Lesson Plan #: AELP-ARL0003

Shoe Box Archaeology

An Educator's Reference Desk Lesson Plan

Submitted by: Johanna Hadden, UT
Endorsed by: These lesson plans are the result of the work of the teachers who have attended the Columbia Education Center's Summer Workshop. CEC is a consortium of teacher from 14 western states dedicated to improving the quality of education in the rural, western, United States, and particularly the quality of math and science Education. CEC uses Big Sky Telegraph as the hub of their telecommunications network that allows the participating teachers to stay in contact with their trainers and peers that they have met at the Workshops.

Date: May 1994

Grade Level(s): 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Subject(s):

Description:

Problem solving is increasingly important in our society, and teaching the use of clues to unravel a puzzle is one way we help children understand this concept.

Goal:

Archaeology is one area of the sciences that interests everyone. This interest can be capitalized on, and used to teach children the value of our past and the past of other peoples of the world.

Objectives:

The learner will develop an ability to assemble clues and decipher various indicators concerning one person's life and family background. In this way, he or she will develop and understanding of the way in which present day archaeologists "dig" for the unlocking of our past.

Materials:

Each student needs a shoe box, personal items, family items, spoon, brush.

Procedure:

Each student needs to assemble a shoe box in the following "layered" pattern:

  1. A thin layer of soil.
  2. Some "artifacts" relating to his or her grandparents, such as photos, coins, shells, perfume bottles, craft projects, etc. This should be anything that reminds the student of the grandparent or was owned by the grandparent.
  3. A thin layer of soil.
  4. Some "artifacts" relating to his or her parents.
  5. A thin layer of soil.
  6. Some of the student's personal possessions or photos.
  7. Top with another thin layer of soil.

The student then numbers his or her shoe box. Do not label with names. This is brought to school along with a spoon, paint brush, and other "archaeologist tools".

Students place shoe boxes in one corner of room so no one knows which is which. Boxes are exchanged and taken outside for some very careful archaeological researching and digging to attempt to decipher the personality or lifestyle of the person whose box it is.

Tying it All Together:

At the end of the activity, it is always interesting to attempt to identify the shoe box owner.