Junior 

Archeologist

National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Archeology Program 

Junior Ranger 

Activity Book

Ages 6-12

EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICATM
1

Instructions

My name is ____________________ and I am _______ 

years old. I want to be a Junior Archeologist! 

1) Earn recognition by completing the following number of 

activities. Feel free to complete more than required!

 

2) Read and sign the Junior Archeologist Pledge at the end 

of the activity book. 

3) Send your completed activity book to the address below 

for official recognition from National Park Service 

Archeology Program headquarters!

NPS Chief Archeologist

National Park Service

1201 Eye Street NW (2275)

Washington, DC 20005

Age Range

6-9

10-12

Symbol Activities

10

20
2

Mark Your Progress

AGE

Instructions

Mark Your Progress

What is Archeology?

Time Capsules

Match Me

Painting Pottery

Home Sweet Home

It’s a Bargain

Past and Present

Step by Step

Let’s Excavate 

Digging Deep

Trash Can Archeology

Stepping Back in Time

Artifact Sleuth 

It Belongs in a Museum

1

2-3

4-5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15-16

17

18

19

PAGE #
3

Artifact Adventure

Changing Context

Protect Your Site

Archeology Matters

Dear...

How You Can Help

Digging Decisions 

Why Archeology?

Meet a Ranger 

Ranger “Me”

Wrapping It Up

Glossary 

Answer Key

Jr. Archeologist Pledge

PAGE # AGE

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31-32

33-35

36

Mark Your Progress
4

Archeology happens all over the world, including the national 

parks in the United States and its territories. Get started on 

your Junior Archeologist adventure by learning the basics of 

what archeology is and what archeologists do. Look to the 

glossary for definitions of bolded words. (Psst: adults and 

parents – check out the Parent’s Guide). Ready? Let’s go!

ARCHEOLOGY is the study of people from the past and their day-to-day 

lives: what they ate, where they lived, what clothes they wore, what they 

made, and what technology they used. Archeologists study people who 

lived as recently as 50 years ago, or as distantly as 2,000 years ago or more.

Sometimes people confuse archeology with GEOLOGY, the study of how 

the earth changes over time; PALEONTOLOGY, the study of ancient plants 

and animals; or HISTORY, the study of the past through documents, like 

newspapers, and personal accounts of what happened, like diaries. 

Even though archeologists, geologists, paleontologists, and historians all 

study different parts of the past, they sometimes use similar information for 

their research. For example, archeologists and historians both may use old 

documents. Or archeologists, geologists, and paleontologists may all use 

plant or animal remains that have become rocks, called FOSSILS. 

While rocks and written documents can help ARCHEOLOGISTS learn more 

about humans and their lives, archeologists have their own unique source 

of information. They use ARTIFACTS, items people have made, used, 

and left behind. Artifacts could be PROJECTILE POINTS, also known as 

“arrowheads,” pieces of pottery, called SHERDS, glass bottles, metal nails, 

musket balls, jewelry, toys, and much more!

Archeologists find artifacts at ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES, which can be 

in cities, in deserts, underwater, in ancient trash piles, called MIDDENS, 

What is Archeology?

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
What is Archeology?

5

and everywhere people could have been! Examples of archeological sites 

could be homesteads, battlefields, hunting camps, or cities both ancient 

and modern. Archeologists study artifacts and sites after carefully recording 

where they were found and removing them from the ground, through 

EXCAVATION.

Archeologists use all the information they gather from sites and artifacts to 

learn about all the different and interesting ways people have lived around 

the world and how human CULTURES change throughout time. A culture is 

a people’s beliefs, activities, and traditions that defines the group and helps 

them identify who they are and what people, places, and things mean to 

them. 

Archeologists take everything they learn through excavation at sites, study 

the artifacts more closely, then share the results with other archeologists 

and the public. They publish reports or research papers. If you’ve been 

to a national park, archeology might have come up in an exhibition, a 

ranger talk, or a special tour or event. That’s INTERPRETATION, or how 

archeologists get stories about real people in the past to the public.

Archeological research and interpretation can be especially meaningful 

to descendants of the people whom archeologists have studied. These 

communities may have traditional knowledge or memories passed from 

generation to generation to share with archeologists. ORAL HISTORY is 

one way for archeologists to record this information. Archeologists and 

descendants can learn a lot from each other as both groups try learn more 

about life in the past. 

Why is archeology so important? Through archeological research, we can 

learn about people from many different angles. Archeology can connect 

descendants of past peoples to their history. Archeology allows us to learn 

from people in the past, who faced problems we still grapple with today: 

making friends with new cultures, adapting to changing environments, and 

learning new ways of doing things. We can learn from their experiences and 

grow together into better people!

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4
6

Time Capsules

One way to think about archeology is the study of “time 

capsules.” TIME CAPSULES are containers in which people 

place meaningful objects for someone in the future to find. 

