I stared at my Social Studies binder titled Clues to Our Past and decided I needed to come up with something, but was at a total loss. At this time in my life I regularly visited my Grandmother in Brookfield. During one of these visits I mentioned my Social Studies dilemma.
My Grandmother dragged me into her basement and began pulling out objects from the cupboards, shelves and work benches. She laid the objects in front of me and said, "Use these." Slowly I began to create my Artifact Unit in which we use primary sources to learn about the past.
- What is it made of?
- What is written on it?
- Are there dates?
- What does it remind you of from the present?
- What do think it was used for in the past?
- What does all this information tell you about the past?
After learning how to analyze the Artifacts from my Grandparents, the students will go on an Archaeological Dig to examine artifacts from the 13 Colonies. I set up a "Dig Site" in Room 18. Students will have an opportunity to examine some replicas of Artifacts from the 1700s. They will work as teams to identify the Artifacts and the place they were found in the settlement. This will help the students get a better understanding of the historical period and what it was like to live in the Colonies.
Discovery is an amazing way to learn. Hopefully this unit grabs the students' attention and shows that History books don't just fall from the sky. History comes from real people, real objects and real stories.
