Grades 6-8
Article
The Ancient City of Petra
Petra was built by Arabian nomads who became very rich as desert traders. But why did these nomadic merchants decide to settle down in one place? Explore the mystery while strolling through Petra's ruins.
Book List
Archaeology Books
Uncover ancient mysteries. Learn how trees keep records of the past. Travel centuries ahead in time to look back at the U.S. And dig into archaeology with these six kid-friendly books.
Hands-on Activity
Make Your Own Archaeology Stationery
Looking for an easy way to make sure your letters and notes withstand the test of time? Simply add your name and address—and anything else you want to say—to these colorful letterheads.
Article
What's the Big Idea About Archaeology?
For archaeologists, each discovery is like finding a piece of the puzzle. With enough pieces, they can glimpse what life was like long ago. Get a complete picture of how archaeologists work.
Classroom Activity
Newton's Laws of Motion and Gravity Applied to Meteorites
Did it all start when an apple bopped Isaac Newton on the head? This activity explores some of the ways his fundamental laws are expressed in our dynamic solar system.
Activity
Launching and Recovering Meteorites
Throwing water balloons on school grounds in the name of science? Absolutely, if you do it safely, and apply what you learn to the science of finding and recovering meteorites.
Activity
Exploring Density
Why do some materials sink to the core of a planet while others float to the crust? This experiment uses marshmallow fluff and molasses to illustrate the concept of planet differentiation.
Discovering Vietnam's Biodiversity
Now that peace has firmly taken hold in Vietnam, scientific research is flourishing once again. Meet some of the country's diverse animal and plant life, including many rare and endangered species.
Classroom Activity
Make Your Own Sifting Screen
Archaeologists can’t just dig into a site like it’s a sandbox—they’d scramble the evidence and more than likely destroy precious artifacts. Try your hand at the careful sifting they employ.
Classroom Activity
Where Did You Find It?
Context is everything when it comes to identifying and understanding artifacts. Explore how archaeologists use surrounding objects to sort out how an artifact was originally used.