Think Like an Archaeologist

This lesson plan introduces students to the history of Mitchelville through the science of archaeology. How do archaeologists learn about the past? They excavate sites to find artifacts and features that can answer questions about how people lived in the past. Archaeological investigation at Mitchelville helped researchers better understand the changing lives of its residents as they moved from slavery to freedom. Students will explore how researchers use archaeological data to learn about the past by studying features and artifacts identified during the 2013 excavations. Students will extract and evaluate information, analyze, assess, and interpret data, and form opinions about its meaning.