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American Museum of Natural History

Where Did You Find It?

Time required: 1 period

Age level: grades 1-4

Looking at an artifact in context and in association with other artifacts can shed light on its original purpose. For example, a ruler found next to a school notebook suggests that it's an artifact of learning. If it's found with a blueprint, it might be an architect's tool. Next to a trowel, it could be assisting an archaeologist.

Procedure
With your class, brainstorm about what kinds of artifacts are associated with different places (e.g. a kitchen, a garage, a grocery store).

How does finding artifacts with other artifacts help you make inferences about their use?

It may be helpful to think about all the tools you need to complete a certain task. For instance to make an omelet you need a pan, a whisk or fork to beat it, a spatula to turn it, and a plate and silverware with which to eat it. By thinking about an assemblage of artifacts, it may be easier to figure out the use of each artifact. If you were to find any of the artifacts by itself it might be much more difficult to figure out what it's original use.

What types of artifacts might be found in more than one setting? What does this tell you about who used them and how?

  • More About This Resource...

    • In this classroom activity, students explore how an artifact’s use can be identified by the objects it is found with.

      • The activity begins with an overview that explains how a single object can have several purposes—the same ruler can be an artifact of learning and an architect’s tool.
      • Students brainstorm a variety of artifacts associated with different places and explore how their purpose can be inferred by their context.

    • Origin

      Petra

    • Topic

      Anthropology

    • Subtopic

      Archaeology

    • Subtopic

      National Science Education Standards
      Grades K-4:

      • Science as Inquiry CONTENT STANDARD A:• Physical Science CONTENT STANDARD B:• Earth and Space Science CONTENT STANDARD D:• Science and Technology CONTENT STANDARD E:• History and Nature of Science CONTENT STANDARD G:

      Grades 5-8:

      • Science as Inquiry CONTENT STANDARD A:• Physical Science CONTENT STANDARD B:• History and Nature of Science CONTENT STANDARD G:

      Grades 9-12:

      • Science as Inquiry CONTENT STANDARD A:• History and Nature of Science CONTENT STANDARD G:

      Curriculum Standards for Social Studies
      Grades K-4:

      • People, places and environment

      Grades 5-8:

      • People, places and environment

      Grades 9-12:

      • People, places and environment

    • Learning Standard

      National Science Education Standards
      Grades K-4:

      • Science as Inquiry CONTENT STANDARD A:• Physical Science CONTENT STANDARD B:• Earth and Space Science CONTENT STANDARD D:• Science and Technology CONTENT STANDARD E:• History and Nature of Science CONTENT STANDARD G:

      Grades 5-8:

      • Science as Inquiry CONTENT STANDARD A:• Physical Science CONTENT STANDARD B:• History and Nature of Science CONTENT STANDARD G:

      Grades 9-12:

      • Science as Inquiry CONTENT STANDARD A:• History and Nature of Science CONTENT STANDARD G:

      Curriculum Standards for Social Studies
      Grades K-4:

      • People, places and environment

      Grades 5-8:

      • People, places and environment

      Grades 9-12:

      • People, places and environment