27.09.2021

Fifth-Grade Students Become Archaeologists in Social Studies Class

By Bruna Cronfli 

The Inquiry Unit “Earth” provides fifth graders (Y5) with an understanding of the interdependent relationship between human beings and nature.

In Social Studies classes, they researched the relationship between human beings and nature since prehistoric times. How did human beings dominate nature? How did they adapt to this very difficult space to be inhabited? These were some of the questions that guided the studies.

After learning concepts related to prehistory, they moved on to the scientific method. When thinking about method and prehistory, records of human activities in nature were observed and, from there, the groups chose the archaeological method to be used during their investigations.

As research progressed, many questions arose: How does the archaeologist get these records from nature? How does history apply these records to keep track of human beings’ journey through time? After understanding the archaeologist’s work, the students were ready for a hands-on archaeological excavation activity.

When arriving in the classroom, they faced small archaeological sites previously prepared by the teacher. The invitation was for them to excavate and find historical and prehistoric artifacts. After going through the processes of observation, probing, excavation, and discovery of the artifact; they carried out the organization of the site and analysis of the material in the laboratory.

This hands-on activity promoted a discussion about the importance of records. From there, the students carried out further research to understand the traces of past societies and collected information to produce materials that would take place in a museum.

The classes are in the process of producing this material in order to share the knowledge learned from the analysis. The ultimate goal is for students to understand that a record of any past human activity found in nature belongs to an entire society.