----

##  Teaching Archaeology. ERIC Digest.                                           

How could handchipped stones, ancient ruins, old broken dishes, and             antiquated garbage help students learn about the world and                      themselves? Within archaeology, these seemingly irrelevant items can            enlighten students about the world around them through science,                 culture, and history. By using archaeology in the classroom,                    educators can lead students on learning adventures while engaging               them in thinking about life in the past and who we are as humans                today.  This Digest discusses (1) the discipline of archaeology, (2)            archaeology in the classroom, and (3) resources for teaching                    archaeology. THE DISCIPLINE OF ARCHAEOLOGY.Archaeology is one             of four subfields of anthropology; the others are cultural                      anthropology, linguistics, and physical anthropology. 
Archaeology             is the scientific study of past human cultures through their                    physical remains.  By studying the remains of objects people created            in the past, archaeologists can understand how those people lived               and interacted with each other.  Prehistoric archaeologists study               cultures without written histories.  Historical archaeologists study            cultures with written records, and usually focus on the diffusion of            those cultures throughout the world. 
The archaeological process               begins well before an archaeologist moves the first shovel of dirt.             Archaeologists first develop questions about past life that they                want to answer. They base these questions in the social sciences and            seek answers through scientific methods. 
After determining their              questions, archaeologists seek data to answer them. Archaeologists              find these data through either excavations in the field or                      collections of already excavated materials.  Archaeologists do not              dig a site simply because it is there.  If the site will not answer             their questions, archaeologists try to preserve the site for future             generations to excavate.  Even when a site will answer their                    questions, archaeologists do not begin digging without a carefully              constructed plan. 
It is the job of archaeologists to record as                much information as they can about the sites they study. To be                  certain they record the information properly, archaeologists must               choose the appropriate methods to study sites based on the types of             sites and the environments of their locations. Only when the                    appropriate excavation and documentation methods have been                      determined will archaeologists begin a study. 
After examining                 their data from previous collections or field projects,                         archaeologists usually write the answers to their questions and                 other findings in technical reports. Archaeologists also may wish to            share their findings with the public by  producing material for the             popular media, creating exhibits, or presenting public                          lectures. 
Archaeology is a very diverse field, which allows it to             draw upon experts and data from different fields.  This diversity               also makes archaeology ideal for the classroom because educators can            integrate it with many subjects in the school curriculum. USING               ARCHAEOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM.Archaeology can provide links with             both the distant and the not-so-distant past.  Archaeology also                 offers the opportunity to explore the development of and variation              among modern human societies.  By exploring these variations                    students can better appreciate the diversity of human life (Formal              Education Subcommittee, Public Education Committee 1995,                        2). 
Archaeology, with its multidisciplinary approach, can teach               students a wide range of topics: 
*  Students can learn scientific             method -- developing hypotheses, testing, recording, and theory                 building -- while learning about the past. 
*  Laying out and                  mapping archaeological sites teaches students math, geometry,                   mapmaking and reading skills, and geography. 
*  By working in                 teams like many archaeologists, students learn communication and                interpersonal skills. 
* Educators can address various historic                topics, explore the ways in which humans record history (in writing,            orally, and archaeologically), and illustrate how together these                different forms of recorded history offer a clearer view of the                 past. 
*  Students can learn biology by analyzing plant and animal             remains. 
*  When studying artifacts, students can use their                   imaginations to learn how the artifacts functioned, and what                    meanings their creators assigned to them. 
*  Archaeological                   activities can provide many hands-on experiences, allowing students             to learn while participating. 
* Students can learn critical                   thinking skills while trying to piece together the puzzle of the                past and understand how people have lived. RESOURCES FOR TEACHING             ARCHAEOLOGY.Many resources are available for educators to                   integrate archaeology into their lessons.  These resources usually              can be found through archaeological societies and federal and state             agencies. Many of these organizations maintain lists of books,                  lesson and activity plans, videotapes, posters, and other resources             available for educators. 
Some of these organizations include: 
*             The Society for American Archaeology, 900 Second Street NE, #12,                Washington, D.C. 20002; (202) 789-8200; <www.saa.org> 
*  The                  Society for Historical Archaeology, P.O. Box 30446, Tucson, AZ                  85751; (520) 886-8006; <www.sha.org> 
*  Anthropology Outreach                 Office, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 20560; (202)                  357-1592; <www.nmnh.si.edu/anthro/outreach/outrch1.html> 
*                    Archaeological Institute of America, 658 Beacon Street, Boston, MA              02215; (617) 353-9361; <www.archaeological.org> 
*  Archaeology and            Ethnography Program (2275), National Park Service, 1849 C Street NW,            Washington, D.C. 20240; (202)                                                   343-4101; <www.cr.nps.gov/toolsfor.html> 
*  The Anasazi Heritage              Center, Bureau of Land Management, 27501 Highway 184, Dolores, CO               81323; (970) 882-4811; <www.co.blm.gov:80/ahc/projarc.htm> 
*                  National Register of Historic Places, "Teaching With Historic                   Places," <www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/home.html> 
The Society for                   American Archaeology (SAA) produces "Archaeology in the Classroom,"             which contains guidelines for evaluating archaeology education                  materials. SAA's Public Education Committee also produces                       publications for teaching archaeology.  "Archaeology and Public                 Education" is a quarterly Web-based newsletter in which educators               can find information on programs, lesson plans, and other                       resources.  The Public Education Committee also is initiating a                 monograph series geared for educators.  The monographs will contain             information on archaeological topics and information on how to                  incorporate those topics into K-12 classrooms. 