Time capsules are often buried and untouched for many 

years, just like archeological sites and artifacts! 

When you open a time capsule, you only get a small picture 

of the past based on a few objects. Archeology can be 

the same way: you may only find a few artifacts and have 

to use these artifacts to make educated guesses, called 

INFERENCES, about how people in the past lived.

TIME CAPSULES

DIRECTIONS: Draw three items in your time capsule for archeologists in the 

future to find. 

Imagine an archeologist in the future 

finds your time capsule. What might these 

objects reveal about your life?
7

Archeologists A to Z

Many archeologists have a SPECIALTY: they are experts in a 

way of doing archeology. Some specialize in an archeological 

method, such as excavating on land or in water. Others are 

experts in a past culture, time period, or place. 

MATCH ME

DIRECTIONS: Match the archeologist to what they study.

I SCUBA dive to excavate 

sites. I study shipwrecks 

in lakes and oceans. 

Underwater 

archeologist

Historical archeologist

Zooarcheologist Archeoastronomist

I use historic documents 

in my research, and 

study cultures with 

written records.

I like the learn about 

how people in the past 

thought about the stars 

and planets.

I study how people in 

the past interacted with 

animals. 
Archeologists study POTTERY to learn about the ways that 

art was part of everyday life. SHERDS are pieces of broken 

pottery. From sherds, archeologists can infer the shape of a 

pot, its markings, and the way it was made. Pottery helps 

archeologists to learn about cooking and storage, but also 

the significance of decorations, designs, and markings to a 

person or a culture.

PAINTING POTTERY

DIRECTIONS: Design your own pottery below. 

If an archeologist found your pottery in the future, what might they think?

8

Archeologists A to Z
Archeologists A to Z 

9

Some archeologists study homes from the past. People 

have lived in many different types of homes. What could an 

archeologist learn about you from studying where you live? 

HOME SWEET HOME

DIRECTIONS: Match the descriptions of a house on the left to a picture of that 

house on the right. 

MY HOUSE is built from the 

earth. I like to work and play 

on my roof.

MY HOUSE is built from 

animal skins. I move around 

a lot, so my house is easy to 

pull down and take with me.

MY HOUSE is built from 

wood. I have a brick fireplace 

for warmth and cooking. 
10

Some archeologists study TRADE, or the exchange of items. 

In the past, people sometimes traded instead of using money. 

Archeologists can learn which people were interacting with 

each other by finding traded artifacts at sites.

IT’S A BARGAIN

DIRECTIONS: Trade with a neighbor! Make sure you follow the trade regulations.

NOTE: There may be more than one correct answer questions 2-5.

5 blankets

1 gunpowder keg

2 lbs. tobacco 

7 flour barrels

3 sugar barrels

1 1b. spices

1 tin skillet

1 whiskey bottle

YOU

1 tin skillet = 1 tin pot

3 blankets = 1 bolt of cloth

2 flour barrels = 1 sugar barrel

3 sugar barrels = 1 china plate

1 tin skillet = 2 flour barrels

1 gunpowder keg = 4 lbs. tobacco

1 lb. spices = 2 china plates

1 fur pelt = 2 whiskey bottles + 

 1 gunpowder keg

1 bolt of cloth = 1 whiskey bottle

1 lb. tobacco = 1 whiskey bottle

REGULATIONS

1 blanket

3 gunpowder kegs

3 lbs. tobacco

2 flour barrels

3 china plates

2 bolts of cloth

1 fur pelt

5 whiskey bottles

1 tin pot

NEIGHBOR

1) What do you think is the most valuable item you have? Why?

2) What would you trade to get 2 bolts of cloth? __________________________

3) What would you trade to get 3 china plates? ___________________________

4) What would you trade to get 1 fur pelt? _______________________________

5) What would your neighbor trade to get 1 lb. spices? _____________________

Archeologists A to Z
11

Our Story

Whose lives do archeologists study? Archeologists study 

people from the past, people who were like you. Though life 

in the past was different from today, there are similarities: 

people learned, worked, ate, built and maintained shelters, 

played sports, and had fun. 

PAST AND PRESENT

DIRECTIONS: Match an object from the past to a similar object we use now. 

What were these objects used for?
Be an Archeologist

How do archeologists find out information about the past? 

We come up with research questions, dig for artifacts, study 

those artifacts, and share what we learn with others!

STEP BY STEP

DIRECTIONS: Archeological excavation must be done in a specific order, and 

includes much more than just digging. An archeologist’s “To Do” list below needs 

to be ordered correctly 1-9. 

TO DO

___ Write site report based on information from artifacts

___ Catalog, wash, photograph, and take notes on 

artifacts found during excavations

___ Use survey and map to choose places for excavation

___ Start by developing research question

___ Survey the selected site and make an accurate map

___ Design research plan to answer research question; 

select site, equipment, people, and set budget

___ Share information in the report through publications 

and museum exhibitions

___ Begin excavating scientifically and carefully

___ Move artifacts to the lab when finished excavating

12
13

Let’s Excavate

When archeologists excavate, they do much more than just 

dig holes and find artifacts. 

