Independent Research Projects

The Eighth Grade Ancient History Scholars branched out and researched any topic they found interesting.  They could research anything, from any time period, anywhere in the world, as long as they could tie it to archaeology. 

The Eighth Graders became the expert on their research topic.  They created visual aids to help their "students" understand the information being presented as they taught a lesson on their topic.

 The targeted skills for this project were:

 1) Evaluating Web Sites - NO WIKIPEDIA AND NO ENCYCLOPEDIAS!
 2) Proper Documentation and Chicago/Turabian Bibliography Format

Field Trip to WSU Anthropology Department

 Mr. Aguirre's 360 Video

              (Move it around to see more!)

       Mrs. Nixon's Video

During our visit to Wichita State University we - 

• visited the Bio Lab, where we learned how to tell if a skeleton was male or female, looked at other evidence that bones can tell us, and heard about Forensic Archaeologists helping to solve murders. 
• explored the Holmes Museum of Anthropology, where we learned so much about the Asmat culture, and gained an appreciation for their unique carvings. We also learned about artifacts from around the world such as jewelry, pottery, and textiles.
• did a hands-on activity with actual artifacts in the WSU teaching collection, trying to analyze and interpret what each artifact was made from, and how it was used.  Some were really hard to get right!
• conducted experimental archaeology by grinding corn, sorting chert, and categorizing pottery shards.
• discovered that there was much hidden information in the hall displays which we uncovered with our scavenger hunt. 

We appreciate all the time and expertise that the WSU Anthropology Department staff and students shared with our Eighth Grade scholars. 

The Asmat Connection

* Why is there an Asmat canoe outside the Middle School Library?  Why do we have a mini-museum of Asmat artifacts?
* Because in 1999 tribesmen from Papua New Guinea visited WCS - and the canoe was carved right outside on the Quad!

As part of their study of ancient history the Eighth Grade Scholars examined the culture of this group, and the changes their culture has made as they experience more and more contact with other people.

WSU Scholar Carrie Winder brought more Asmat artifacts from a teaching collection - which means we could pick up and touch these amazing items.  She explained many things about this culture, which will help us understand the Anthropology Museum at WSU when we visit.

Click here for images from the WSU Asmat Trunk Presentation

Archaeology Unit Phase II - Interpreting and Evaluating Artifacts from a Civilization

Eighth Grade Ancient History Scholars 

Make Inferences about "Rescued" Artifacts!

After creating their own unique civilization and

creating artifacts representing their culture's

universals, the students received a box of "found"

artifacts and after measuring, drawing,

and cataloging each artifact, they gave their best

interpretations of the culture which produced the

artifacts, and what was important to that society. 

 There were many discussions about the

evidence left behind, and some of the languages

were very difficult to decipher.

You can visit the "Museum of Unique Treasures" in

the Middle School Library later this week to see the

inferences they made about the civilizations they

analyzed.

What is Archaeology? And what do Archaeologists do?

Learn more about 3-D Imaging and Etzanoa on
Jeremiah Perkins and Cambria Haley Presentation Link

VISIT THE WSU ANTHROPOLOGY DEPARTMENT WEB SITE FOR MORE INFORMATION: WSU ANTHROPOLOGY DEPT. WEB SITE

Kansas Like You've Never Seen It Before!

Mr. Elmore's Kansas Presentation

Archaeology Unit Phase I - Creating a Culture

What does it take to be a civilization?  5 Characteristics!

Creating a Civilization: 

(Group activities with individual components)

• Teams of students have studied cultural universals which represent a society, such as government, economics, attitude toward the unknown, ethics and values. 
• They then did "backward" archaeology by creating a civilization in the past, present, or future, and deciding which cultural universals were the most important to that society. Each team member will make two artifacts which would best represent those aspects of their society. 
•  They will also create a written language, leaving behind a "Rosetta Stone" with their culture's language and English, (and Latin or another language for extra credit!) on it, and artifacts with only their language on them that must be deciphered using their "Rosetta Stone."

• Soon another team will try to interpret their artifacts, decode their language, and make inferences about what was important to their culture.

Otzi the Iceman

Otzi the Iceman, Pinterest, https://www.pinterest.com/pin/484207397415759241/, 12 October 2018l.

ASK AN EIGHTH GRADE ANCIENT HISTORY SCHOLAR - WHAT DID WE FIND WITH OTZI THAT CHANGED OUR UNDERSTANDING OF PREHISTORY?