6th Grade Archaeological Discovery Lesson Plan

Topic:Early North American Cultures

Objectives & Outcomes

• Students will understand the significance of archaeological discoveries in understanding early North American cultures.

Materials

• Examples of archaeological discoveries (e.g. Native American burial sites, ancient tools, etc.)
• Handouts on North American cultures (e.g. Arctic, Subarctic, Northwest Coast, Plains, Southwest)

Warm-up

• Ask students if they have ever visited an archaeological site or museum.
• Discuss their experiences and their knowledge of archaeological discoveries and what they reveal about past cultures.

Direct Instruction

• Introduce the topic of early North American cultures and the importance of archaeological discoveries in learning about these cultures.
• Discuss the methods used by archaeologists to uncover and analyze artifacts and other material remains from the past.
• Explain how archaeologists use these materials to understand the way of life, culture, and history of a past culture.

Guided Practice

• Divide the class into small groups and provide each group with one or more artifacts or items recovered from an archaeological site.
• Ask the students to consider the context in which the artifact was found and the information it could provide about the culture in which it was produced.
• Then, have the students brainstorm ideas about the potential uses of the artifact and the information it could provide about the culture.
• Finally, have the students present their findings to the class, discussing the evidence and reasoning behind their conclusions.

Independent Practice

• Direct the students to a website such as artifacts.org, which provides information about a wide range of artifacts and archaeological sites.
• Ask the students to choose a specific artifact or archaeological site and do some additional research on it.
• Have the students create a presentation or report on their chosen artifact or site, including illustrations, photographs, or other visual materials.
• Ask the students to consider the context in which the artifact was found and the information it could provide about the culture in which it was produced.
• Then, have the students brainstorm ideas about the potential uses of the artifact and the information it could provide about the culture.
• Finally, have the students present their findings to the class, discussing the evidence and reasoning behind their conclusions.

Closure

• Ask the students to reflect on what they have learned about early North American cultures and the ways in which archaeologists study them.
• Ask the students to consider the potential uses of the artifacts they have researched and the information they could provide about the cultures that produced them.
• Ask the students to discuss the importance of careful and systematic documentation of archaeological sites and the potential uses of this documentation for further research.

Assessment

• Observe the students during their independent practice to assess their understanding of the material and their ability to conduct effective research.
• Evaluate the students' presentations on their chosen artifacts or sites, considering their understanding of the material and the quality of their presentation.
• Ask the students to reflect on their participation in the archaeological dig and the lessons they have learned about conducting archaeological research.