1 2 3

4 5 6

7

(1) Archeologists start excavations by laying ropes in lines to form boxes, called 

UNITS. When an artifact is found in one of these units, archeologists will 

know where it was found compared to other artifacts at the site. 

(2) Using a special shovel, called a TROWEL, archeologists carefully dig up dirt. 

(3) Archeologists place the dirt on top of screens and (4) sift through the dirt to 

make sure no small artifacts are accidentally left behind. 

(5) Once the dirt has been sifted, the leftover dirt is 

dumped into buckets. 

(6) When artifacts are found, they are placed in 

plastic bags and labeled. 

(7) Archeologists are always recording their 

OBSERVATIONS, or things they notice about the 

artifacts, in their field notebooks.
Stories in the Soil

Archeologists need to know how deep in the ground an 

artifact was found, because an artifact’s depth is important 

for determining how old it is. An archeological site has 

many layers. Studying the different layers of soil is called 

STRATIGRAPHY. The deeper you dig, the older an artifact is!

DIGGING DEEP

DIRECTIONS: Answer the following questions about artifacts A-F from this 

archeological site.

Topsoil

Loam

Silt

Clay

Sand

Bedrock

A

B

C

D

E

F

1) Which artifact is the oldest? _____

2) Which artifact is the most recent? _____ 

3) Which artifact is in silt? _____

4) Which artifact is older, C or F? _____

5) If each soil layer takes about 150 years to 

build up, estimate how many years old 

artifact F might be. __________________

6) Why do you think it is important to know 

how old an artifact is?

14
Trash Can Archeology

15

In MIDDENS, or trash piles from the past, archeologists 

may find food, clothes, pottery – all kinds of things! Often, 

middens were used for a long time, so archeologists can learn 

how communities changed over time. 

One person’s trash can be an archeologist’s treasure!

DIRECTIONS: Excavate a trash can. Choose a trash can in your house as your 

archeological site, and use the site record on page 16 to record what you find. 

Start from the top and work you way to the bottom of the can. Observe each 

object and then make inferences based on what you have observed. After you’re 

finished excavating, answer the questions below.

1) What conclusions do you have about the people who left this trash behind?

2) What are the oldest artifacts? How do you know? 

 3) Compare and contrast this activity and archeological 

 research in the field (see page 13)?
SITE RECORD

Example

OBJECT # OBSERVATIONS INFERENCES

2 in. x 6 in. piece of thin, 

white paper; indicates there 

was a transaction of $20.33 

for a variety of food items; a 

signature is at the bottom

It’s likely that the people who 

lived here had a standard 

currency, could read and write, 

and could frequently buy a variety 

of food items from one location.

Trash Can Archeology

16
17

Getting a Date

Archeologists use artifacts to put together a time line of how 

people used a site in the past, called a site’s CHRONOLOGY. There are two ways archeologists find out how old a site is:

1) RELATIVE DATING: using stratigraphy to know how 

 old an artifact is compared to other artifacts 

2) ABSOLUTE DATING: using scientific processes to calculate a numerical age for an artifact 

STEPPING BACK IN TIME

DIRECTIONS: Use the time line to answer the questions. Take one step for each 

100 years. 

NOTE: 2000 CE is “now.” CE stands for Common Era, also known as AD, or 

Anno Domini. 

1) For about how many “steps” did the Aztec Empire (1200-1500) exist? _____

2) About how many steps would take you back to the earliest peak of the 

 Mayan Empire (300-900)? _____

3) For about how many steps did the Mayan Empire and the mound builders 

 (800-1600) overlap? _____

0 CE 500 CE 1000 CE 1500 CE 2000 CE

Aztec Empire

Mound-building cultures in 

North America

Mayan Empire peaks
Artifacts are clues to activities in the past. Archeologists 

closely observe artifacts’ characteristics, then put together the 

clues to understand what people did with them, and why.

ARTIFACT SLEUTH

DIRECTIONS: Select an object in your home. Pretend you have never seen this 

object before, and think of it as an artifact. Sketch the object below and answer 

the questions. 

1) What materials is it made of? 

2) What is its texture?

3) How much does it weigh?

4) How tall, wide, and long is it?

5) What colors is it?

18

6) What do you think it is used for? Why? 

Artifact Analysis
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It Belongs in a Museum

DIRECTIONS: Choose an object in your home, (you can 

use the same artifact from the activity on page 18). Help a 

museum curator create an exhibition. Sketch the object below 

and write a label for the object. Your label should:

1) Include descriptive information about the object

2) Share why this object may be important

3) Share with museum visitors why this object is interesting

Object:

Dates to:

Location found:

Made by:

More information:
Artifact Adventure

DIRECTIONS: Sometimes artifacts take a long journey before being found by an 

archeologist. Join in on the adventure! You will need one small token per player 

(like a button) and a coin. Each player flips the coin at the start of their turn, and 

moves forward one space for heads and two spaces for tails. 

