Digging for Memories

Digging for Memories weaves elements of four different Thinkfinity resources into a single, multifaceted afterschool or classroom project.

Overview

What does your stuff say about you? What do people's things reveal about their culture? The methods of archaeologists will be explored on a journey that takes young people from a garbage "dig" to a museum exhibit, to a study of their spaces and themselves.

Ask the group to think about what their possessions reveal about their interests, personality and behavior. Then carry out an archaeological dig with a trash bin, using questions from the American Museum of Natural History worksheet as a basis for discussion.
View resource: Artifacts 1: What Can We Learn From Artifacts? by Science NetLinks

Focus on: Motivation & Development sections

Ask the group to look at Celia Cruz memorabilia and make inferences about her life, applying what they’ve learned about interpreting artifacts.

View resource: Autobiography through Objects from Smithsonian’s History Explorer

Focus on: Warm-up section

Ask the group to reflect on their daily life and interests by identifying three objects that have meaning to them, such as photographs, clothes, books or souvenirs. Using these objects, each member of the group should create a mini-exhibition about his or her life.

View resource: King Tut’s Treasures from Xpeditions

Focus on: Activity 2 of the Development section

Ask the group to assume the role of reporters writing an article about one member of the group. Have group members write a one-page article about the selected individual after they view his or her mini-exhibit. What do they know about the person by looking at the objects?

View resource: Autobiography through Objects from Smithsonian’s History Explorer

Focus on: Follow-Up activity

Age: Older elementary
Themes: Archaeology/anthropology, museum education/exhibit development
Duration: 2 weeks