In response to requests by educators, the Burke Museum's Archaeology and Education staff teamed up to offer resources to promote the study of archaeology in a thoughtful and fun way. One such resource is the traveling study kits—including the Archaeology of West Point Kit—hands-on educational materials for children and adult learners.
To inquire about or borrow any of the 47 different traveling study kits, call the museum's Education Division at 206-453-5591 or e-mail burked@u.washington.edu. The West Point study kit can also be obtained at the Suquamish Museum by calling 360-394-8496.
Each chapter title links to a PDF file of the complete text for that chapter.
Introduction
Acknowledgments. About the Archaeology of West Point Kit. About the Curriculum and Lesson Plans. Overview of Lesson Plans.
Lesson 1: Where is West Point?
Students examine the geography of the Puget Sound region as preparation for studying the archaeology of West Point. Students use maps to locate West Point as well as various geographical features and places in the vicinity of the site such as rivers, islands, mountains, archaeological sites, and ethnographic villages.
Lesson 2: The West Point Landform
Students learn how archaeologists studied soil samples collected from West Point to determine how the landform shifted and changed over time and how people adapted to changes in the landform.
Lesson 3: The Environment and Resources of West Point
This lesson explores what archaeologists discovered about the past environment and natural resources of West Point. Students learn about the environment of West Point and the remains of plants, animals, fish, and marine invertebrates that archaeologists found at West Point.
Lesson 4: Fishing, Hunting, and Gathering at West Point
This lesson explores what archaeology can teach us about how the people at West Point lived and provided for their basic needs. Students learn about the archaeological material that provides evidence of various activities such as fishing, hunting, and gathering, and explore how and when these activities took place.
Lesson 5: Diet at West Point and Today
This lesson examines what archaeologists learned about the traditional diet of the people of West Point and the methods of food preparation used at the site. Students compare the diet and food preparation methods of the people of West Point to their diets and how we prepare food today.
Lesson 6: The Archaeology of West Point
This lesson examines the methods and techniques archaeologists used to investigate the site including testing isolated units, excavating block units, and analyzing the site. Students also learn about how archaeologists determined the chronology of the site based on absolute and relative dating methods.
Lesson 7: All About Artifacts
This lesson focuses on the artifacts recovered from the West Point Site. Students examine, identify, and analyze the replica artifacts included in the kit in order to learn about different types of artifacts and materials. This lesson also includes a slide show of 30 photographs of artifacts.
Lesson 8: Techniques of Tool Making
This lesson examines the process of making prehistoric tools from materials such as stone, bone, and antler. Students learn about the different techniques used to make various types of tools.
Lesson 9: A Career in Archaeology
This lesson helps students explore a potential career in archaeology. The lesson addresses what archaeologists do and what knowledge and skills archaeologists need to do their job. Students read about various archaeologists who worked on the investigation of the West Point Site.
Lesson 10: Protecting and Preserving Cultural Resources
This lesson addresses the topic of protecting and preserving cultural resources. Teachers and students can examine the specific ways the West Point Site has been protected and the collection has been preserved.
Appendix
Glossary. Resources. References.