Artifacts as evidence

One day, 90 minutes

1. Standards and objectives
Standard (from the Utah Common Core for Social Studies, grades 9-12):

U.S. I Standard 1.1: Students will analyze evidence including artifacts and other primary sources
to make evidence-based inferences about life among several Native American nations prior to
European exploration of the Americas.
Content Objective(s):

SWBAT identify artifacts from Native American nations prior to colonization.

SWBAT identify items with similar functions in their modern world.
SWBAT to explain how historians and archaeologists construct interpretations using artifacts
as evidence.
SWBAT to analyze artifacts to make inferences about daily life, technology, interaction with
the natural world for Native American tribes prior to European contact.
Language Objective(s):

SWBAT explain orally and in writing what life was like for Native American people prior to
European contact using artifacts as evidence.
SWBAT describe orally the process historians and archaeologists use to construct
interpretations using evidence.

Adapted Language Objectives:

Low level- For Level 1 learners: SWBAT orally answer who, what, where questions
about artifacts using word wall and vocabulary visuals.
SWBAT orally and in writing produce descriptive words or phrases about Native
American life before colonization using photographs and a word bank.
SWBAT match key vocabulary to pictures when words spoken orally and when read
by the student.
Mid level- For Level 3 learners: SWBAT orally and in writing describe Native
American life working in pairs or groups using sentence frames and graphic
organizer.
SWBAT use context knowledge and clues to infer information from artifacts working
in groups and using a graphic organizer.
2. Instructional Focus/Essential Question:
What was life like for Native American tribes prior to European contact?
How do historians and archaeologists construct interpretations from artifacts, oral
histories, legends, primary sources, and other evidence?
3. Texts/Materials for Instruction
Primary sources:
-Photographs of artifacts for display or printed for group work, selected
from http://www.ibiblio.org/expo/1492.exhibit/Intro.html
Secondary sources:
- Decoding the Past: The Work of Archaeologists, Smithsonian article
Adaptation for ELLs: Video about archaeology, demonstrates what an archaeologist is and
where artifacts come
from (http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/diggers/videos/archeology-with-
kate/, http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/diggers/videos/diggers-blog-archaeologists-
tools/)
Materials and technology:
Computer with Internet access
examples of artifacts from home
Artifact Analysis Sheet for artifact analysis
from https://www.archives.gov/files/education/lessons/worksheets/artifact_analysis_works
heet_former.pdf

4. Vocabulary (Content and General Academic)

Content:
Evidence Archaeology
Artifact Historian
Source Native American Nations
General:

Infer
Analyze
5. Instructional Procedures:
Warm up and discussion (10 minutes):

5 minute journaling: What do you know about the American Indians/Native American
nations, people who lived in America before European contact, exploration and
colonization of the land we call America today?
(Differentiation and support for ELLs: photos on display, allow to answer in L1 or L2, allow to
draw responses, vocabulary preview)

After 5 minutes, bring students together for discussion about journal question. List ideas
students express and explain unfamiliar words and concepts. Emphasize that we think of
American Indians as one group of people that are all the same. Is this true?
(Differentiation and support for ELLs: use think-pair-share with partner prior to full group
discussion, sentence frames on display in room, wait time)

Exploration and inquiry:

As class, explore the diversity of Native American tribes (10 minutes)
 Display website with list of Native American tribes and languages spoken. Ask
students how many nations they see listed? Scroll down to languages. Ask class to
identify how many different languages?
Display map that depicts lands claimed by different tribes/nations prior to European
colonization.
Discussion questions: What does this tell us about Native American nations? Do you
agree they are all the same?
Cultural connection:
Emphasize that in this class we are period __, we share that part of our identity.
Make a list of nations/states, languages, plot origins on a map. Discuss how we
come from different nations, speak different languages. Connected because we are
here in this class. Still people with different experiences, different backgrounds,
languages. When we share our experiences we can learn from each other.

What are artifacts? How do we make sense of them? (Reading) (20 minutes)

Explain that historians and archaeologists use sources to construct an interpretation of

what life was like for Native American nations prior to European contact. Demonstrate
idea by displaying picture of cereal bowl, spoon, and cup sitting on table. Ask students
to construct an interpretation about someones life based on that evidence. Divide
students into groups, have each group find an artifact in the classroom (also bring
some from home) and construct an interpretation about life inside the classroom or life
of students based on artifact.
Explain that we do the same thing with artifacts from past. Read Decoding the Past:
The Work of Archaeologists. Discuss the reading. Bring out key points from reading
that describe why we use artifacts as evidence, the process of finding artifacts,
cataloguing artifacts, and working with other disciplines to construct an interpretation
of history.
(Differentiation and support for ELLs: begin with vocabulary preview including visual or video
representation of words and concepts as needed. Strategic grouping of students for artifact
activity, provide sentence frames this is a ___. It shows that students ____. Modified text of
article, word bank and http://learnersdictionary.com/, paired reading)

Artifact analysis (20 minutes)

Select photographs of artifacts for students to examine and analyze. Show students pictures of
different kinds of artifacts so that they understand the different forms and kinds of artifacts.
Model the completion of Artifact Analysis Worksheet for whole class. Work with whole class to
analyze another artifact, split students into groups and give each group a picture of a different
artifact to analyze. After each group completes analysis sheet, have them share information.
List inferences on the board as groups identify them.
(Differentiation and support for ELLs: Strategic pairing, discussion in L1 or L2, modified Artifact
Analysis Sheet with visuals)
Discussion (Speaking and listening) (10 minutes):

What can we infer about people based on artifacts?

How sure are you about your interpretations?
What would you need to be more certain? What other evidence should we look for?
What other evidence should we look at?
What questions should we ask when evaluating historian and archaeology
interpretations?
(Differentiation and support for ELLs: allow small group discussion in native language with other
students who speak language, word wall, sentence frames on display in the room)

6. Student Activity (Writing and application) (10 minutes)

Using analysis sheet and discussion information, students will write and share in an
online discussion format a short paragraph describing some aspects of life for Native
American nations prior to European contact. Emphasize that paragraph should
include reasons for inferences made.
Assign students homework to bring in similar item identified from item 4c from
Artifact Analysis Worksheet next class. Students can bring sketch or photograph of
item also. Emphasize that artifact can be similar in form, or function.
(Differentiation and support for ELLs: Produce short phrases or several sentences. Students use
sentence starters, sentence frames, word wall, and completed modified analysis worksheet)

7. Assessment:
Formative assessment:
Observation during small and whole group discussion, Analysis Worksheet, writing, and artifact
selection. Writing to be assessed using rubric.
(Differentiation for ELLs: modified rubric for writing)

8. Possible Extension Activities and Home School Connections:

Have students create and publish an online exhibit of artifacts identified as similar to
share with parents and guardians.
Invite parents to come and talk to class about native populations in their home
country and the kinds of artifacts students would find there.
Have students interview parents, friends and caregivers about items or artifacts that
are important to their family and culture. How do families and cultures use artifacts?
How are those items being preserved? Students can record the interview and
present or write about what they discovered in the process.
Have students compare and contrast artifacts from students home countries and
those analyzed from Native American nations.