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Missouri Tries Student Competition with "Archaeology Challenge"
The Missouri Archaeological Society and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation, will sponsor a new competition called Archaeology Challenge, an exciting new archaeology competition for students in Grades 4 through 12 for the 2000?2001 school year. The contest, which is similar to History Day and Science Day, is organized so that students or groups of students in both public and private schools may prepare entries in the categories of Papers, Exhibits, and Presentations. Winners may advance from their respective schools to district and state levels of competition.

Teachers in each Missouri school district should receive information during Archaeology Month in September regarding inservice training that will be conducted by each of the four district coordinators, probably in October. At these meetings, detailed information about the contest will be provided, including copies of the Student Contest Guide. In addition to awards that will be presented at the state level, winners of the state contest and their parents will be invited to attend the annual Missouri Archaeological Society conference in late April to display their entries and to receive recognition. For more information on Archaeology Challenge, check the website at http://web.missouri.edu/~moarch/text/archmonth.html.

Iowa Develops Time Capsule Program
A grant from Humanities Iowa and the National Endowment for the Humanities will sponsor an Iowa program entitled Time Capsules from the Past. Each time capsule will contain representative items designed to illustrate the natural world, lifeways, important technologies, and new achievements at each of several millennial transitions. Eight individual time capsules will be prepared, two each, to represent Iowa prehistory at 1000, 2000, 3000, and 12,000 years ago. During Iowa Archaeology Month 2000, Time Capsule presentations are scheduled at schools, libraries, museums, and nature centers across Iowa. Each presentation will feature the mock discovery and opening of a time capsule by the archaeologist who "discovered" it. Once prepared, the time capsules will form the centerpieces of traveling educational materials available for loan. Slide sets, videos, audio accounts of Native American oral traditions, maps, lesson plans, laminated illustrations, and printed and web references will be added to assist in presenting the world of the past. For information, contact Lynn Alex, Office of the State Archaeologist, 319-384-0561; email: lynn-alex@uiowa.edu.

SAA Announces Public Education Award
The Society for American Archaeology is seeking nominations for its Award for Excellence in Public Education. This award is presented for outstanding contributions by individuals or institutions in the sharing of archaeological knowledge with the public. In 2001 eligible candidates will be educators who are not professional archaeologists. Nominees should have contributed substantially to public education through writing, speaking, presenting information about archaeology to the public, or though facilitating institutions and other individuals in their public education efforts. Candidates are evaluated on the basis of their public impact, creativity in programming, leadership role, and promotion of archaeological ethics. Nominations should include a letter identifying the nominee and explaining the contribution made to public education by that individual. Vitae and other supporting data are encouraged. Deadline for nominations is January 5, 2001. For more information, contact: Elaine Davis, Crow Canyon Archaeological Center, 970-565-8957; email: edavis@crowcanyon.org.

Archaeology to be Featured at Oklahoma State Fair
The Oklahoma Archeological Survey, State Historic Preservation Office, and Oklahoma Anthropological Society will sponsor a booth at the 2000 Oklahoma State Fair, September 15 to October 1. Featured at the booth will be exhibits on archaeology and free posters, brochures, and bookmarks. Additional information on the State Fair can be obtained from the Oklahoma Archeological Survey at 405-325-7211.

Teachers Learn About Archaeology at Ohio Sites
During June, teachers in Ohio participated in two workshops to learn about archaeological science and its methods and techniques. The teachers got to try their hands at fieldwork at Hopewell Mound Group, participate in classroom discussions and lectures, and take field trips to Hopeton Earthworks, Seip, and Fort Hill. During the workshop, participants learned how to formulate a hypothesis, design a research plan, map a site, conduct subsurface testing, clean and catalog artifacts, and preserve sites. Each teacher also received books on archaeology and Ohio prehistory, a field kit, and two continuing education credits. Plans are underway for the second Archeological Workshop for Teachers in summer 2001. To be placed on a mailing list, contact Jennifer Pederson at 740-774-1126.

Teachers' Workshop Held in Iowa
Can You Dig It? A Workshop Integrating Archaeology and History was held in Iowa City, July 24-28, for educators and the interested public. The workshop was sponsored by the Johnson County Historical Society and funded by a grant from Humanities Iowa and the National Endowment for the Humanities. The program, conducted by Lynn M. Alex, Public Archaeology Coordinator, Office of the State Archaeologist, introduced 16 participants to the discipline of archaeology and explored the relationship between archaeology and history. Several scholar presenters provided case studies of historic sites, including the largely African?American coal-mining community of Buxton and the 18th? and 19th-century occupations by the Ioway and Mesquakie in Iowaville. Educators participating in the workshop were introduced to curricula materials, and each prepared a lesson plan designed to integrate the workshop experience into their classroom. For more information, contact Lynn Alex, Office of the State Archaeologist, 319-384-0561; email: lynn-alex@uiowa.edu.

The Archaeology Channel Promises a New Way of Delivering Curriculum Content
The Archaeological Legacy Institute (ALI), a new nonprofit organized in Oregon, has begun broadcasting archaeology videos over the Internet through The Archaeology Channel. Video streaming (viewing programs as they are delivered rather than as downloaded files) will take place at www.archaeologychannel.org.

