Teaching Options
for Local Culture History
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 for each alternative follow. The independent activities proposed for single lessons also can be used as unit activities.

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 archaeologists 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.

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 mammoth, 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 materials 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.

The following activities are grouped by thinking skills identified in Bloom's Taxonomy. 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 complete 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.
	Pretend that you are an archaeologist and create: A brochure describing the importance of artifacts for understanding the past. An essay on why archaeologists know more about the Anasazi than they do about the Paleo-Indian people. 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.

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, archaeologist, 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.

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 archaeological 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. Archaeological sites should be left undisturbed by archaeologists in order to protect places of spiritual importance to Indian people. 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 information 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 prehistoric cultures of your area.

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 managing 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 Historic 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 archaeology or culture fair could be used as a culminating 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.

	Copyright © 1996 Society for American Archaeology