Prepared by Shelley Smith, Jeanne Moe,

Kelly Letts, and Danielle Paterson

The lessons in this section can be adapted to study the prehistory or history of any locale. They can be taught independently, or they can be taught as an entire unit. Suggested projects

The study of prehistory should emphasize the humanity of past people. For each lesson, a teacher might use cooperative teams and strategies to challenge students to think about the special skills and knowledge that the presented lifeways required. This might be done using the following questions:

1. How were these people the same as I am?

2. How were they different?

3. What might have concerned, delighted,

frightened, and exhilarated them?

4. What contributions have American Indians

made to our American way of life?

An archaeologist's study of artifacts and sites is one way to piece together the stories of past people. To demonstrate this concept, ask students to read any essay and be prepared to:

1. List artifacts that were found by archaeo-

logists that helped them to piece together the

cultural story of these people.

2. Explain what part of the story each artifact

helped to reveal.

Students might be asked to imagine how ancient people solved problems and to share this information in a skit, role play, diorama, drawing, demonstration, report, or chart.

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for each alternative follow. The independent activities proposed for single lessons also can be used as unit activities.

Problem-solving questions they might consider include:

1. How did early hunter-gatherers (Paleo-

Indians) kill a huge mammoth with hand-

held weapons? Ideas to consider during

problem solving are: the size of the mam-

moth, its reaction to being hunted, and

the importance of placing the spearhead

just right.

2. How did the Archaic and the Fremont

people find, gather, and store food? Ideas

to consider during problem solving include:

the environment and available resources,

the need for weapons, the distance traveled

to food sources, and the harshness and

restrictions of winter.

3. How did the Anasazi build communities

high in the cliffs? Ideas to consider during

problem solving are: heights, tools, distance

from a water source, and hauling of materi-

als to and from the location.

4. How did the Numic and Navajo people

adapt to the arrival of Euro-Americans?

Ideas to consider during problem solving

are: the loss of available land, disease, and

herds of horses and cattle grazing and

consuming seed resources.

Activities for a Unit of Study

The following activities are grouped by thinking skills identified in Bloom's Taxo -nomy. The model was adapted from Kathleen Butler. The activities in each skill category are designed to meet the needs of a variety of learning styles. Each activity is only an example of what is possible; feel free to adapt the ideas. The activities might be used in a variety of ways; for example, students might:

1. Complete one project from each thinking

skills category.

2. Complete one or more projects from any

category of their choice.

3. Divide into cooperative teams and com-

plete one or more activities from an assigned

thinking skills category.

Knowledge and Comprehension

Using the "Technology Through Time" activity sheet, list appropriate examples of each type of technology through a visual timeline (see page 13).

Pretend that you are an archaeologist and create:

1. A brochure describing the impor-

tance of artifacts for understanding

the past.

2. An essay on why archaeologists

know more about the Anasazi than

they do about the Paleo-Indian people.

3. A report describing the changes in

Indian lifeways from the Paleo-Indians

to the Numic and Navajo cultures.

Pretend that you are a travel agent with a time machine. Create a play that highlights a trip back in time through the prehistoric cultures of Utah (or any state). Show it to another class or group of people.

Make a webbed map showing characteristics of each prehistoric culture. Share your map with another class or group of people.

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Application and Analysis

Make a timeline, chart, or computer spreadsheet showing the most important events or technological changes of each culture.

Prepare a lecture designed to convince local residents of the need to protect archaeological sites for the purposes of future research and public enjoyment. Contact a community group and present your lecture to its members.

Interpret the need for conserving ancient archaeological sites for future research and public enjoyment through the eyes of an American Indian, archaeo -logist, or tourist. Role play each group through the monologue of a character.

Brainstorm a list of ways that a tourist might enjoy visiting archaeological sites to learn about people of the past, without looting or vandalizing sites. Put these ideas into a newspaper article or public service announcement for TV or radio.

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Synthesis and Evaluation

Develop a questionnaire to determine people's thoughts or feelings about the importance of studying past cultures and the importance of protecting archaeo logical resources. Report your findings in the form of a graph or chart. Create a summary statement describing your findings. An example of a question might be: Would you be willing to donate a week's allowance to help preserve an archaeological site for study by archaeologists? Communicate your findings to a local, state, or federal agency that manages sites.

Write a persuasive speech or debate about one of the following propositions. Think of reasons to support or to refute each statement. Take a position and try to convince others of your beliefs.

