeologists, geologists, and scientists have...
Curated OER
Indians in Georgia: How Do We Know What We Know?
Students discover archaeology by investigating the history of Native Americans in Georgia. For this U.S. history lesson, students participate in a mock archaeological excavation in their classroom by recovering artifacts and drawings...
Curated OER
Baga Drum
Students examine a Baga Drum in order to explore the history of the Baga people of West Africa. In this art history lesson, students recognize figures used in Baga Drum design that represent aspects of Baga culture. They also design and...
Curated OER
Archaeological Self-Study: What Do Our Belongings and Trash Tell About Us?
Pupils examine how their belongings and their trash represents who they are. In this archaeology skills lesson, students watch a video titled "Discovering the Past" and then give archaeological techniques a try. Pupils examine and...
Curated OER
Looking Back to 1980
Learners use clustering/mind mapping techniques to generate ideas, graphically represent inferences, organize their conclusions and write a report that presents conclusions the writer has reached, and facts substantiating those conclusions.