Archaeology for Elementary Students

Summary
This unit of study is designed for the upper elementary classroom. Research coupled with hands-on activities is the basic foundation of the unit. The unit of study consists of three phases.

Connection to the Curriculum
This unit of study is linked to the 5^th grade Texas Essential Knowledge Skills, (TEKS).

Tek: (5.11) The student knows that certain past events affect present and future events. The student is expected to: (B) draw conclusions about "what happened before" using data such as from tree-growth rings and sedimentary rock sequences.

Objective
The student will be discover the history of archeology through research. An archaeology booklet will be constructed from the research activity. Scientists of the past who helped to develop archaeology methods can be the focus of the research. This activity will lead to additional activities within the structure of this 3-phase unit. Upon completion of this unit students will understand: archeological history, stratification, and the Law of Superposition.

Purpose
To understand the true meaning of archaeology and its background history leads to understanding the relevance and science of archaeology itself. Once the background history has been established then "hands-on" activities will be become meaningful to the student when performed in the classroom.

The Law of Superposition: In any pile of depositional units in which the top and the bottom can be identified, the succession of layers from the bottom to top is the order of their deposition. This law, also known as Steno’s Principle, is basic to geology, stratigraphy, geochronology and archaeology.

Geology: The scientific study of the evolution and the chronology of the earth and its life forms.

Stratigraphy: The study of rock layers, their composition, and their interrelationships.

Geochronology: The study of relative and absolute geologic time. The dating of geological strata and the processes that formed them.

Archaeology: The scientific study of human behavior based on the material remains of past activity.

Strata: A layer of material that is distinct and separable from other materials above and below it.

Buffon, Georges Louis Le Clere, Compte de (1707-1788) French natural scientist who laid the foundation for the scientific interpretation of fossils.

Cuvier, George (1769-1832) French anatomist considered to be the father of paleontology.

Darwin, Charles (1809-1882) The most celebrated natural scientist of the 19^th century.

Frere, John (1740-1807) An Englishman who discovered stone tools and the bones of an extinct animals in a river terrace in England. He recognized they were associated with each other.

Gesner, Conrad (1516-1565) A Renaissance naturalist who published and encyclopedic treatment of fossils.

Hutton, James (1726-1797) A Scottish scientist who laid the theoretical foundations of modern geology and archaeology. He formulated the principle of uniformitarianism.

Smith, William "Strata" (1769-1839) Smith is often called the "Father of English Geology." He used cross dating to record and date stratigraphic exposures in England.

Steno, Nicolaus (1638-1686) A Danish physician and natural scientist who recognized the organic nature of fossils.

Vinci, Leonardo da (1452-1819) Da Vinci deduced that fossils were formed at the bottoms of rivers and oceans where mud replaced the soft parts of their bodies and then over time turned to stone.

Worsaae, Jens Jacob Asmussen (1831-1835) Worsaae is considered to be the first professional archaeologist.

Procedure
Students will research the topic of archaeology and create a "History of Archaeology" booklet. Forty-five minutes should be allotted for each lesson. The unit will be focusing on research for 2-3 lessons and the designing of the booklet will take 2-3 lessons to complete. Each page will be a representation of an event in archaeological time. The booklet will consist of a cover page along with six information pages including the back page of the booklet. The booklet does not have to be glued or stapled, but will be created from a piece of construction paper measuring 12"X18".

The teacher will need to check out library books and begin collecting magazines and news articles about archaeology prior to the archaeology unit.

Students should draw lines dividing a piece of notebook paper in sections of four both on the front and back notebook paper.

Each section should be labeled: Cover Page, Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, and page 6. In each section, students should take notes pertaining to what the page of the book will represent. Student research topics could include scientists who have contributed to the science of archaeology or perhaps a famous archaeological area such as: King Tut’s tomb, Pompeii, Mesa Verde, etc.

Once the research has been completed, students can edit their rough copy of written work, and then begin on their final archaeological booklet.

Booklet Procedure
This is an easy and fun booklet the students can make by themselves. The teacher will need to demonstrate each step and then let the student complete the step before proceeding.