1. Archaeological sites should be left

undisturbed by archaeologists in order

to protect places of spiritual impor-

tance to Indian people.

2. Society has a right to benefit from

the scientific information contained

in an archaeological site.

Imagine that you are an American Indian who feels a connection with the prehistoric sites near your home. In a verbal, written, or visual presentation, describe why the protection of these ancient sites is or is not important to your culture.

Invent a board game in which three to five archaeologists search for informa tion about the past. During the game the players encounter looters, collectors, American Indians, archaeologists, and other groups interested in ancient sites. Alternatively, invent a board game that teaches about the lifeways of the prehis toric cultures of your area.

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Additional Activities

Cooperative Learning

Assign roles within each team; for example: reader, recorder, on-task coordinator, presenter. Give each team a copy of a prehistoric culture essay to be read by the group.

Assign each team a role; for example: archaeologists, collectors, American Indians, tourists. Ask students to prepare a proposal, from their assigned point of view, for manag ing sites. Each proposal should answer the questions who, what, where, when, why, and how. Give students a variety of ways to present their proposals (chart, advertisement, skit, speech, song, poetry, diorama, letter), depending on the audience that will receive the proposal (for example, the Bureau of Land Management, the Forest Service, State His toric Preservation Office, politicians, citizens, other students, a newspaper).

Archaeology and/or Culture Fair

Providing an opportunity for children to share or teach what they have learned is an important learning experience. An archaeo-logy or culture fair could be used as a culmi nating activity. If children are aware of the fair at the start of their studies, they will be better prepared to help with decision making and planning in all aspects, including the products they create and the fair itself. Many of the preceding activities could be shared, as well as products from other lessons within this booklet. Be sure to invite media reporters, local government and political officials, and archaeologists to your fair.

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One might think that archaeology reveals information only about past cultures. In fact, it is an exciting vehicle for teaching a wide variety of subjects at all grade levels. The lesson in this section shows how the multidis-ciplinary application of archaeology can be used to teach subjects ranging from the arts

Ask students to list ways in which prehis toric Native Americans could have gotten their salt. Then tell them about the observa tions of members of the Hernando de Soto expedition, which traveled in the southeastern United States from 1539 to 1543. The travelers recorded four ways that Native Americans were extracting salt: from the ashes of plants, from salt-impregnated sand, from brine water at salines, and as rock salt. Additionally, some coastal Indians boiled seawater to obtain salt. Indian merchants traded salt to other Indian groups and to European explorers.

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to the sciences at both elementary and secondary levels.

The "Avery Island" lesson teaches geol ogy and geography at the middle and high school levels. Although the information is relevant to Louisiana, it is clear that the model for such a lesson is applicable to any location.

Prepared by Connie Nobles and Nancy Hawkins

Overview

Students will examine the interaction of people with geologic formations through interpretation of a topographic map and two stratigraphic profiles.

Age Level

Grades 8 - 12

Materials

group handouts or overheads

paper and pencils

Archaeology Concepts

basic human needs span time.

archaeologists use careful methods

to record and excavate sites.

stratigraphy helps to establish relative chronology.

material remains that people leave behind reflect their culture.

the Americas have been home to hundreds of cultures for at least 12,000 years.

Vocabulary

topography, soil profile, uplift,

superposition, fossils

Activity

Ask the class to list the basic nutritional needs of all people. One mineral which all humans need, but which may have been overlooked, is salt. Once the discussion is focused on salt, divide the class into small groups. Give the groups about five minutes to list ways that salt can be acquired. Next, have the groups share their ideas. Encourage discussion of ways humans interact with their environment and geographic location to get salt. (Even going to a local supermarket relates to a person's geograp

Discuss the distribution of the principal saline areas in the eastern part of the United States. In this region, Indians obtained most of their salt from brine springs. An extensive rock salt deposit, called the Salina Basin, underlies states bordering the Great Lakes. Salines emerge in Illinois, Missouri, Ken tucky, Ohio, New York, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Virginia.

Another rock salt deposit, called the Gulf Coast Basin, lies deeply buried beneath the Gulf Coast states. Rich brine has come to the surface in many salines in Louisiana, Alabama, Texas, and Arkansas. An important saline, in terms of the history of the salt industry in the United States, is on the Avery Island salt dome in south-central Louisiana.