START

FINISH

A hunter makes 

a point for the 

tip of his arrow.

The arrowhead 

is found by an 

archeologist!

The arrowhead breaks during a 

hunting trip! The hunter stops and 

tries to repair it.

SKIP NEXT TURN

The arrowhead 

can’t be 

repaired. The 

hunter leaves it 

at his camp site 

when he moves 

to another 

location to 

hunt.

MOVE AHEAD 

ONE SPACE

For years, the broken arrowhead is 

moved around by rivers, 

rain storms, and animals. 

MOVE BACK TWO SPACES

The broken 

arrowhead 

washes up on 

a river bank. 

Someone sees 

it, and lets an 

archeologist 

know about 

the artifact.

MOVE AHEAD 

ONE SPACE

20
Puzzle Pieces

21

An artifact needs the CONTEXT, or a place in time and 

space, of its archeological site for an archeologist to learn as 

much information as possible. When an artifact is removed 

from its context, archeologists can make wrong inferences.

CHANGING CONTEXT

DIRECTIONS: Observe the artifacts below. Answer the following questions.

1) What do you think happened 

at this site? Think about how 

the artifacts might have been 

used. 

2) How would the story change if 

the doll wasn’t found at the 

site? The horseshoe?
Archeologists study people who lived in the past. But 

information about these people is being threatened as 

sites are destroyed by weather, animals, and humans. 

Archeologists need to be aware of these threats and make 

sure that their sites are protected so information about the 

past is not lost. 

PROTECT YOUR SITE

DIRECTIONS: Unscramble the words to identify the threats to your archeological 

site. Think about how you could protect archeological sites from these threats.

Preserving the Past

22

IUHRNRCAE CIOOTRUNSCTN

GLTIOON EFRI

TERE RTOOS DRONETS
23

Archeology Matters

We need more than just laws to keep archeological sites safe. 

We need Junior Archeologists, like you, to act as ambassadors 

for archeology and help preserve sites for the future. 

One of the worst ways that archeological sites are destroyed is through 

LOOTING. This is when people illegally take artifacts from sites in a nonscientific way. 

Often, looters use metal detectors or other equipment to find sites. They 

might dig for pottery in the Southwestern United States, or metal Civil 

War battle artifacts in the Southeast, often ignoring artifacts that do not 

seem exciting or valuable. Most of the time, these artifacts are for looters’ 

personal collections or are sold to other people for a profit. 

Why is looting bad? As we learned on pages 12 and 13, archeological 

research is more than just digging for exciting artifacts. Archeology is a 

science: we dig only when we need to answer specific and important 

questions about people in the past. We always record everything about 

where an artifact was found. We share what we learn with everyone 

through interpretation, and we never sell artifacts for a profit. 

Archeological excavation is a one-time thing: once a site has been excavated, 

it can never be re-excavated in the same way again. Archeologists take this 

responsibility very seriously. When a site is looted, information is lost forever. 

Archeologists could also be misled through incorrect information. Think back 

to the activity on page 21: how did the story change if certain artifacts were 

not found at the site? Sometimes archeologists do not know that a site has 

been looted and make wrong inferences about the site because artifacts are 

missing.

Looting is against the law in many places in the United States, including 

the national parks. But this does not stop people from looting. Many laws 

in the United States protect archeological sites. These laws have been 

passed because U.S. citizens think archeology is important and our sites are 

important to protect for the future. 
24

Dear...

As Junior Archeologists, we know that archeology is 

important and that archeological sites should be protected. 

However, not everyone knows what we know, and people 

continue to destroy our shared past. 

DIRECTIONS: Write a letter to an imaginary person who loots archeological sites. 

Use what you know about archeology to convince this person to stop looting. 

Dear

Sincerely, 
DIRECTIONS: Read how you can help protect archeological sites. Then find all 

the underlined words in the puzzle. 

NOTE: Words can be found in the puzzle backwards and diagonally. 

Archeological sites are being destroyed at an alarming rate. If people like you 

stand up for archeology, that might change. You can help by setting a good 

example for others and sharing what you have learned as a Junior Archeologist. 

Archeology tells important stories, and each artifact is part of that story. If you 

find artifacts in the national 

parks, leave them where you 

found them and tell a ranger. 

Remember, removing artifacts 

from their context erases crucial 

information about that artifact. 

If you see other people removing 

artifacts, tell a ranger. Looting is 

illegal in national parks. It is also 

illegal to use a metal detector at 

national parks. People who take 

artifacts from public lands are 

stealing from our shared past. 

Act as an ambassador for 

archeology. If someone is 

unaware of why archeology is 

important, speak up! Share what you know about the stories told by archeology. 