Step 1: Lay the construction paper on desk with it being horizontal to look at.

Step 2: Fold the left edge over matching up to the right edge and crease in half.

Step 3: Fold the left edge over matching up to the right edge and crease again.

Step 4: Fold the top down to the bottom, crease, and then unfold so the will top go back up; this will create halfway mark.

Step 5: Unfold back to the half sheet, step 2. Next, cut on the fold toward the open edge of the paper. Cut only half way toward the open edge.

Step 6: Open the construction paper so that it is horizontal once again.

Step 7: Fold the top horizontal edge to the bottom edge (north to south direction)

Step 8: Pick up folded paper and carefully "push" outer edges inward; pages will come together like an accordion.

Step 9: Lay booklet down and crease pages well

Step 10: If the center cut is not long enough, then pages will not match up.

Questions
Students should be able to answer basic questions about their final product. Student reports about their booklet would be appropriate, and classmates could formulate questions for their peers.

Evaluation
Evaluation depends on the criteria set forth by the educator. The booklet should be complete and well illustrated. The booklet should be edited with no grammatical errors. The booklet could be evaluated on a 1-10 rubric scale, numerical or letter grade scale.

Expanding the Lesson
Students could choose to make a variety of completed projects other than a booklet. An archaeology travel brochure, banner or numerical timeline could be alternative activities.

Resources
Dickson, Bruce and Carlson, David, 1998. Ancient Preludes, World Pre-history from the Perspectives of Archaeology, Geology and Paleoecology.

(Adapted for the Law of Superposition from Lava Layering Activity, Destination Mars: NASA JSC)

Objective
The student will learn and understand the Law of Superposition. This will help students to understand why archaeologists depend on the strata of rock to help them tell geologic time. Students will:

Background Information
The primary focus of this activity is to sequence the layers of strata within the seriation layer model. Students will simulate a mapping and field exercise similar to the first steps that geologists employ when they map and interpret geologic history of an area. Student teams will create a seriation model on Day 1 of the activity. Day 2 is designed to promote the use of higher order thinking skills and encourages predicting and interpretation of sequential strata layering. Day 3-4 is designed to draw and create a side view map of the layers of strata. Day 5 is designed for students to write a short history of the seriation of layers. Included will be the student map, map key to the history of the layers showing the oldest geologic layer at the bottom to youngest at the top. Math classes may try to find the volume of the various layers.

Procedure
This activity may be done individually or in cooperative teams. Groups of 2-4 usually work well together.

Note: Fresh baking soda may be added as needed. Be sure to mark where one flow goes over a previous one. This will resemble a strange layer cake with new flows overlapping old ones.

Objectives
Students will take core samples with straws trying to determine the oldest layer to the youngest layer. The oldest layer will be on the bottom and youngest will be on top. However, this can be tricky because the layers overlap. Many core samples will need to be taken to see where one layer ends and another begins in order to cross date the model. This will help students understand seriation, stratigraphy and geologic time.

Procedure
Take a core sample by pushing a straw vertically into the playdough, twisting if necessary, and withdrawing the straw. Blow through the open end of the straw and remove the core. Put the core on a toothpick and place it by the hole for reference. Have each group take 3-4 core samples. When completed, have students draw on paper a map detailing where they feel one layer of strata ends and the next begins. This can be done to cross date the various layers on the model and show geologic time. Have students create a "birds eye" map from a top view position creating a pictorial record of where flows begin and end. Core samples can be used to help determine the location of the strata layers.

Objectives
Students will make river valleys, road cuts and earthquake exposures on the model.

Students will work as groups comparing notes pertaining to oldest to youngest layers, and strata formations. Students will take notes and create two maps. One map will show the "birds eye" view from the top completely colored with the layers mapped and noted. The other map will be more revealing to the different strata. It should show a side view map with the different layers being colored as to their position within the seriation. Some layers will extend further than others depending on the original flows. Finally, students will write a short history of the strata that relates to the sequence of flows. Included would be the importance of taking accurate records, the Law of Superposition, the importance of core samples, and the importance of accurate map-making skills.

