Archaeology Resources for Teachers
Lesson Plans
Archaeology Lesson Plans and Classroom Activities from Archaeolink
Links to many archaeology, anthropology, and history lesson plans. Teachers can search for those that fit their purposes.
Archaeology lesson plans from teach-nology
Links to many archaeology lesson plans. Teachers can search for those that fit their purposes.
Society for American Archaeology: Teaching Archaeology: A Sampler for Grades 3-12
A number of links to archaeology lesson plans. Teachers can use these or model their lessons upon them.
Educational Resources
Resources for teachers and students from the Illinois State Museum. The examples are from the central U.S. plains.
Smithsonian Institution: Anthropology on the Internet for K-12
Smithsonian links to various archaeology sites. Note: this site will take you to more areas than archaeology alone.
Society for American Archaeology: Archaeology education materials and activities
Brochures for sale to help teach archaeology.
Learning Sites, Inc., Archaeological visualizations for interactive education and research
Explore projects by location, type, and format at this commercial site. Though a commercial site, the examples of their work may be useful.
SAA: Archaeology and Public Education
The site of an archaeology newsletter that is currently being re-developed. Check it periodically.
SAA: Guidelines for Evaluating Archeology Education Materials
A good site to clarify myths and misconceptions about archaeology. Useful for background information.
Archaeological Sites, Simulations and Information
Vermont: Mount Independence State Historic Site
Historic information, much of which has been gleaned from archaeological work. Though this site is not overtly archaeology, it can help demonstrate how the work of archaeologists has filled in gaps in our historical knowledge.
A site for elementary students constructed to interest them. In fact, the quality of the simulations can help teach students at all ages.
Iroquoian Longhouse: Explore the site
Extensive information about the longhouse, including archaeological investigations, from the Royal Ontario Museum. This is an excellent site to demonstrate how the archaeological dig leads to meaningful knowledge
Boston: Big Dig and Little Dig, from CommonPlace
Sample archaeological findings from Boston’s “Big Dig.” The artifacts can help students in lessons where they draw conclusions from the artifacts.
Historic Jamestowne interactive introduction to archaeology
Interactive modules for students and information for teachers. This is a well-conceived sites that moves students from “digging” to analyzing to drawing conclusions.
Though this uses the Crow Creek massacre site as its basis, the site moves students to the more meaningful questions that archaeology helps answer. The graphic photos of this mass grave can lead to a variety of classroom discussions ranging from archaeology itself to the Holocaust to warfare.