Social Studies Student Handout: Richard Leakey & Mary Leakey
Litter of the past is the basis of archaeology. The coins, the pottery, the textiles and the buildings of
bygone eras offer us clues as to how our [early ancestors] behaved, how they ran their economy, what
they believed in and what was important to them. What archaeologists retrieve from excavations are
images of past lives… [These images] are pieced together slowly and painstakingly from the information
contained in objects found.
- Richard Leakey
From The Making of Mankind, 1981
I never felt interpretation was my job. What I came to do was to dig things up and take them out as well
as I could. There is so much we do not know, and the more we do know, the more we realize that early
interpretations were completely wrong. It is good mental exercise, but people get so hot and nasty
about it, which I think is ridiculous.
- Mary Leakey
From ‘Mary Leakey: Unearthing History,’ Scientific American, 1994
Sources:
Holloway, Marguerite. "Mary Leakey: Unearthing History." Scientific American Oct. 1994: n. pag.
Scientific American. Web. 17 Oct. 2013.
<http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=mary-leakey-unearthing-hi&print=true>.
Leakey, Richard. The Making of Mankind. New York: Dutton, 1981.
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Social Studies Student Handout: Richard Leakey & Mary Leakey
Close Reading
Read the two excerpts written by Richard Leakey and Mary Leakey.
First Read: Just read.
Keep in mind the guiding questions: What is the appropriate role of an archaeologist? Is there an
inappropriate role for an archaeologist?
Second Read: Read and annotate the text.
Text Dependent Questions
Answer and discuss with a partner.
Richard Leakey
•Paraphrase the first sentence of Richard Leakey’s excerpt, using your own words.
• Paraphrase the second sentence of Richard Leakey’s excerpt, using your own words.
•What does Richard Leakey mean by litter in the first sentence? What other synonyms might he have
used in place of litter? Why does he use the word litter instead of another word?
•In the second sentence, Richard Leakey refers to the litter offering us clues – brainstorm what types of
artifacts would offer the following clues:
Artifacts
(brainstorm w/ your partner)
What clue the artifact will tell
us
Why did you choose that
artifact?
how our early ancestors behaved
how they ran their economy
what they believed in
what was important to them
•According to Richard Leakey, what is the proper role of an archaeologist? Use evidence from the text
to support your point.
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Social Studies Student Handout: Richard Leakey & Mary Leakey
Text Dependent Questions
Mary Leakey
•Paraphrase the third sentence of Mary Leakey’s excerpt, using your own words.
•Define interpretation, as Mary Leakey uses it in the first and third sentences.
•Why is archaeology a form of interpretation, according to Mary Leakey?
•In the final sentence, when Mary Leakey says people get so hot and nasty about it – to what is she
referring? Use evidence from the text to support your claim.
•According to Mary Leakey, what is the proper role of an archaeologist? Use evidence from the text to
support your point.
Discussion Prompts:
As the group discusses, use the box below to capture the main ideas shared.
•Share your responses for the text-dependent questions above. (Add to your answers above.)
•Interpret: What do you think each author is trying to accomplish in the excerpt?
•Analyze: Do you agree with each author’s ideas about the appropriate role of an archaeologist?
What evidence supports your position?
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Social Studies Student Handout: Richard Leakey & Mary Leakey
Writing Prompt:
Considering the two excerpts from Richard Leakey and Mary Leakey, write a paragraph defending what
you believe to be the appropriate role of an archaeologist. Be sure to use evidence from the two
excerpts and your learning in class with the textbook TCI History Alive! The Ancient World.
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Social Studies Student Handout: Richard Leakey & Mary Leakey
Adapted AVID Essay Writing Scoring Guide
Excellent
• Contains a well-developed thesis that focuses on the prompt throughout the essay
• Uses a substantial amount of textual evidence effectively
• Supports thesis with substantial and relevant outside information
• Is clearly well-organized and well-written
• May contain minor errors
Acceptable
• Contains a thesis that addresses the question, but in a somewhat general way
• Confronts most aspects of the prompt, but may give some aspects more attention
• Uses most or at least some of the textual evidence effectively
• Supports thesis with relevant outside information
• Shows acceptable organization; writing may contain errors that do not seriously detract from
the quality/comprehension of the argument presented or from the quality of the essay.
Needs Improvement
• Contains a limited, confused, and/or poorly developed thesis
• Deals with part or one aspect of the question in a general, simplistic, or superficial way
• Quotes or briefly cites textual evidence without analysis
• Contains little outside information or uses information that is generally irrelevant or inaccurate
• Demonstrates weak organization and/or writing skills which interfere with comprehension
• May contain major errors
Lacks Skills and Understanding
• Has no thesis or contains a thesis which does not address the prompt
• Reflects inadequate understanding of the question
• Contains little or no use of textual evidence
• Contains inappropriate or no outside information
• Exhibits organization or writing that inhibits comprehension
• Contains numerous errors, both major and minor
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The Write Path II: An Advanced College-Preparatory Reading and Writing Program