Resources for Teachers and Students

What Do Archaeologists Do???
Jump into this interactive adventure to find out what it's like to be an archaeologist! You'll learn about the outreach, preservation, lab and field work that archaeologists do and have a chance to try your hand at it and "dig deeper" into this exciting profession.

How do we know about the Native Americans who were here when Europeans arrived? One source is the artwork of John White, who was governor of the “Lost Colony” that settled in present day North Carolina in 1585. White’s colorful eyewitness depictions of Indian life provide a compelling means for learning about the clothing, rituals, activities, food, and houses of Native Americans of the mid-Atlantic coastal region. Enter the Indian world of White’s paintings through an exciting interactive education module developed by the Department of Historic Resources. Based on three White watercolors, the module forms a valuable on-line resource and springboard for learning about Indian life, especially for elementary school students. It combines history, archaeological artifacts, and the oral traditions of Native Americans today.

First People: The Early Indians of Virginia  Click here to find out about the ancient history of the native people of Virginia. Although these web pages span the entire spectrum of native cultural history, they barely scratch the surface of what archaeologists and other scholars are learning about native Virginians.

Teachers! Now available online—the Teacher Guide and Activity Book to Solving History’s Mysteries: The History Discovery Lab. The exhibition and the guide use archaeological sites and historic places to illustrate the processes of discovering the tangible evidence of our past—how to read the history that is all around us. The exercises in the guide relate the importance of historic resources to students’ understanding of history and the past to their everyday lives. 

ARK—The African American Archaeological Resource Kit. This new kit of teacher's resource materials was assembled by Dr. Barbara Heath under the sponsorship of the Council of Virginia Archaeologists. It is organized around three actual archaeological sites in Virginia and contains artifacts; artifact identification flash cards; maps and site plans; a card game based on foodways; and explanatory material on each site. The kit circulates at no cost and is now available to be checked out by teachers, museums, and educational organizations. This year Virginia Archaeology Month, October 2004, is highlighting African American themes. Find out how you can reserve your ARC now. See the contact information in the entry below on the Virginia Indian ARK.

ARK—The Virginia Indian Archaeological Resource Kit. The ARK contains books, drawings, videos, replicas, and a computer game that will give students a variety of ways to explore archaeology and the Indians of Virginia. The kit circulates on temporary loan at no cost. Museums, teachers, and educational organizations may make a reservation to borrow the kit by contacting Museums and Historic Sites Keith Egloff, Phone: (804) 367-2323 ext. 131; Fax: (804) 367-2392; or contact the nearest Department of Historic Resources (DHR) regional office.

Lesson plans using archaeology These lesson plans, for elementary and middle school students, are tied to appropriate Standards of Learning and were developed in association with the Becoming a Homeplace section of the Virginia Historical Society's major exhibition, The Story of Virginia.

DHR Archaeology Programs   Collections   

VA Arch-NET

Click here to see armor artifacts from the DHR Archaeological Collections.









A few examples of artifacts represented in the African American Archaeological Resource Kit

Examples of Virginia Indian ARK contents