Goals:
To construct a simple midden.
To learn how a midden can provide clues for making inferences and reconstructing the life of an earlier culture.
Background:
Archaeologists use observation and inference to learn about cultures.They often focus on ancient sites called "midden."Middens are the "garage dumps"of earlier communities,the deposits of artifacts discarded or lost by people long ago.
The work of archaeogologists often involves digging down carefully through layers of earth in a midden .By stiding bones,bits of wood,and other objects that have survived,archaeogoliste can infer what people used in their daily lives,what was inportantto them,and how they acted.
Materials:
A large box with a lid,sand soil leaves and pictures of 20th-century food,wearing apparel,tools,technology,eating utensils money,etc.large index cards,3 pocket folders labeled"Under Sand,"Under Soil,
"Under Leaves"/plastic spoons,small cups(digging tools)/plasti berry baskets(sand sifters)toothbrushes(to remove the soil from artifacts)
Directions:
1.Have students cut out a variety of pictures of "artifacts"and glue them onto index cards for greater durability.They should trim cards around the outline of these "artufacts."
2.Divide the class into groups of three.One student in each will bury one artifact under sand,one will bury an artifact under soil,and one under leaves.
3.Make the midden.
*Set the box into its lid to give the box more strength.
*On the bottom of the box,place a variety of "artifacts."Cover these with a layer of sand.*
*Place another variety of "artifacts"on top of the sand and cover with a layer of soil.
*Place more "artifacts"on top of the soil and cover with a few layers of leaves to hide them.
4.Excavate the midden.
Each student will now become an archaeologist from the 30th century.
These archaeologists have discovered midden and want to learn more about the" ancient"civilization in which it was created.Since these scientist are very respectful of the past and want to learn as much as they can,they are going to dig for artifacts very carefully.
One at a time,each of the "sand" group will dig for an artifact in the leaves,the "leaf"group in the soil,and the"soil "group in the sand.(This can be done in the course of a morning when students are working on other assignments.)As each artifact is dug up,thestudent should glue it to an index card,write his or her name on the back in place the card in the appropriate folder.
5.Analysis and inflerence.After the artifacts are found,pass each index card to the student whose name appears on it.Students should work in groups of three to discuss the properties of each "object"(shape,size,color,material,etc.)and make inferences about what uses it might have had.