Educators can find             regional and local resources through local archaeological societies             and archaeologists working within their state and local                         governments.  Several states organize archaeology week celebrations.            During these events educators can find many archaeological programs             and resources geared toward both the general public and educators.              For more information on these events, individuals can contact their             state historic preservation office or state archaeologist. 
The                Society for American Archaeology also supports a network of State               and Provincial Archaeology Education Coordinators.  These                       coordinators from throughout North America can provide information              on archaeological programs and activities in their areas.  The                  Society for American Archaeology lists these coordinators on its Web            site at <www.saa.org/Organization/Committees/n-penet.html>.  By                 using local resources and examples, educators can place their local             history and culture into the larger world context. 
Educators also             can take advantage of programs that allow them to participate in                ongoing archaeological projects.  Organizations such as the Center              for American Archaeology, P.O. Box 366, Kampsville, IL 62053, (618)             653-4316, <www.caa-archaeology.org> and Crow Canyon Archaeological              Center, 23390 County Road K, Cortez, CO 81321, (800)                            422-8975, <crowcanyon.com> provide programs that allow educators to             learn firsthand about archaeology through participation.  They also             offer courses to help educators synthesize what they learn in the               field into their teaching. REFERENCES and ERIC RESOURCES. 
The                 following list of resources includes references used to prepare this            Digest. The items followed by an ED number are available in                     microfiche and/or paper copies from the ERIC Document Reproduction              Service (EDRS).  For information about prices, contact EDRS, 7420               Fullerton Road, Suite 110, Springfield, Virginia 22153-2852;                    telephone numbers are (703) 440-1400 and (800) 443-3742.  Entries               followed by an EJ number, annotated monthly in CURRENT INDEX TO                 JOURNALS IN EDUCATION (CIJE), are not available through EDRS.                   However, they can be located in the journal section of most larger              libraries by using the bibliographic information provided, requested            through Interlibrary Loan, or ordered from commercial reprint                   services. 
Formal Education Subcommittee, Public Education                     Committee. ARCHAEOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM: GUIDELINES FOR THE                     EVALUATION OF ARCHAEOLOGY EDUCATION MATERIALS.  Washington, DC:                 Society for American Archaeology, 1995. 
Formal Education                      Subcommittee, Workbook Task-Force. TEACHING ARCHAEOLOGY, A SAMPLER              FOR GRADES THREE TO TWELVE. Washington, DC: Society for American                Archaeology, 1995. 
O'Brien, Wendy, and Tracey Cullen, Eds.                    ARCHAEOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM. Boston, MA: Archaeological Institute              of America, 1996. ED 404 276. 
Smith, K. C.  "Pathway to the Past:             Archaeology Education in Precollegiate Classrooms." SOCIAL STUDIES              89 (May-June 1998): 12-17. EJ 566 896. 
Stuart, George, and Francis            P. McManamon.  ARCHAEOLOGY AND YOU. Washington, DC:  Society for                American Archaeology, 1996. 
Wolf, Dennie Palmer, Dana Balick, and             Julie Craron.  DIGGING DEEP: TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES THROUGH THE                STUDY OF ARCHAEOLOGY.  Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 1997.  ED 415                 110. 
Yell, Michael M.  "The Time Before History: Thinking Like an             Archaeologist."  SOCIAL EDUCATION 62 (January 1998): 27-31.  EJ 565             805. 
----- 
This project has been funded at least in part with               Federal funds from the U.S. Department of Education under contract              number ED-99-CO-0016.  The content of this publication does not                 necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of             Education nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or              organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.  ERIC                   Digests are in the public domain and may be freely reproduced and               disseminated. 
----- 
Gail William Brown is the Manager of                    Education and Outreach with the Society for American Archaeology.            **Title:** Teaching Archaeology. ERIC Digest.                                           **Document Type:** Information Analyses---ERIC Information Analysis Products (IAPs) (071); Information Analyses---ERIC Digests (Selected) in Full Text (073); **Available From:** ERIC Clearinghouse for Social Studies/Social Science Education, 2805            East Tenth Street, Suite 120, Bloomington, IN, 47408. Tel:                      800-266-3815 (Toll Free).                                                    **Descriptors:** Adventure Education, Ancient History, Anthropology,  Archaeology,               Elementary Secondary Education, Ethnology, Paleontology, Social                 Studies                                                                      **Identifiers:** ERIC Digests                                                                 
###
[Return to ERIC Digest Search Page]