Date: May 1994

Grade Level(s): 5, 6, 7

Subject(s):

• Social Studies/Archaeology

Generally children do not have knowledge of or understand the methods of collecting information about pre-historic peoples. A question most often asked is, "If there was no writing, how do you know what they were like?"

Goal:

The purpose of this activity is to provide students with experience in analyzing artifacts and relics and constructing a hypothetical scenario describing a pre-historic culture.

Objectives: As a result of this activity, the children will be able to:

1. Work in cooperative groups to achieve a goal
2. Identify items "found" at an archaeological dig
3. Discuss findings within the group
4. Draw a picture depicting a settlement represented by the items
5. Report findings with the class

Materials:

1. Bags containing items or pictures of items that might found at one type of site, i.e.

   Hunter-gatherer:
   bones, bit of animal pelt, leather thongs, animal drawings on hide or rock, jewelry of bones, arrowheads, dried roots, baskets, etc.

   Farming:
   kernels of corn, wool cloth, statues of gods, iron or stone tools, etc.

   Fishing:
   jewelry of shells, lines, sinkers, nets, etc.

   Trading:
   old coins, combinations of items that might have been traded, tally stones, etc.

   Herders:
   evidence of fences, animal skins, clubs, etc.

   Use whatever you have handy to give clues to the type of society.

2. Discussion starter sheet
   1. Is there evidence of food eaten?
   2. Is there evidence of economic activity?
   3. What kind of social structure might these people have had?
   4. What kind of dwellings might they have had?

Procedure:

Discuss with the class how they arrived at their conclusions about the people they studied. Follow up with further studies about ancient peoples and/or archaeology.