Discovering Our Past Through An Historical Archaeology Field School I

This course is designed for teachers of grades 4 to 12 who incorporate geography, science, history, and technology, into their curriculum. It will introduce teachers to basic concepts of archaeology. While famous archaeological sites such as ancient Egypt and the Meso-American sites of the desert southwestern United States grab headlines, no less important are archaeological studies in the local area. Most archaeological sites in Pennsylvania fall into three categories — pre-historic, historic, and industrial. Greenwood Furnace State Park is the region’s best-preserved iron site open to the public and can offer experience in historic and industrial archaeology. The workshop will consist of one week (five days) of field school in which teachers will learn about and participate in an authentic archaeological dig. In addition, the course introduces teachers to Greenwood Furnace State Park, and how the site can be utilized as an outdoor classroom for their students. A copy of the “Diggin’ The Past: Historic and Industrial Archaeology at Greenwood Furnace State Park ” is provided as part of the course. This guide contains educational modules for incorporating archaeology into the classroom. SPECIAL INFORMATION: This course involves manual labor in the outdoors on an actual archaeological site. Duties may include shoveling and moving buckets of dirt, and moving small to medium sized rocks and bricks. You will be digging all five days of the course. Wear appropriate clothing you do not mind getting dirty, including long pants, sturdy shoes, and a wide brim hat. With prior notice, we can provide alternative activities on-site for teachers unable to do the manual labor. Bring your own lunch. It will be offered for 2 Graduate Credits or for 60 hours toward Act 48.