Archaeology Badge

Archaeology is a Junior Badge from the Girl Scouts of Central Indiana Council.

Complete six of the following requirements.

A Leader’s Resource Packet is available to provide you with information that is needed to earn this Badge (see link at the bottom of this page).

# Activities

1. 1. Tell what Archaeology is and explain how it differs from Paleontology and Geology. Describe the Archaeological process: site location, site excavation, artifact identification and examination, interpretation, preservation, and information sharing.

* Imagine that you are an expert archaeologist somewhere in the future. Collect items from your home or meeting place OR make a list of items that could be found in your family’s trash. Assume you have never seen these items before and know nothing at all about the people who made them. Pretend these items are \*artifacts that were found on a site where people lived thousands of years ago. There is no other information about the people available. Describe the people and their way of living based on the information found from examining these artifacts. Use your imagination. Refer to the “It’s In The Garbage” and “What’s in your Trash” information in the Leader’s Resource Packet.

2. Find out what tools an archaeologist uses. Learn the definition for the following terms: artifact (material remains), midden, classification, site, grid, in situ, and strata.
3. Find out about laws in your state that are designed to protect archaeological sites. Find out what a “pothunter” is and how they can be dangerous to archaeological sites.
4. Identify career opportunities in archaeology and tell what education and experience is required. Learn about different types of archaeology/archaeologists. Examples: Prehistoric, Historical, Classical, and Underwater.
5. Complete one of the following:

b. Make a list of items you would include in a time capsule. Discuss what objects or artifacts you should include that typifies our society today and may not be around 100 years from now. What could archaeologists learn from the contents of your capsule about you and your family?
6. Make a craft with an Archaeology theme. For example, make an arrowhead necklace or a clay pot.
7. Visit an archaeological dig site (called an excavation) or a park with an Archaeology theme. Learn why the site is important or significant to the archaeology of the area. Some places to visit in Indiana are: Angel Mounds in Evansville; Mounds State Park in Anderson; River Road Park and Strawtown “Koteewi” Park in Hamilton County; and the Indiana State Museum archaeology exhibit.
8. Find out if your state has an Archaeology month or week in which the public can participate in activities. Indiana celebrates Archeology Month in September. Contact the Indiana State Archaeologist’s office at the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology at (317) 232-1646 for Archaeology Month handouts for kids, available free of charge. They also have coloring books available. More information is available on their website at http://www.in.gov/dnr/historic/archeomonth.html.
9. Prepare a simulated dig site (a shoebox works great). Plan what to bury in your artificial site to show use of your “site” during two or more time periods. Practice using the tools an archaeologist would use. Discuss why you chose the “artifacts” that you did and tell what you could learn about the people that used them.
10. Learn what happens to artifacts that are uncovered at a dig site:
1. 1. 1. 1. 1. Learn how Archaeologists date sites and artifacts. Do the “Tag It and Bag It” activity in the Leader’s Resource Packet.
					1. Analyzing artifacts in the laboratory is an essential step in archaeology. This is the most time consuming and expensive step in the archaeological investigation. Through analysis, archaeologists learn information about artifacts and the people of the past who made them. One of the first steps in analysis is to sort and categorize the artifacts. Do the “Artifact Classification” activity in the Leader’s Resource Packet.

# External Links

Girl Scouts of Central Indiana Junior Badges
Archaeology Badge and Leader's Resource Packet