If more people understand that archeology is important and want to preserve 

and protect sites, less sites will be destroyed. 

Your words and opinions matter! 

You can help preserve our past for our future. 

T P R E S E R V E F O C R

C G L L E R A A U P O M O

A U N N L O O T I N G P G

F R O I A R U E T P F R R

I S C T L R I E T L Y O T

T T E H E A X L A I D T R

R O T C E T E D L A T E M

A R D E Y O R T S E D C P

N I E T N E L S S O G T A

G E R D E O A O T A P A E

E S C T A B P F G S P O L

R E A Y M L G E L Y D R E

N T N A T R O P M I O O L

destroy

artifact

ranger

archeo

contex

looting

illegal

metald

stealin

past

ambas

stories

import

protect

preserv

future

25

How You Can Help
The Right Thing

26

Archeologists often have to think about ETHICS, or the 

difference between doing what is right and what is wrong. 

Sometimes doing the right thing is hard, but archeologists 

have a responsibility to be ethical. Doing the right thing is a 

sign of respect to other archeologists and people in the past.

DIGGING DECISIONS

DIRECTIONS: Consider the decisions archeologists made. Decide if you think the 

archeologists did the right thing or the wrong thing. 

An archeologist goes out of their way to share 

their research with others through publications and 

museums. 

An archeologist sees a volunteer on a dig sneak an 

artifact into their pocket. The archeologist doesn’t say 

anything and lets the volunteer take the artifact from 

the site. 

An archeologist notices their site has been disturbed. 

They contact the authorities, document the damage, 

and do their best to ensure that the site is protected 

throughout the rest of the dig. 

An archeologist sells an object they found to a 

collector so they can increase their funding for 

further research. 

RIGHT WRONG DECISION
We have learned that archeologists study how people in 

the past lived by observing the sites and artifacts they left 

behind. But why is archeology important? If we didn’t have 

archeologists to excavate sites, what would be lost?

DIRECTIONS: In the space below, express why you think archeology is important.

Photo by Alicia Paresi 

27

Why Archeology?
Meet a Ranger

28

DIRECTIONS: With a guardian, use www.nps.gov to find national parks near you. 

If possible, visit a national park and interview a ranger. Alternatively, contact a 

park via e-mail or phone and ask to interview someone at the park remotely. 

Park: Ranger:

1) How long have you been a ranger in the National Park Service? 

2) Why did you decide to become a ranger?

3) What archeological research has been conducted at the park?

4) Can you tell me about people from the past who are important to this park?

5) Why do you think archeology 

 is important?
The United States has some of the most incredible archeology 

sites. RANGERS at national parks share our nation’s 

archeology with visitors from all around the world. 

RANGER “ME”

DIRECTIONS: Use the space below to draw yourself as a ranger at a national 

park. What you would tell visitors about archeology? 

29

Storytellers
Wrapping it Up

30

DIRECTIONS: Test your knowledge of what you learned as a Junior Archeologist! 

HINT: Answers are BOLDED throughout the activity book. 

ACROSS DOWN

4. Objects archeologists find

6. Those who study people and 

 artifacts from the past

8. A place in time and space

9. A destructive, illegal behavior

1. Small pieces of broken pottery

2. Studying different soil layers

3. Scientific digging

5. Trash piles from the past

7. A time line of events

1 2 3

5

7

4

6

8

9
31

Glossary

ABSOLUTE DATING

ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE

ARCHEOLOGIST

ARCHEOLOGY

ARTIFACT

CHRONOLOGY

CONTEXT

CULTURE

ETHICS

EXCAVATION

FOSSIL

GEOLOGY

HISTORY

INFERENCE

INTERPRETATION

Using scientific processes to calculate a 

numerical age for an artifact

Places where archeologists excavate to 

find artifacts

A trained professional in archeology

Study of past peoples and cultures 

through their sites and artifacts 

An object made or used by humans

A time line of when events happened in 

order from oldest to newest

A place in time and space

A people’s beliefs, activities, and 

traditions that defines that group and 

helps them identify who they are and 

what is important to them

The difference between doing what is 

right and doing what is wrong

The scientific removal of artifacts from 

an archeological site

Plant or animal remains that have 

mineralized into rocks

The study of how the earth changes

The study of the past through 

documents and personal accounts

An educated guess

How people use museums, ranger talks, 

field trips, etc. to tell true stories about 

the past
Glossary

32

LOOTING

MIDDEN

OBSERVATION

ORAL HISTORY

PALEONTOLOGY

POTTERY

PROJECTILE POINT

RANGER

RELATIVE DATING

SHERD

SPECIALTY

STRATIGRAPHY

TIME CAPSULE

TRADE

TROWEL

UNITS

The illegal destruction of archeological 

sites through the non-scientific removal 

of artifacts

Trash pile from the past

Something you notice when looking 

closely at an artifact

Stories passed from generation to 

generation

The study of ancient plants and animals

Objects made from clay; often decorated

The scientific name for “arrowheads”

Someone who works for the National 

Park Service

Using stratigraphy to know how old an 

artifact is compared to other artifacts

A small piece of pottery

A time period or place an archeologist 

knows a lot about

The study of different layers of soil used 

to determine how old an artifact is

Containers in which people place objects 

for someone in the future to find

An exchange of goods; used instead of 

money

Special shovel used by archeologists 

while excavating

Boxes formed when using ropes to 

divide a site into a grid
33

Answer Key

Activity: Match Me Page: 7 

I SCUBA dive to excavate sites. I study shipwrecks 

in lakes and oceans. 

