Warm-Up: Use your square of paper to answer: What do you think is in the bag? You have 5 guesses! Take out your Title Page!

How do archaeologists uncover secrets of the past? Today’s Question: How do archaeologists uncover secrets of the past?

Agenda: Class discussion: What is Archaeology? What are artifacts? Brainstorm: What objects are important to you? Paragraph: What do they tell us about the 21st century? Introduce mini-project

Archaeology: the study of earlier people and civilizations, usually through examining the ruins of their buildings and other objects they left behind.

Artifact: a human-made object, such as a tool, weapon, or work of art What do you think this is?

Carving of the Staff God on a gourd, found at Norte Chico Carving of the Staff God on a gourd, found at Norte Chico. Archaeologists used radiocarbon testing to determine that the gourd was 4,000 years old. However, the carving was found in soil and among artifacts that were only 1,000 years old. Did the people of Norte Chico preserve the carving for 3,000 years or did they find a 3,000 year old gourd and carve into it?

Brainstorm: What are your artifacts Brainstorm: What are your artifacts? Come up with at least 5 items you own that are important to you!

How can we categorize these important items? 5 categories:

On the left side of your notebook, write a paragraph answering the following question: What do the important items to you and your classmates tell us about life in the year 2016? **Use the categories to help answer the question: How do people in 2016 communicate? How do they entertain themselves? What objects are valuable to them?**

When writing a paragraph or essay, first come up with a Thesis Statement: A Thesis statement is the answer to a question. It describes the main point of the paragraph or essay. Example: What do the items tell you about life in 2016? Thesis statement:

Trash Project: Your task is to examine what discarded materials indicate about life in America in 2016. Over the course of the next week, you will examine the items in various trashcans at home (in different rooms) and/or at school. You do not need to pull out artifacts from the trashcans, but if you truly want to explore, please wear gloves and wash your hands afterward. For the less adventurous, simply shake the trashcan to expose the artifacts of note within it. Each day, you will keep a log of the noteworthy items you find. After 5 days (through Monday or Tuesday), study your findings and develop your conclusions. In 2 paragraphs, respond to the question: What do our discarded items suggest about life in the 21st Century? Organize your paragraphs by making two conclusions (one per paragraph) and supporting each with evidence (from your log). Make sure each paragraph has a topic sentence, at least three supporting details, and a conclusion.

Survival of the Fittest: Your task is to determine which items will survive 1,000 years into the future and how archaeologists might interpret them. Examine a room in your house. List the notable artifacts in the room. You must list at least 15 items. Be sure to describe how each artifact may change over time (Does it still work? Would an archaeologist likely find it?).   In 2 paragraphs, describe the conclusions you would draw as an archaeologist in the year 3016. What can you tell about the people using the room and the purpose of the room? Organize your paragraphs by making two conclusions (one per paragraph) and supporting each with evidence (from your log). Make sure each paragraph has a topic sentence, at least three supporting details, and a conclusion.

Map Game!

WHEN and HOW did the first Americans arrive in North America? Answer the questions as we watch the video! http://iceage.pwnet.org/index.php

Explain one theory of how people originally came to the Americas. What is the major difference between the Beringia Theory and the Solutrean Hypothesis? What is one animal that co-existed with early people in America? How many years ago is the Clovis period? What is the main artifact from the Clovis period? Where is Cactus Hill? (Be Specific!) What does the discovery of Cactus Hill dispute (argue against)? Why is Cactus Hill significant?

How do we measure time? Before the year zero, after the year zero How many years before today?

Clovis Point: 13,000-12,900 Years Ago

Cactus Hill: 18,000-20,000 Years Ago

When did they cross? Archeologists keep uncovering evidence! Kennewick Man 9,000 years old Found near the Columbia River Mammoth bones chipped by humans 30,000 years old Found in Canada Luzia Woman 11,500 Years old Found in Brazil