Summer SAVY, Session 3 Day 2, “Archeology 101: Unearthing Secrets of the Past” (1st-2nd)
Happy Tuesday!
Today, our young archaeologists learned about what archaeologists do and experienced the curiosity, creativity, and careful thinking required to study the past. Our adventure began with reviewing archeological processes and delivering presentations based on our research. Students discovered that archeology is more than just digging! It’s a detailed and thoughtful approach to uncovering and interpreting the stories left behind by people long ago.
This morning, we compared the scientific method to the archeological research process. Through group discussions, students discovered that both methods begin with a question and involve collecting data, analyzing findings, and drawing conclusions. However, they also learned that, unlike experiments in traditional science, archeologists can’t always control variables or repeat investigations.
Then, we looked inside a mystery bag at various items, such as a broken pottery piece, a stone, a plastic coin and a real coin, as well as some cloth and food. We asked questions like scientists would ask, including, Why would these items be here? What items wouldn’t survive hundreds of years, and why?
We then engaged in a scientific experiment to test our hypotheses and explanations! We set up four trials that tested the effects of active yeast on food items, like a banana, and other materials like broken pottery and a piece of cloth. Ask your learner about how yeast decomposes materials and what the output of the fermentation process is. (It’s gas!)
We’ll check on our observations tomorrow to see if our predicted hypotheses are correct. What kinds of materials are likely to endure the test of time and be found in an archeological site?
Tomorrow – be prepared! We will have a guest speaker, Ms. Lily Baker. She is a research assistant at Vanderbilt working in an isotope lab. Her background is in anthropology and archeology. In the afternoon, we will walk across to the Stevenson Building on the main campus to meet Professor Michelle Young. Check out her bio here: https://as.vanderbilt.edu/anthropology/bio/michelle-young/
Please don’t forget to wear your walking shoes and bring a water bottle. The weather is warm and ever-changing, so please come prepared.
Here are some dinner-time questions:
- What are some steps in archeological research and digs?
- How is a dig site like a system? (Boundaries? Elements? Inputs? Outputs? Interactions?)
- What is the interaction between yeast and sugar?
- What kinds of materials can last underground for a long time? Which kinds of materials or items cannot?
- What tools do archaeologists use? What are some of the advantages or disadvantages of using that tool? (We’ll explore more of this topic tomorrow!)
Have a great evening!
Warmly,
Ms. Courtney and Ms. Andrea