Underwater archeologist

Historical archeologist Archeoastronomist

Zooarcheologist

I use historic documents in my research, and study 

cultures with written records.

I like the learn about how people in the past 

thought about the stars and planets.

I study how people in the past interacted with 

animals. 

Activity: Home Sweet Home Page: 9 

MY HOUSE is built from the 

earth. I like to work and play on 

my roof.

MY HOUSE is built from animal 

skins. I move around a lot, so my 

house is easy to pull down and 

take with me.

MY HOUSE is built from wood. 

I have a brick fireplace for 

warmth and cooking. 

Activity: It’s a Bargain Page: 10 

1) 1 lb. spices. Because, according to the trade regulations,the spices can be traded for 2 china plates 

(worth 3 sugar barrels each), making the spices the most valuable item. 

2) 3 blankets and 1 whiskey bottle

3) 1 lb. spices and 3 sugar barrels

4) 1 gunpowder keg and 2 lbs. tobacco

5) 2 china plates

Activity: Past and Present Page: 11 
34

Answer Key

Activity: Step By Step Page: 12 

_8_ Write site report based on information from artifacts

_7_ Catalog, wash, photograph, and take notes on artifacts found during excavations

_4_ Use survey and map to choose places for excavation

_1_ Start by developing research question

_3_ Survey the selected site and make an accurate map

_2_ Design research plan to answer research question; select site, equipment, people, and set budget

_9_ Share information in the report through publications and museum exhibitions

_5_ Begin excavating scientifically and carefully

_6_ Move artifacts to the lab when finished excavating

Activity: Digging Deep 

Page: 14 

1) F

2) A

3) B

4) F

5) 750 years

6) The age of an artifact can tell you when a site 

was used by humans in the past. Stratigraphy 

places everything in context, a place in time and 

space, which is crucial for archeological research. 

Activity: Stepping Back in Time 

Page: 17 

1) 3

2) 17

3) 1

Activity: How You Can Help Page: 25 

T P R E S E R V E F O C R

C G L L E R A A U P O M O

A U N N L O O T I N G P G

F R O I A R U E T P F R R

I S C T L R I E T L Y O T

T T E H E A X L A I D T R

R O T C E T E D L A T E M

A R D E Y O R T S E D C P

N I E T N E L S S O G T A

G E R D E O A O T A P A E

E S C T A B P F G S P O L

R E A Y M L G E L Y D R E

N T N A T R O P M I O O L

destroyed

artifact

ranger

archeology

context

looting

illegal

metaldetector

stealing

past

ambassador

stories

important

protect

preserve

future

Activity: Digging Decisions Page: 26 

RIGHT

An archeologist goes out of their way to share 

their research with others through publications 

and museums. 

An archeologist notices their site has been 

disturbed. They contact the authorities, 

document the damage, and do their best to 

ensure that the site is protected throughout the 

rest of the dig. 

WRONG

An archeologist sees a volunteer on a dig sneak 

an artifact into their pocket. The archeologist 

doesn’t say anything and lets the volunteer take 

the artifact from the site. 

An archeologist sells an object they found to a 

collector so they can increase their funding for 

further research. 
35

Answer Key

Unless otherwise specified, all photos courtesy of the National Park Service.

Junior Archeologist activity book created by Leah Burgin, with thanks to the NPS Archeology Program. 

CIOOTRUNSCTN

CONSTRUCTION

IUHRNRCAE

HURRICANE

GLTIOON

LOOTING

EFRI

FIRE

DRONETS

RODENTS

TERE RTOOS

TREE ROOTS

Activity: Protect Your Site Page: 22 

ACROSS

4. Artifacts

6. Archeologists

8. Context

9. Looting

DOWN

1. Sherds

2. Stratigraphy

3. Excavation

5. Middens

7. Chronology

Activity: Wrapping it Up Page: 30 
Junior Archeologist Pledge

AS A JUNIOR ARCHEOLOGIST, 

I PLEDGE TO:

EXPLORE ARCHEOLOGY IN MY 

COMMUNITY AND LEAVE DIGGING 

TO THE PROFESSIONALS

LEARN MORE ABOUT ARCHEOLOGY

PROTECT OUR NATIONAL PARKS 

AND ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES

SHARE WHAT I KNOW ABOUT 

ARCHEOLOGY WITH OTHERS

SIGNATURE: DATE:

