Last updated: July 30, 2021
Lesson Plan
PB & J Archeology
- Grade Level:
- Upper Elementary: Third Grade through Fifth Grade
- Subject:
- Science,Social Studies
- Lesson Duration:
- 60 Minutes
- State Standards:
- OH
HS.3.3
GS.3.6
HS.4.3
GS.4.12
4.ESS.3
GS.5.8 - Thinking Skills:
- Understanding: Understand the main idea of material heard, viewed, or read. Interpret or summarize the ideas in own words. Analyzing: Break down a concept or idea into parts and show the relationships among the parts. Creating: Bring together parts (elements, compounds) of knowledge to form a whole and build relationships for NEW situations.
Essential Question
How are archeological sites formed over time?
How does excavation impact archeological sites?
How do human activities impact the earth’s natural layering?
Objective
1. Understand the natural and cultural processes of archeological site formation
2. Demonstrate the processes of archeological excavation
3. Explain the concept of stratigraphy and relative dating
4. Explain the process of time through Earths natural layers.
5. Explain how people can easily disturb Earths natural layers.
Background
Archeological sites are formed through various natural and cultural processes. Over time natural processes such as layers of sediment build up through processes of flooding and erosion create a timeline in the ground that archeologists refer to as “stratigraphy.” Cultural processes such as building homes, earthworks, and fire pits alter earth’s natural layers. These layers help archeologists understand how archeological sites build up over time, and can be used to relatively date sites and artifacts - that is, to give them a date in relation to the artifacts around them rather than a specific numerical date.
One type of common archeological site is called a habitation site. These sites are places where people once lived, and are typically marked by postholes, cooking pits, middens (trash pits), or broken artifacts. All of which are cultural process that alter the stratigraphy.
Preparation
Before the lesson, the teacher should introduce the concept of archeology to the class so that they are prepared to study site formation.
This lesson has 2 ways of creating an archeological site. These can be altered in various ways to avoid allergies. The teacher will also need to gather the following supplies for each student:
PB&J:
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3 slices of bread
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3 tbsp jam/jelly
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2 tbsp peanut butter (or another spreadable substitute, like frosting)
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Handful of raisins
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Sprinkles
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2 plates
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Handful of hard candies, like M&Ms
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Butter knife
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Spoon
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Large straw
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Napkins
Yogurt Parfait:
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Clear Cup (6-8 oz)
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Spoon
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Tooth pick
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Napkin
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Vanilla yogurt (Enough for 3 “layers”)
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Flavored Liquid topping (Strawberry, chocolate etc)
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Raisins or chocolate chips
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Chocolate sprinkles
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M&Ms
Materials
Page one of the teacher version of the PB&J Worksheet. Utilize this worksheet as an assessment after you students have completed the activity.
Download PB&J Worksheet page 1 - Teacher
Page two of the teacher version of the PB&J Worksheet.
Download PB&J Worksheet page 2 - Teacher
Page one of the student version of the PB&J Worksheet.
Download PB&J Worksheet page one - Student
Page two of the student version of the PB&J worksheet.
Download PB&J Worksheet page two - Student
Procedure
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Distribute ingredients so that each student has the materials to make one sandwich.
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Give students a definition of archeology, and discuss how archeological sites might be formed and how archeologists go about investigating such sites.
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Use the following narrative to lead students through the construction of their peanut butter and jelly archeological site:
a. Here we have a field somewhere in southern Ohio.
PB&J: Lay down the first slice of bread
Parfait: Use 1-2 spoon full of yogurt to cover bottom of cup
b. Along comes a flood and leaves behind a layer of mud.
PB&J: Spread the peanut butter.
Parfait: Make a thin layer on top of the yogurt using the Flavored liquid topping
c. Shortly after the flood, a group of Archaic people camp in the area and build a fire. Their fire leaves behind charcoal and rocks that crack from heat.
BOTH: Arrange raisins in a circle on the sandwich and sprinkle the chocolate sprinkles inside the circle.
d. The Archaic people depart and through time, a layer of rock and dirt form over the campsite.
PB&J: Lay down the second slice of bread.
Parfait: Use 1-2 spoon full of yogurt to cover the previous layer. Make sure not to mix the layers.
e. Eventually another group, this time the Hopewell culture, comes to the same field. The people build shelters.
PB&J: Have students gently cut small indentations or holes in the last slice of bread. These represent holes dug to hold posts for the shelters.
Parfait: Dip the tooth pick in the Flavored Liquid topping, then dip the “dirty” end of the tooth pick into the yogurt. Do this 5-7 times to make a circle.
f. The Hopewell make pottery. But some pottery gets broken, and needs to be disposed of.
PB&J: Have students dig two more small holes in the top of the bread, one on each side, to represent trash pits.
Parfait: Have students dig two more small indents in the top of the yogurt using the tooth pick, one on each side of the cup, to represent trash pits.
BOTH: Into these holes, they throw the broken pottery. (Pile broken candies inside the holes.
g. The Hopewell leave the site and because it is close to the river, the site floods.
PB&J: Spread the jelly, which may cause some redistribution of pottery; this is a common occurrence at a real site.
Parfait: Make a thin layer on top of the yogurt using the Flavored liquid topping
h. Through time, other layers are laid down until the final layer of dirt covers the site, and forms the field we see today.
PB&J: Lay down the final slice of bread.
Parfait: Finish with another layer of yogurt
i. Today, an archeologist suspects this field was a prehistoric habitation site and conducts random core samples and surveys.
PB&J: Using the large straw, take “samples” across the sandwich. If they find a piece of something, they may have found a habitation site!
Parfait: Using the spoon, take a sample from your site. Try to take the sample straight down and not across. See what you can find.
j. The archeologist conducts a test excavation at the site.
PB&J: Cut a square into the sandwich and remove layers one by one.
Parfait: Use your spoon and try to remove each layer, one by one. -
After the students deconstruct their site, have them look at the worksheet and answer the questions.
Vocabulary
Archeology - the scientific study of the life and culture of past people through the excavation and examination of their settlements, relics, and artifacts. An archeologist is a scientist who practices this field of study.
Archeological sites - the physical remains of the past that can be studied by archeologists to answer questions about history and prehistory. Archeological sites may be building ruins, trash heaps, habitation sites, or ceremonial sites.
Excavation - the scientific process through which archeologists uncover ancient sites and artifacts
Habitation site - an area where people once lived; these show up in the archeological record as postholes (or evidence of buildings), cooking pits, trash pits, and/or broken artifacts used in the home
Relative dating - determining the age order of artifacts from context of stratigraphy
Stratigraphy - layering that occurs over time through natural and cultural forces; allows archeologists to do relative dating; older items are at the bottom, younger items at the top
Assessment Materials
PB&J Archeology WorksheetUtilize the PB&J Worksheet from the Lesson Materials to summarize the excavation. This worksheet helps summarize the learning objectives in the overall lesson, and assesses student success at accomplishing these learning objectives.