55 minutes
Using the early Louisiana Native Americans
settlement at Poverty Point as the focal point, this lesson
examines the use of artifacts and fossils to study people, plants
and animals from the past.
Science and Social Studies
The learner will:
• observe and identify characteristics of artifacts
and fossils.
• explain how artifacts and fossils are used to learn
about the past.
• identify ways that Native Americans prepared food
and made tools
National Science Education Standards
http://bob.nap.edu/html/nses/html
Science as Inquiry
Content Standard A:
Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
Understanding about scientific inquiry
Louisiana Science Framework: State Standards
for Curriculum Development
http://www.doe.state.la.us/doe/assessment/standards/SCIENCE.pdf
SI-E-A1: Asking appropriate questions about organisms
and events in the environment;
SI-E-A3: Communicating that observations are made with
one's senses;
SI-E-A4: Employing equipment and tools to gather data
and extend the sensory observations;
SI-E-A5: Using data, including numbers and graphs, to
explain observations and experiments;
SI-E-B1: Categorizing questions into what is known, what
is not known, and what questions need to be explained;
SI-E-B6: Reviewing and asking questions about the results
of investigations..
ESS-E-A7: Investigating fossils and describing how they
provide evidence about plants and animals that lived long ago
and the environment in which they lived.
Louisiana Social Studies Content Standards
http://www.lcet.doe.state.la.us/doe/assessment/standards/SOCIAL.pdf
H-1A-E3: Identifying and using primary and secondary
historical sources to learn about the past.
Video:
Gumbo Island: The First
Louisianans
Web sites:
http://www.crt.state.la.us/crt/ocd/arch/poverpoi/mapopo.htm
This Web site provides background information on the Poverty
Point site.
http://www.lpb.org/programs/povertypoint/pp_transcript.html
Transcripts of the documentary Poverty Point,
produced by Louisiana Public Broadcasting, can be obtained from
this site. It provides excellent historical information for
the teacher.
http://www.americaslibrary.gov/pages/es_la_mound_1.html
This site provided by the Library of Congress is an additional
resource for Poverty Point information.
http://www.intersurf.com/~chalcedony/lafossil1.shtml#fossil1
This site provides information on Louisiana fossils.
http://www.crt.state.la.us/crt/parks/poverty/pvertypt.htm
This site gives an overview of the Poverty Point Historical
site with photos.
http://www.chitimacha.com/
This site gives current information as well as historical information
on the Chitimacha Indian Tribe in Louisiana.
http://www.kidsdigreed.com/
Archaeology games and activities can be found on this page.
http://4archaeology.4anything.com/network-frame/0,1855,1491-82739,00.html
This site has excellent background information on Archeology
that is suitable for teachers.
Per Class:
• Louisiana wall map
• Large plastic storage container
• Wood chips or sand (enough to cover items to be
buried in the container
• Student personal items such as CD case, video box,
trophy, gum wrapper, sunglasses, key chain,)
• Various artifacts and fossils (if not available,
use photos or representations such as a bowl, tumbler, tooth
or bone.)
Per Group:
• Assortment of fossils, at least one per student
• Fossil Field Guides
• 5 Markers
• Modeling Clay/Play dough (4-5 blocks)
• Toothpicks (8)
Per Student:
• Archeology KWL Chart
• Archeology booklet (plain paper, scissors)
• Pencil
• File card
1. CUE the video to the
beginning.
2. Have students construct an Archaeology Booklet . (See
instructions under STUDENT MATERIALS).
3. Place the student personal items in the large plastic
container and cover with wood chips or sand.
4. Bookmark http://www.americaslibrary.gov/pages/es_la_mound_1.html
5. Bookmark http://www.intersurf.com/~chalcedony/lafossil1.shtml#fossil1
1. Prior to viewing the video, have
students complete columns K and W on the Archeology KWL chart.
Let students discuss what things they Know, and what they Want
to know about archaeology. Note: The L column should
be completed at the end of the lesson.
2. While the students are completing the KW chart, have
them, one at a time, "dig" in the archaeological site
(plastic container with buried items). Let students make predictions
about each item, i.e. where it may have come from and who might
have owned it.
3. Introduce the term, "artifact" and "fossil."
Help students to understand the difference in the terms. Show
examples. (An artifact is an object, such as a bowl, arrowhead
or tool that was used or made by early people. A fossil is the
preserved remains of a plant or animal). Students should enter
these words in their Archeology Booklet.
4. Ask students who they think were the First Louisianans?
(Native Americans). DIRECT students to listen for the
names of some of the Native American tribes that were in Louisiana.(Chitimacha,
Choctaw, Houma, Coushatta, Tunica-Biloxi, and Caddo.)
• Archeological KWL Chart HTML PDF
• Archaeology Vocabulary Booklet HTML PDF
