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Step
1: Questioning/Hypothesizing
Goal:
to
familiarize students with the scientific method and develop critical
thinking skills, posing questions to form a hypothesis.
Objective:
students
will observe objects or phenomenon and make inferences based on
those observations; students will develop a hypothesis that will
direct the rest of the archaeological processes activities.
Materials
Needed:
pencil,
paper
Activity
Descriptions:
Activity
One: Observation and Inference
As
a class or in small groups, lead the class in observing objects
or activities happening in and around your school. Discuss the following
questions:
- What
do you see?
- What
inferences can you make based on those observations?
- What
questions would you ask or what would you do in order to verify
your conclusions?
Activity
Two: Archaeological Processes - Research Protocol
As
you begin this process, it is important to select a group of groups
of people you wish to learn more about. Consider the group's cultural
traits and select or build artifacts for the excavations sites that
reflect those attributes. Artifacts should be designed to tell a
story of what may have happened at that site.
The
best questions are developed when students have some basic knowledge
of human cultural traits. Discuss the following list of cultural
concepts with your students in relation to the cultural group or
groups you plan on building your excavation around.
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Community
Organization:
o What
size communities did these people have? Did they live in large
cities, villages, or small family- sized groups?
o Did they have religious, military, or social leaders? If
so, did the leaders live nearby or far away? Are there certain
places where these people lived or worked?
o How did people get the goods they needed? Did they exchange
one product for another (barter)? Did they use money?
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Plants
and Animals:
o Did
these people raise any animals? Describe the animals. How
were the animal products used?
o Did these people raise any crops? Describe the crops. How
were the plants used?
o What wild plants and animals were eaten? How were these
foods prepared?
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Technology:
o How
did most people make a living? Did they hunt, farm, or work
in factories?
o What kinds of transportation were commonly used? Did the
people move frequently?
o Did these people use complex machines like we do today or
more simple machines?
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Buildings:
o What
kinds of houses did these people build? What materials did
they use to construct the houses? How large were their houses?
o Were there other buildings in the community? How were they
used? What did they look like?
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Family
Organization:
o What
jobs and activities did women usually do?
o What jobs and activities did men usually do?
o What jobs and activities did children usually do?
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Appearance:
o What
did the people look like physically? How do they compare with
people today?
o What clothes did people wear? How were they made? Did the
people wear jewelry? What type?
o Was there clothing, jewelry, or other adornment that only
certain people wore?
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Arts,
Language, Religion:
o What
art objects did these people produce?
o Did these people have a written language or number system?
Show an example of it.
o What religious beliefs and practices did these people have?
What places were associated with religious or ceremonial activities?
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With
this information in mind, have students develop questions that will
guide their excavations. A sample format for a research question
might be:
"If
(this condition exists within the group), then (we might find these
types of artifacts)."
Examples:
"If this group of people were very concerned about their appearance
and adorned themselves, then we might find pieces of jewelry such
as beads."
"If this
group of people survived mainly by hunting large animals, then we
might find discarded bones from the animals they used for food and
other things."
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