36
MORE TO EXPLORE!

1) Go to www.nps.gov/

archeology to learn more about 

archeology in the national parks

2) Check out your regional 

National Park Service Archeology 

Centers for local events 

3) Find national parks near you 

at www.nps.gov

4) Become a Web Ranger at 

www.nps.gov/webrangers
Junior 

Archeologist

National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Archeology Program 

Parent Guide

Use this guide to dig deeper into archeology with your Junior 

Ranger. Pose discussion questions while your Junior Ranger 

works on the activity book, or pursue extension activities and 

EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICATM

THIS GUIDE FEATURES: 

ENGAGING DISCUSSION 

QUESTIONS 

ENRICHING EXTENSION 

ACTIVITIES 

FURTHER READING 

SUGGESTIONS

other reading after 

the activity book is 

completed.

We hope the 

parent guide 

inspires you to find 

more opportunities 

for your little 

archeologist, and 

learn more about 

archeology in the 

national parks 

along the way. 

This guide is just 

the starting point!
1

Activity: Match Me Page: 7 

1) What would you want to study if you were an archeologist? Why?

2) Why are there so many different archeology specialties? Why 

doesn’t every archeologist study everything from the past?

Activity: Painting Pottery Page: 8 

1) From pottery sherds, archeologists can learn what foods people 

ate, what technology people had, which resources they had access 

to, and what designs people liked. These things changed over 

time. What might archeologists infer based on observations of the 

pottery in your home?

Activity: Past and Present Page: 11 

1) Technology changes over time. What objects do we use today that 

you think will be obsolete in 50 years? 100 years? 

2) What are some other objects we use today that people in the past 

might have had in a different, but similar way? For example, today 

we get our water from sinks and indoor plumbing. People in the 

past used wells, rivers, and lakes for their water needs. 

Discussion Questions

Activity: Trash Can Archeology Page: 15-16 

1) Some archeologists study landfills. What do you think they find? 

What could “garbologists” conclude from our trash?

2) Today, our trash biodegrades at different rates and is mixed in 

with trash from other people. How might this impact those 

conclusions?
2

Activity: It Belongs in a Museum Page: 19 

1) Why are museum labels so important for telling an artifact’s story?

2) Think back to the last time you went to a museum. Were the 

labels you read informative? Were they interesting? If you did not 

read the labels, why not? 

Activity: Artifact Adventure Page: 20 

1) Sometimes artifacts are disposed of by one group, picked up 

by another, thrown away again, moved around by nature, and 

then, years later, found by archeologists. Why does this make an 

archeologist’s job difficult?

Discussion Questions
Extension Activities

Activity: Match Me Page: 7

Extension: Knowing North

Learn how to orient yourself using the night sky. Why do you think the 

stars have been important for cultures for thousands of years? 

This activity is adaptable for grades 3-9 and can be further enhanced 

with a visit to Chaco Canyon National Historical Park. 

Link: www.exploratorium.edu/chaco/HTML/TG-north.html

3

The word “archeology” can be 

spelled two ways: archeology and 

archaeology. Both are correct, 

but the National Park Service 

typically uses archeology. 

ARCHEOLOGY 

FUN FACT!

Activity: Match Me Page: 7

Extension: The Spanish Treasure Fleets of 1715 and 1733: Disasters 

Strike at Sea

Use this Teaching with Historic Places lesson plan to learn more about 

underwater archeology. 

This activity is adaptable for grades 5-12 and can be further enhanced 

with a visit to any underwater preserve or sanctuary around the 

country. 

Link: www.nps.gov/teachers/classrooms/129shipwrecks.htm
Activity: Home Sweet Home Page: 9

Extension: Geology Makes a Home

Discover how people used geological formations to build homes. 

This activity is adaptable for grades 4-5 and can be further enhanced 

with a visit to the Flagstaff Area National Monuments. 

Link: www.nps.gov/waca/forteachers/classrooms/geology-makesa-home.htm

Activity: Painting Pottery Page: 8 

Extension: Pottery of the Ancestral Pueblo

Make and decorate your own pottery, and learn about pottery’s form, 

function, and cultural significance. 

This activity is adaptable for grades K-12 and can be further enhanced 

with a visit to Aztec Ruins National Monument. 

Link: www.nps.gov/azru/forteachers/classrooms/pottery-of-theancestral-pueblo.htm

4

Extension Activities

President Thomas Jefferson, an 

amateur archeologist, excavated 

sites near his home in Virginia.

ARCHEOLOGY 

FUN FACT!
Activity: Trash Can Archeology Page: 15-16

Extension: Stuff, Then and Now

Investigate resource consumption by comparing packing lists for a 

modern day camping trip, Native American hunting trip, and the 

Oregon Trail. How many resources were renewable? 

