Digging Up the Past
Directions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Choose a box on the table
Dig out all seven (8) objects from each box
Choose three (3) of those objects and answer the below questions.
Once done with evaluating the three (3) objects, reflect on the activity.
Object One:
What is the object: ____________________________________________________________________________________
What material is the object made from:____________________________________________________________________
What time period (year, century, etc…) do you think the object is from?______________________________ Why do you
feel the object comes that time period (answer in complete sentences) ?_________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________.
What do you think the object was used for, and why do you think so (answer in complete sentences)?__________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Object Two::
What is the object: ____________________________________________________________________________________
What material is the object made from:____________________________________________________________________
What time period (year, century, etc…) do you think the object is from?______________________________ Why do you
feel the object comes that time period (answer in complete sentences) ?_________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________.
What do you think the object was used for, and why do you think so (answer in complete sentences)?__________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Object Three:
What is the object: ____________________________________________________________________________________
What material is the object made from:____________________________________________________________________
What time period (year, century, etc…) do you think the object is from?______________________________ Why do you
feel the object comes that time period (answer in complete sentences) ?_________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________.
What do you think the object was used for, and why do you think so (answer in complete sentences)?__________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Reflection:
When archaeologists dig up an item, they only have their knowledge of what an item is and what it may be used for. How
often do you feel archaeologist are wrong or biases with their findings?
Teacher Quests
Directions:
1. Choose a bag
2. Look at the contents of the bag and based on the contents in the bag, determine which teacher the items belong to
and explain why you think that.
Bag 1:
I think the bag belongs to:___________________________________________________________
Based on the evidence in the bag, I came to this conclusion because:_____________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Bag 2:
I think the bag belongs to:___________________________________________________________
Based on the evidence in the bag, I came to this conclusion because:_____________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Bag 3:
I think the bag belongs to:___________________________________________________________
Based on the evidence in the bag, I came to this conclusion because:_____________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Bag 4:
I think the bag belongs to:___________________________________________________________
Based on the evidence in the bag, I came to this conclusion because:_____________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Bag 5:
I think the bag belongs to:___________________________________________________________
Based on the evidence in the bag, I came to this conclusion because:_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Reflection:
Was it easy to identify which belonged to which teacher? Why or why not? Do you feel archaeologist have an easy or hard time identifying
belongs to past civilizations? Why do you think that?
Pictures/Artifacts
Directions:
1. Choose one (1) picture.
2. Look at the picture/ artifact closely and analyze it, by answering the questions.
3. Repeat steps 1-2 one (1) more time.
Picture/ Artifact 1:
What is the picture/artifact of? _____________________________________________________________________
Is there any color in your picture/artifact? If so what colors?______________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________.
Are there any animals in the picture/artifact? If yes, what kind?___________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________.
Are there people shown in your picture/artifact? If yes, what are they doing? __________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Looking closely at the picture/artifact, what materials do you think it was made out of? (ie: pottery = clay, picture = water
color, chalk, etc….)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Any writing on the picture/artifact? If yes, what language is it in, and what does it say (if in an language your read)?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________.
Based on your above findings, what conclusions does this picture/artifact lead you to believe about the civilization/ time
period it came from? (Use complete sentences)
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Picture/ Artifact 2:
What is the picture/artifact of? _____________________________________________________________________
Is there any color in your picture/artifact? If so what colors?______________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________.
Are there any animals in the picture/artifact? If yes, what kind?___________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________.
Are there people shown in your picture/artifact? If yes, what are they doing? __________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Looking closely at the picture/artifact, what materials do you think it was made out of? (ie: pottery = clay, picture = water
color, chalk, etc….)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Any writing on the picture/artifact? If yes, what language is it in, and what does it say (if in an language your read)?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________.
Based on your above findings, what conclusions does this picture/artifact lead you to believe about the civilization/ time
period it came from? (Use complete sentences)
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Reflection:
In class we discussed the relationship between history and archaeology. After this center, explain the relationship among history and archaeology
using only pictures and artifacts.
Building History
Directions:
1. With a partner, choose a bag.
2. Open the bag.
3. Using the pieces in the bag, you and your partner are to reconstruct what the object originally was.
4. Answer the following questions.
1. After building your object what did it turn out to be? _______________________________________________
2. Imagine you are an archaeologist, write a paragraph about your experience, feelings, and thoughts while
reconstructing an object you just “dug up”. In order to do this, you must use your creativity AND think outside
the box. You must write in complete sentences, and your answer MUST be at least a paragraph long.
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