ArchaeologyCan You Dig It?

Spectrum Grades 6 -7

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“Culture does not

determine a child’s ability or intelligence,

but it can produce many different

ways of knowing

and learning.”

- unknown

Lesson 1: Tomb Invasion Simulation!

Lesson 2: Archaeology-Can

You Dig It?

Lesson 3: Cultural Universals

Lesson 4:Cultural Creations

Day 1: Tomb Invasion Simulation• Students portray archaeologists in

a quest to explore an ancient tomb.

• Armed with a flashlight, clipboard, and clues for each artifact, students enter the dark tomb in search of the ten artifacts within.

YouTube Video:

A Day in the Life of an Archaeologisthttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdzmH3jNkU0

You Tube Video: Frederick Douglass Slave Village Uncoveredhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90yk-VtmGpw

Notable DefinitionsThis is a cheap and easy way to keep unfamiliar words on hand. Students write the word on one side and the definition on the opposite. The cards can be color-coded in alphabetical order, and text can also be typed, printed, and glued to the cards.

Vocabulary Words:

• Students write the key terms on the index card, and the card is flipped over to record the definition for the word.

• Sometimes there is more than one definition recorded.

Day 2-5: Archaeology…Can You Dig It?

Harper Park Archaeological Dig

Site

Two students from Tuscarora High School assisted me for a week to remove sod, create a grid, and document and bury 120 artifacts within the site. The grid was then removed, and I waited for the students to arrive.

August

This is a picture of the dig site taken by our principal, Mr. Shipp, from the roof of our school.

Lesson 2: Can You Dig It?

Students are actively

engaged at the dig site.

The staff members donated items from their travels, and the students were thrilled with every discovery.

Dig site tools & materials were donated from local businesses. We spent 3 class periods excavating.

Dig Site: All work…and some play made for a great three days of excavating at the dig site. This hands-on project was one of the highlights of our unit on archaeology…but the best was yet to come!

Lesson 3: Cultural Universals

YouTube Video:

Faces of the Worldhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6RLHKRs9D8&feature=related

• Think/Pair/Share: Identify the key elements of a culture.

• Ten Cultural Universals:

•Background of Culture•Themes (values, ethics, symbols)•Economics•Food, Shelter, Clothing•Political Organization•Family and Kin•Attitude Toward the Unknown•Communication as a Culture•Arts and Esthetic Values•Recreation

Think . Pair . Share ActivityWhat are the key elements of a culture?

Students are provided with time to think independently.

Next, the students at each table pair up and discuss their thoughts by recording their ideas on sticky notes.

Finally, each group shares their chart depicting the key elements with the rest of the class.

Lesson 4: Cultural Creations!

It’s the birth of

a cultural languag

e!

The Flabawabian Culture

This is the musical

instrument known in

the English language

as the “fuefengorp

h”.

Cultural Languages…

CulturalDwellings

…and Symbols

Materials ranged from plaster craft, to poster artwork, to

purchased items of adornment.

The

FACES

of

our

CULTURES

Teaching TextsMI Book: Provides students

with options to self-select tasks

associated with multiple

intelligences

Create a Culture:Provides examples of

each cultural universal.

“ If we cannot end now our

differences, at least we can help make the world

safe for diversity.” - John. F. Kennedy

Cultural Diversity

Active Expression Remotes

In order to reach consensus and make decisions regarding the class culture, students readily use the remotes to cast their vote. The remotes also serve to provide anonymity for students.