Empowering Global Citizens

heavy with layers of soil, the wheels will make them movable. Between four
and six students should be assigned to each dig site, and the dig sites should
together tell a story of a culture that left artifacts behind. Students should
keep meticulous records of their findings in their archaeological notebook.
Students should present a summary of their findings to the class, and then
the class should come together to discuss and reflect on the project, both
in whole—class discussions and through reflection in the student notebooks.

There are quite a few additional lesson plans on the following site: http://
WWW.archaeological.org/education/lessonplans. Of particular interest is the
“What Will Survive” lesson plan (http://www.archaeological.org/sites/de—
fault/files/files/WhatWoZOWillo/0208urvive—edited.pdf), which allows stu—
dents to think about what is not left behind (most organic matter, such as
food and clothes) and, therefore, the gaps that archaeologists have to fill in.

Activity 4.1.3

Read Motel of the Mysteries

Students should read More! of the Mysteries, by David Macaully (ninety—eight
pages). In this book, archaeologists from the year 4022 excavate artifacts
in the United States that were buried after a catastrophe in 1985. Most of
the conclusions are absurd (for example, considering a bathroom to be a
religious inner sanctum, which also connects to activity 4.2.2). This book is
mainly entertaining, but it also shows the cultural biases often present when

one makes inferences about the past.

Activity 4.1.4

Archeology in New York City

The teacher may form a partnership with the New York chapter of the
Archaeological Institute of America in order to create a walking tour of ar—
chaeological sites in New York City. The teacher can also use the follow—
ing online tool from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and

113