Completing an Archaeological Journal
| Strand: | History, Cultural, Archaeology |
| Grade Level: | 9 - 12 |
| Duration: | 1 - 2 class periods |
| Location: | pre or post visit, classroom |
| Objective: | Students will be able to speculate and reach logical conclusions on human societies from archaeological evidence. Upon the completion of this activity students should be able to identify some archaeological techniques used by archaeologists during excavations. The students will understand that prehistoric societies are at a certain level of development and that their adaptations to life, through more primitive than ours, are not inferior to our own, nor are they a result of the lack of intelligence and creativity. Students should gain an appreciation for the concept that "The Past Must be Preserved for the Future" and that violating the archaeological record should not be tolerated or permitted. |
| Materials: | The "Effigy Mounds Archaeological Journal" and the "Effigy Mounds Archaeological Journal Packet" |
| Vocabulary: | awl back dirt bundle burial chert conical mound cremation ashes effigy mound extended burial feature grave goods Hopewellian humerus linear mounds phalanges pot sherd red ocher |
| Procedure: | Students are to complete the "Effigy Mounds Archaeological Journal" by studying the "Effigy Mounds Archaeological Journal Data Packet." The packet is a summary of the reports filed by archaeologists who excavated sites at what is today known as Effigy Mounds National Monument. Prior to handing out the packet to students, the vocabulary terms should be discussed or assigned. Students will have difficulty with the assignment without knowing the definitions of those terms. Students can work individually or in groups studying the reports in the "Effigy Mounds Archaeological Journal Data Packet" in order to complete the journal. |
