I have for the past two years been giving interested teachers and
their classes multimedia talks about Native American culture, archaeology,
and this site in particular. However, the opportunity to involve our students
more intimately had not arisen. Dr. Phelps presented a symposium on a Saturday
in February but few students attended. The room was filled with interested
community members, but of school personnel, only Bill Sowell, High School
Science teacher, joined us. In the spring of 1998 the dig was slated to
be reopened. Bill and I were doing preparatory work to inform students and
get them involved, but funding was cut and the archaeologists never came.
When I heard from Tom Hranicka of the Croatan Group volunteers and
from Dr. Phelps that CAO would be digging this fall, I was determined to
get our teachers and students involved. Phelps and his assistant, Charles
Heath, were enthusiastic about having student visits and especially volunteers.
When to get them to the dig site was the stumbling block. I advertised over
school email and announcements, offering to make available videotapes, books,
and periodicals, and to make presentations and to set up times on Saturdays
for interested teachers and students.
Janis Cochrane and Marla Davis, fifth and sixth grade Social Studies
teachers, brought their students for my multimedia presentation, which includes
background Algonkian history, television news clips, video footage of dig
activities, photo slides, and an artifact and photo display, along with
suggested books and magazines.
Bill Sowell, High School Science teacher, volunteered himself on Saturday
and found an important artifact -- a lapel pin of European origin. Some
of his students came too and took digital pictures of the goings on for
our school web page. Some teachers offered to give students extra credit
for work at the dig. Others expressed an interest in participating themselves.
About ten students came on Saturdays on their own. The veteran Croatan Project
volunteers took the students under their wings and the CAO scientists generously
and patiently answered questions and instructed.
Of the teachers who responded, the one who really picked up the ball
was Middle School Social Studies teacher Linda Austin. The first Saturday
I met two of her interested students at the dig and they worked all morning.
They couldn't have been more excited. The next week Linda got permission
from Carol Weaver, Secondary School principal, and was able to arrange to
bring two students at a time for an afternoon or a morning during the school
day for the duration of the project. Almost every eighth grade North Carolina
History student was interested in having a turn. Their experience has been
richly rewarding: a big help to the archaeology team and the ultimate hands-on
Social Studies lesson.
Dr. Phelps has promised to come to school to present to a few groups.
I am hoping he will have time in his busy schedule to do so. The students
who have participated in the dig will benefit the most. For those who have
sifted out fish bones, pottery shards and metal fragments, his talk about
time continuum and culture content will have real meaning.
Components of the Project
I. Information Resources
A. LMC Multimedia presentation (background Algonkian history, television
news clips, video footage of dig activities, photo slides, artifact and
photo display)
B. Slide lecture by CAO representatives
C. Videotapes, books, and magazines from LMC collection
D. Videotapes and monographs lent or given by CAO
E. Current media coverage
II. Student and Staff Participation
A. 8th Grade Mini-Internship
B. Saturday Sign-Up
C. Independent study / extra credit
III. Synthesis
A. World Wide Web pages
B. 8th grade journals and reports
C. 5th and 6th grade simulation activities
D. Presentations by student particpants to other student groups
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