Bianca Guerrero Archeology 101: Thessalonika Dig Overview
Summer 2007
References and Models Cited from:
The Archeology Education Handbook. Ed. K. Smardz & S. Smith. 2000
I have used this handbook in a number of ways to finesse my ability to teach such a difficult topic and I believe that using the “Hands on History” approach has benefited my student’s immensely. One of the most important concepts for me to teach is critical thinking and applying classroom lessons in the field. Because elementary age students are not exposed to digging opportunities, there is little chance they can apply what little archeological information gets filtered down to them in social studies class. By being able to teach the logistics in the classroom with short practical activities, my students were able to process the simulated Thessalonika dig without any gaps in understanding the steps to complete the task.
To explain further I wish to use the parameters given in the article “Simulated Excavations and Critical Thinking Skills”[1] for a meaningful archeological learning experience.
1. Providing Interdisciplinary Education
My students were exposed to Greek culture, history, paleography, numismatics, conservation, preservation, and research skills. Being able to cover that many areas in a week’s time is no easy feat but very accessible with a program like this.
2. Teaching the Effectiveness of Primary Source Material
Working with real artifacts is the best learning tool by far. Using the Greek, Roman, and Byzantine objects interspersed Roman Coins provided an excellent talking point once we returned to the classroom. Each child was anxious to learn what the object was used for and even created little stories behind the people who might have owned their artifact. Being able to keep a real Roman coin and cleaning away the layers of time to reveal a portrait or inscription was the highlight of the experience for them.
3. Appreciating Another Culture
By having personal objects included in the collection like rings, fibulas, arrowheads, and pins, students were able to grasp how other cultures made objects and what they were used for. Discussing the information in the student primer at length also made for interesting parallels on city life here in Houston and ancient Thessalonika.
4. Using Techniques and Applying Deductive Reasoning
In seeding the site, I broke the area into pods containing similar items.
Each pod represented a different segment of society and their function.
I wanted to see if students would process what they found in context to what we had studied. Not only were they serious about the care with which they used their digging implements, they were always aware of which “strata” they were working on. Once objects were recovered they were carefully stocked away and shockingly a few students even returned their grids to their previous condition by filling their massive holes back with dirt. It amazed me how much the kids retained knowledge of the steps to process a site effectively. Back in the classroom we discussed what we could tell about the people who lived in Thessalonika based on our artifacts. We discussed minting coins, forging metal, hunting, war, and other elements that made up the civilization we had read about. It truly brought the history alive for the kids to be able to pass around authentic objects from the time period.
5. Learning to Cooperate and Work as a Team
I had already practiced several teambuilding exercises in the classroom and felt that my students worked well enough together to assign them into working pods. By having 6 students to a pod each with their own square, they were able to not only learn visually from their neighbors but help each other dig as well. There was much discussion as to the “right” way to process their site and the analysis of what was found. Back in the classroom students contributed as a pod to what they had learned about their mini-site and compared theirs to the others.
6. Alternative Assessment Evaluation
Similar to the example of students who don’t do well on tests but have the skills needed to comprehend the task, having a dig showed me that they really were listening. Every year I have a few students who seem to lag disinterestedly behind the others. Sometimes they worked seriously sometimes they didn’t. This year I had a bunch who seemed more motivated than ever and the only thing that changed was having a mock dig onsite. This program contributed greatly to the visual and physical kids who don’t do well in a classroom setting. Archeology is pretty hard to teach without a little lecture and knowing that they needed to process the information I was giving before the got to pick up a trowel for the dig made all the difference.
7. Understanding the Need to Preserve Cultural Heritage
Although there was much discussion about how much their coin would fetch on Ebay, each student came away with the knowledge that in the real world you would not get to keep what you found. This is a point that was especially important for me to drive home because so many people feel that archeology is just a treasure hunt and images of Indiana Jones are all that pervade our societies conception of archeological work. Having to return their extra artifact showed them that culture must be preserved for future campers to experience just as they had and they didn’t mind at all. Although they did wonder if the stuff was going to go on display soon so they could bring their friends to see what they dug up!
Overall I think that the “Hands on History” is an excellent teaching tool for primary contact with the subject. Having the dig staged onsite is a little bit of work but the results are wonderful if carried out with forethought to the concepts that will be encountered. Using real artifacts is imperative and providing the kids with context for the artifact they will keep is more important than just giving them a coin to clean. In comparison to an offsite historical dig, I much prefer this method as it allows for a more simplified experience which is easier for the age group 10-12 to handle. Kids get too bogged down with terminology and paperwork at real historical site to care about what they are doing. This method is a better way to introduce the basics and have the kids get even more excited about archeology!
Bianca Guerrero 2007
[1] Chiarulli, Beverly et. al “Simulated Excavations and Critical Thinking Skills” The Archeology Education Handbook: Sharing the Past With Kids. Altamira 2000