The Archaeology Channel is designed as a communications venue suited to a variety of purposes, such as an outlet for archaeologists wishing to share the results of current research with the public and colleagues around the world. Another important use is to deliver curriculum components, at minimum instructional videos but potentially other elements such as text, still pictures, and audio, to schoolrooms and student computers at home. For more information, contact Richard M. (Rick) Pettigrew, Ph.D., phone: 541-345-5538, or check the website at www.archaeologychannel.org.

2001 Flintknapping Calendars Now Available McLean Design is proud to introduce the second in a series of calendars featuring beautiful arrow and spear heads produced by some of the world's top flintknappers. Each month shows the painstaking work of an individual knapper. Throughout the year, the calendar will feature a variety of point styles indicative of different cultures and created in a diversity of materials from cherts to agates and petrified woods to corals. The calendar also includes a list of knap-ins around the country for those wishing to observe this ancient craft up close.

Calendars may be ordered from McLean Design, 253 Cougar Trails East, Branson, MO 65616, 417-335-6725. The cost is $12.95 plus $2.95 s/h for a single calendar, or $10.95 each for five or more. The calendar can also be ordered and viewed on-line at www.mcleandesign.com/Calendarpages/Pages2001/Calendar2001_Page1.htm.

Florida Heritage Education Offerings Posted
The Florida Division of Historical Resources has an extensive statewide heritage education program, which is administered through the Museum of Florida History. The program includes a number of activities for teaching Florida history in the public schools, including a series of lesson plans (currently 28) and teacher in?services. For detailed information on the Florida Heritage Education Program, see their website at www.flheritage.com and double-click on the section titled Florida Heritage Education.

University of Oklahoma Press Publishes Prehistory Book
The University of Oklahoma Press has published a field guide to Oklahoma prehistory, called From Mounds to Mammoths. Authored by Claudette Gilbert and Robert Brooks, this 100+-page monograph is written for a lay audience and has been specifically targeted as a companion for Oklahoma history texts. Further information on Mounds to Mammoths can be obtained from the University of Oklahoma Press web page at www.ou.edu/oupress, or by calling 800-627-7377 or 405-325-2000.

Archaeology Education Handbook Published by AltaMira Press
The Archaeology Education Handbook, sponsored by the Public Education Committee of the Society for American Archaeology and edited by Karolyn Smardz and Shelley Smith, is now available from AltaMira Press. The book is designed to give archaeologists an introduction to the process, prospects, and pitfalls of educating children about archaeology. The 28-chapter, 450-page book is subdivided into the following sections: Educational System and Educational Theory; Archaeologists Working with Educators; Issues in Teaching Archaeology; and Archaeology Education in the Real World. The handbook can be ordered for $34.95 by calling 1-800-462?6420, or checking the website at www.altamirapress.com.

Website Teaches Process of Conservation
An interesting website for young people, using a role-playing scenario about cleaning ancient coins, teaches students about the process of cleaning and conservation of archaeological artifacts. This subject is rarely addressed in archaeology education programs, so it's refreshing to see it undertaken, and the website deals with it in a simple, but effective manner. The website would be usable in both classroom and workshop settings. It can be viewed at www.nmgw.ac.uk/forfun.html.

Teachers Can Access Archaeology Information from Louisiana
The Louisiana Division of Archaeology has posted educational information about the archaeology of the state on their website at www.crt.state.la.us/crt/ocd/arch/outreach/maout.htm. Educational resources for teachers include information on booklets and traveling exhibits, plus activity booklets that are completely posted on the website.

Two Websites Feature Reed Farmstead Project
Two websites have been developed for the Reed Farmstead archaeological project in West Virginia. One (www.reedfarmstead.com/) provides general information about the ongoing project, with menu items highlighting site history, project history, recent excavations, and artifacts. The other Reed Farmstead website is strictly for kids (www.kidsdigreed.com/) and offers games & puzzles, site history, a discovery zone, and an artifacts gallery.

Virtual Visit Offers Exploration of Lascaux Cave
For those into Old World archaeology, the Cave of Lascaux website is a great place to start. The delightful home page sets the stage with a flashlight-beam rollover feature that offers a sense of the mystery and thrill of cave exploring. From there, the site offers a virtual visit and information on the discovery, history, and closing of the cave. Details on the archaeological analysis, including dating, artifacts, lighting, and deterioration are also covered. View the site at www.culture.fr/culture/arcnat/lascaux/en/index.html.

MTSU Website Offers Resources for Teachers.
Middle Tennessee State University has posted a website to help educators learn more about incorporating archaeology into their classrooms. The site offers tips on learning what archaeology is and why it's important, where to find classroom materials on archaeology, where to go to find archaeology resources in each state, and several suggested lesson activities. The website offers to help teachers bring archaeology into the classroom as a tool to teach various subjects and enhance critical thinking skills. The site can be viewed at www.mtsu.edu/~then/Archeology/index.html.