Native America: Understanding the Past through Things

CONTENTS OF CURRICULUM UNIT 06.04.02

  1. Unit Guide
  1. Introduction
  2. Observations
  3. Things
  4. What things can tell us
  5. What people eat and how we know
  6. What do we eat
  7. Good nutrition and good food
  8. Where do we go from here
  9. Resources
  10. Bibliography
  11. Appendix
  12. Notes

Things, Foods, and How We Know

Jennifer B. Esty

Published September 2006

Tools for this Unit:

Resources

Object Study Sheet

Answer the following questions about the object you are studying.

  1. Sketch the object. Be sure to include all of the scratches, dings, scrapes, cracks, and discolorations on the object.
  2. What material(s) is the object made from?
  3. Chose three different color markers, crayons, or highlighters. On your drawing
    - Use your first color to highlight marks that you think were made intentionally. Designs in the surface of a pot are an example.
    - Use your second color to highlight marks that you think were made because of the way that the object was used. A hole under the big toe of a shoe is an example of this sort of mark.
    - Use your third color to highlight marks that you think were made by weathering. Water stains on paper might be an example of this sort of mark.
  4. How do you think the intentional marks were made on the object? What purpose do these marks serve? Why do you think they were made?
  5. How do you think the second set of marks (the ones that show use) were made? What do these marks suggest to you about the way that the object was used? Do you think all objects like this one will show the same wear patterns? What do the wear patterns tell you about the user of this object?
  6. How do you think the weathering marks were made? What does this tell you about the history of the object? Do you think that all objects like this one will show similar weathering marks?
  7. What can the material(s) used in this object tell us about the person who made the object? Would you be able to make an object like this one? Why or why not? What skills and technology were required to make this object?
  8. What does the overall shape of the object tell you? Do you think all objects of this type are of this size and shape?
  9. How do you think this object was used?
  10. How would you test you hypothesis about the use of this object?

Food Sheet

Food Eaten:_______________

Source:_________________

Where did the source get the information?

How reliable is the source?

Describe how the food source is prepared.

(table 06.04.02.01 available in print form)

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