Foragers to Farmers Teacher Resources and Activities
Students involved with the Foragers to Farmers school program use stone tools, examine animal bones, grind corn, drill holes, visit displays of foraging peoples (Ute, Paiute) and farming peoples (Moche), and learn about the climate of the Neolithic period and archaeology via in-class activities. These online resources may be useful to deepen student understanding of the many facets that comprise archaeological study.
For Students
Fossil Forensics: Interactive
Bones contain evidence of how early humans lived, died, and interacted with other organisms. Explore what kinds of important clues scientists can find in bones.
Stone Tool-Making Video
How can you tell if a rock is actually an early stone tool? Watch this silent video (1:51 minutes) with captions to find out.
What Does it Mean to be Human: Tools and Food; Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
What is an Ice Core: Interactive
A short introductory animation helps explain how we know about the Younger Dryas climate change event. American Museum of Natural History: Archived in Ice: Rescuing the Climate record
Self-Guided Tour
Part of your visit may include a “self-guided tour” where your group is free to explore the museum. The nations below are represented by artifacts in the Hall of the North American Indian exhibition. These links provide more context and information about historic foraging or farming communities should you wish to assign students some simple research before or after the field trip.
Hunting and Gathering Peoples
Yokut people, Central California
Lakota Sioux people, Great Plains States, US
Penobscot people, Maine and Canada