Digging Into the Past

Following our project-based learning experience related to the early civilizations of North America, learners engaged in an archaeological dig simulation to help them better understand how archaeologists conduct research for theories about migration, settlement patterns, and cultures in prehistoric periods in North America. Understanding how people lived before the present provides us with perspective, appreciation, and respect for the development and differences of modern cultures. As our learners will readily tell you, our knowledge of the past helps us realize how the present came to be and helps to guide our future. This week's guest bloggers share their reflections on this learning experience.

I was learning, having fun and getting a better understanding of how archaeologists dig and why. I carefully dug out artifacts and mapped them on a grid. The grid helped me to interpret the lives of the people in the past by knowing which areas were the homes of the people and where they might have hunted. My group dug up a lot of bones which suggested that our area might have been an animal kill site.  - "Cat"

When I was uncovering artifacts, I felt like an important archaeologist because it was cool to tag and map the artifacts. Mapping the artifacts on a grid helps us interpret the lives of indigenous people by showing us where certain activities might have taken place. We can infer if certain places were quarries or cooking areas depending on the types of artifacts we uncovered and where they were located. I'm still wondering how archaeologists come up with names for the different time periods.  - "Tazer"

I felt like I was an actual archaeologist digging up real artifacts. Using all of the tools and not my hands made me feel like I was doing an important job. Mapping the artifacts on a grid helped me see what the early people in North America did and how there were different activities during different time periods.   - "Wifi"

I felt excited when I uncovered all of the artifacts because I felt in that moment like I was an archaeologist (very sciency). It was cool to be able to tag the artifacts that we found and make guesses about how the artifacts might have been used. Mapping the artifacts on a grid told us a story about how the Native Americans lived.  - "Mango"

I felt proud and excited when I uncovered all of those artifacts from the past during the dig simulation. Mapping the artifacts on the grid helped us interpret the daily lives of Native American people because it helped us figure out how they used the artifacts and where they used them. One thing I am still wondering about is how do you know what spots are good for digging.  - "Water"

I really like digging and uncovering artifacts because it was fun and when I do hands-on learning, it helps me remember what I learned. Mapping the artifacts on a grid helped me to find out which areas were where early people lived or where a quarry or an animal kill site might have been located.  - "Mala"

I thought the dig was a pretty interesting way to learn and most of us didn't even know we were learning. Mapping the artifacts on a grid helped us to see how they lived and how their villages were formed.  - "Champ"

When we got to dig out artifacts, it was so much fun! I learned that there are different types of arrowheads and that the artifacts tell us what early people might have been doing in certain places - like maybe there were places where they hunted animals that were separate from places where they cooked and ate.  - "Rocky"