tion to the tools, techniques and wonder of archaeology, students spent all of December learning about the way of life of people in Maine starting about 20,000 years ago. They learned about the three main archaeological periods -- Paleo, Archaic, and Ceramic Periods and about the major geologic and climate changes.A huge highlight was to have Mr. Dave Backman as a guest teacher for four sessions. Dave brought with him his expertise and experience with this subject to the classroom, along with many, many artifacts for the children to observe, handle and try to figure out what they were and what they were used for.
Here students are finding artifacts in a mock dig, with authentic artifacts found in Freeport, that he devised.
Would you know from looking that these are ancient stone tools?
Have you ever seen woolly mammoth teeth? The black one is fossilized!
Students then made their own pinch pots using a technique that our ancient ancestors used.
They also built an outdoor brick kiln to fire them in!
The pots were placed carefully in layers of sawdust by Mrs. Christie, art teacher.
She and I lit the fire and quickly capped it so that the fire would smolder many hours until the pots were done.
Here's what they looked like after the firing...
And here they are all cleaned up and ready to take home.