This activity is for 4th grade and can be further enhanced with a visit to 

Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve. 

Link: www.nps.gov/crmo/forteachers/classrooms/the-stuff-we-use-thenand-now.htm

Extension Activities

5

As many as 7,000 archeologists ARCHEOLOGY 

work in the United States. FUN FACT!

Activity: It’s a Bargain Page: 10

Extension: At a Crossroads: The King of Prussia Inn

Use this Teaching with Historic Places lesson plan to learn how inns and 

transportation affected the trade of goods and ideas in New England 

during the 1700s. 

This activity is adaptable for grades 5-12 and can be further enhanced 

with a visit to the King of Prussia Inn. 

Link: www.nps.gov/teachers/classrooms/119king.htm
Activity: Stepping Back in Time Page: 17

Extension: Tree Ring Activity

Discover how archeologists use tree rings to date archeological sites. 

This activity is adaptable for grades 3-5 and can be further enhanced 

with a visit to the Flagstaff Area National Monuments. 

Link: www.nps.gov/waca/forteachers/classrooms/tree-ring-activity.htm

6

Extension Activities

You can learn more about NPS 

archeological research projects at 

www.nps.gov/archeology. ARCHEOLOGY 

FUN FACT!

Activity: Changing Context Page: 21

Extension: It’s Not My Fault!

Explore how different perspectives can influence how the story of an 

historical site is told with a case study: the War of 1812 Battles of the 

River Raisin. Extend this lesson plan by talking about how archeology 

could further complicate how historical stories are told, especially if 

archeological evidence contradicts historical records. 

This activity is adaptable for grades 3-5 and can be further enhanced 

with a visit to River Raisin National Battlefield Park. 

Link: www.nps.gov/rira/forteachers/classrooms/its_not_my_fault.htm
Motel of the 

Mysteries

by David Macauley

Archeology 

Smart Junior

by Karen Lubenstein

Further Reading

7

From the book jacket: 

“It is the year 4022; all of the ancient country of Usa 

has been buried under many feet of detritus from 

a catastrophe that occurred back in 1985. Imagine, 

then, the excitement that Howard Carson, an 

amateur archeologist at best, experienced when, in 

crossing the perimeter of an abandoned excavation 

site, he felt the ground give way beneath him and 

found himself at the bottom of a shaft, which, 

judging from the DO NOT DISTURB sign hanging 

from an archaic doorknob, was clearly the entrance 

to a still-sealed burial chamber. 

Carson’s incredible discoveries, including the remains 

of two bodies, one of them on a ceremonial bed 

facing an altar that appeared to be a means of 

communicating with the Gods, and the other lying 

in a porcelain sarcophagus in the Inner Chamber, 

permitted him to piece together the whole fabric of 

that extraordinary civilization.”

From the book jacket: 

“If you have ever day-dreamed about discovering a 

lost city that no one ever knew existed, or finding 

a set of ancient footprints and trying to solve the 

mystery of who (or what) left them, then this is the 

book for you.

When Beauregard the cat digs up a bag full of ancient 

artifacts stolen by the evil Dastardly Looter, it’s up to 

him and his friends Barnaby, Bridget, and Babette to 

return them to their proper places before they are 

caught by the sinister thief. Hop aboard their time 

machine and visit ancient worlds, mysterious ruins, 

and famous archaeological digs.

Not only is Archaeology Smart Junior an exciting 

story, it also tells how archaeologists find and study 

the clues that tell us all about prehistoric eras. You’ll 

be getting a head start on the science courses you’ll 

take in high school by learning how scientists think 

and work as they solve the puzzles of the past.
Dig, the 

Archeology Magazine for Kids

Hands-On 

Archeology

by John White

8 All photos courtesy of the National Park Service.

Parent Guide created by Leah Burgin, with thanks to the NPS Archeology Program. 

Further Reading

From the Dig website:

“Each issue is theme-related with a special 10- to 

12-page section that focuses on an archaeological 

discovery or topic related to the issue’s theme. Writers 

are most often experts in the area as accuracy and 

up-to-date information are key. The text is always 

engaging, vivid, and interesting. Geared to our 

readers, it complements the principles of Common 

Core and offers a great springboard for discussion, 

curriculum-related projects, and cross-disciplinary 

lesson plans.” 

From the book jacket: 

“Written by renowned archaeologist John White, 

Ph.D., this book shows any teacher or parent how 

to help kids become young archaeologists. Imagine 

the thrill students will experience as they discover 

artifacts from the past. There isn’t a single student 

who won’t love the activities in this book! 

From creating simulated archaeology digs in the 

classroom to digs in the community, this book is a howto for teaching archaeology. Of equal importance is 

that while learning the discipline of archaeology, 

students will be acquiring skills in math, biology, 

geology, art, geography, history, and language skills, 

as well as motor, social, and conceptual skills.”