Have student groups interpret the topo graphic map of Avery Island (Figure 1), using the following suggested questions:

1. What is the contour interval (5 feet)

2. What is the highest point on the

island? (155 feet, near the "WT" in

the northeast part of the island)

3. What is the elevation of the sur-

rounding marsh? (less than 5 feet)

4. What are some of the natural fea-

tures? (ponds, hills)

5. What are some of the human-made

features? (gas wells, schools, roads)

6. Why do you think this salt dome is

referred to as an "island"? (it stands

out from the surrounding area)

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Explain that Avery Island is higher than the surrounding marsh because sediments have been uplifted by the salt plug. Uplift has occurred since the late Pleistocene and probably is still active at present. Future periods of geomorphic and tectonic instability are possible. Point out the two clusters of build ings along the north/south road. The northern group is the McIlhenny Company, producer of the famous TABASCO brand pepper sauce; the southern group is Akzo Salt, Incorporated.

In the process of searching for salt on the island, people have found fossilized bones of extinct vertebrate animals. The bones came from mammoth, mastodon, saber-tooth tiger, ancient horse, and giant bison. These plant -eating animals probably came to the area to get the salt they needed.

Indians also visited the area over thou sands of years. Archaeologists studying Avery Island have even found that prehistoric Indians produced salt there. They heated brine in shallow ceramic bowls. After the water evaporated, they scraped out the salt and packed it into small ceramic cups. They took the salt to other areas for trade.

Have the students examine Figures 2

and 3. Figure 2 shows the stratigraphy of

one area of the island where archaeologists removed three soil cores. Figure 3 shows what was found in one core, referred to as Bore Hole B. Ask the students to answer

and discuss the following questions:

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1. What is the oldest (deepest) deposit? (salt)

2. Where were the fossil bones from extinct

animals found? (in Bore Hole B, just above

the salt)

3. Where was Indian pottery found?

(between 5 and 10 feet above MGL; level 7

in Figure 2)

Figure 1: Topographic map of Avery Island

Avery Island is private property and may only be entered by special permission of Avery Island, Inc.

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4. Where were historical artifacts found?

(near the top)

5. Assuming this is an undisturbed area, were

people using pottery at the site at the same

time the extinct animals lived there? (no; the

extinct animals were there first)

Figure 2: Cross section showing stratigraphy of fill in Salt Mine Valley on Avery Island

Figure 3: Details of stratigraphy in Bore Hole "B" and excavated trench

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Further study

1. Why do herbivorous animals and

vegetarian people need more salt than meat-eaters? Whenever in history or prehistory there was a reliance on agricultural products (rather than animal foods), there was a need for salt to supplement the diet. What happens to a person who does not get enough salt? What happens when a person gets too much salt?

2. Research the historical use of salt as payment. For example, the word "salary" comes from a Latin term meaning salt money; it was payment to Roman soldiers so they could buy salt. Several countries once taxed salt. Discuss the meaning of the saying, "He's not worth his salt."

3. Identify natural sources of salt in your area.

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Many archaeological issues today revolve around how sites and artifacts are to be con served and used. This lesson gives students an opportunity to examine their own beliefs and values about the past, and to connect archaeo-logy to other conservation issues. Students need background knowledge to thoughtfully form values; therefore, this lesson is best

The next day, discuss "Chad and Alvin"; or create a panel to include Chad and his father, Alvin and his mother, one or more archaeologists, and one or more artifact buyers. Using the dilemma questions, each of the panelists must prepare and present a persuasive argument for a solution to the scenario problem. The rest of the class will be the citizens of the small town and will question the panelists about their solutions.

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taught after students have obtained a broad understanding of archaeology. It is very important to give students the opportunity to draw together their knowledge and feelings about the past. Values clarification brings closure to the learning process, and promotes personal responsibility.

Prepared by Shelley Smith, Jeanne Moe,

Kelly Letts, and Danielle Paterson

Overview

The ethical issues surrounding the protection of archaeological resources are similar to conservation issues in general. People often have different opinions about the value of various resources and whether or not they should be protected. Those who do agree on the value of specific resources may disagree on how to protect them.

This lesson allows students to explore their values about conservation issues and to make comparisons about the value and protection of archaeological sites and artifacts.

Objectives

Students will work in groups, using analogies and dilemmas to infer peoples' motiva tions for using resources, and to decide and justify the best way to deal with the problems of resource depletion

Age Level

Grades 4 - 12

Time Required

Two 45-minute class periods

Skills/Strategies

analysis, synthesis, evaluation;

analogy, discussion, decision making,

problem solving, communication, role

play, debate, values clarification

Materials

Copies of dilemmas for each group

Activity

Divide the cla

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