Make a list of layers, starting with the youngest later at the top and finishing with the oldest layer.

How can the information learned today be helpful in learning how geologists examine a scientific site?

Evaluation
Student documentation of facts from the daily activities will determine the level of understanding along with answering the above questions. Evaluation from the teacher could include a rubric from 1-10, numeral grade, or letter grade.

Expanding the Lesson
Students could research stratigraphy on the internet compiling portfolios of unique rock strata throughout the world. A guest speaker including a geologist or archaeologist could visit the school and talk with students.

Resources
Dickson, Bruce and Carlson, David, 1998. Ancient Preludes, World Pre-history from the Perspectives of Archaeology, Geology and Paleoecology.

Objective
Students will create a Law of Superposition model reflecting the history of their life. This activity is creative, fun and inexpensive for the students to participate in.

Students are going to create a model representing their personal life history Their model will reflect the student’s lives from the past to the present years, like the Law of Superposition. The model will be an actual timeline of their lives with pictures representing words just as Indians used hieroglyphics to represent what they wanted others to know about themselves or their legends.

1. Students will need to take out pencil and paper for the beginning of the activity. Next, on the front and back of the notebook paper, divide it into ten sections if they are ten years old, nine sections if they are nine years old and so on.

2. Starting with the present age, brainstorm on the board what students would like for other people to know about themselves. Example: favorite food, toy, clothes, present, etc. This will be easy for most students because it is present and not past events. Next, if the child is ten, then brainstorm ideas about when they were nine years old. The facts that represent their lives would be drawn. In one class period, students could probably brainstorm present to the past 3 years.

Continue brainstorming techniques as with the previous lesson. Students will remember some years better than others. This has not become an art activity as of yet; it is a fact-finding activity. Students will need to take their assignment home to get help from parents with the younger years. The idea is to try to remember special events that the students remember most of all. Students will need plenty of time to think because the activity gets much harder as they try to remember the younger years of their lives. Students can share with the class their ideas that have been written on paper.

Students need to have something written down for each year of their life by the end of the class period. In each section, students need to practice drawing pictures they want to draw on their models. There should be 3-4 pictures representing each year of their life.

1.Students will have a choice of making a vertical banner or tube model. If a vertical banner is selected, then each section will be an average of 5 inches in height. If a tube is selected, then each section will be an average of 1 inch in height if the student is 10-11 years old. Younger students will have more space available for their tube drawing.

2. Students will take their notes and either their banner paper or a piece of white typing paper. If students are using banner paper, then the first section will be on the bottom and will represent birth to year one, the next section will be year one to year 2 and so on. In each section, students will draw pictures they would like to represent them during that year of their life.

3. Students using white typing paper will need to evenly divide their paper into sections representing the number of years they are old. Then, as with the banners, students will need to draw pictures representing their life in each separate section. After the pictures are drawn, then the paper will be wrapped around the paper towel tube and secured with scotch tape.

Students can share with the class the banners and models they have created. When finished, remind students that the bottom layers of their banners and models are the oldest layers of their lives. Even though the students were young in age at the time, the layer is the oldest of their life according to geologic time. The Law of Superposition will be should be understood fully when this activity is completed.

Evaluation
Students should be able to explain the Law of Superposition accurately by the end of this unit of study. Each student should have a completed project that reflects the various years of life. Each section should show growth of the student and not be repeated. The teacher will have to determine the amount of detail that should be exhibited in the project. Students could write a story about their life using the model as a reference for details.

Expanding the Lesson
Students could create an "All About Me" brochure or booklet reflecting the layers of their life through creative artwork. Students could extend this lesson by interviewing an older member of their family. Layers could represent decades of a person’s life reflecting technological changes in the person who is being interviewed.

Resources
Dickson, Bruce and Carlson, David, 1998. Ancient Preludes, World Pre-history from the Perspectives of Archaeology, Geology and Paleoecology.