The document provides instructions for students to collect artifacts from their home that relate to different social science subjects: economics, geography, political science, and history. For each artifact, students are asked to describe why they selected it and why the relevant social scientist (economist, geographer, political scientist, or historian) would find it interesting to study. The artifacts for each subject must all fit into the same small bag. Students will then analyze the bags of artifacts brought by other students to make inferences about which artifact relates to each social science subject.

1. S T U D E N T H A N D O U T A
Collecting Social Science Artifacts
Follow these directions:
1. Find one small artifact in your home for each social science subject.
2. Answer the questions below about each artifact.
3. Place the artifact in a small paper bag to bring to class. The four artifacts must all fit
into the same small bag.
Economics Artifact
Find an artifact that an economist would want to study. (Examples: advertisements,
receipts, coupons)
Why did you select this artifact?
Why would an economist find this artifact interesting?
Geography Artifact
Find an artifact that a geographer would want to study. (Examples: maps, wooden salad
bowl, shell bracelet)
Why did you select this artifact?
Why would a geographer find this artifact interesting?
© Teachers’ Curriculum Institute Discovering the Social Sciences 1

2. S T U D E N T H A N D O U T A
Political Science Artifact
Find an artifact that a political scientist would want to study. (Examples: election
advertisements, newspaper articles)
Why did you select this artifact?
Why would a political scientist find this artifact interesting?
History Artifact
Find an artifact that a historian would want to study. (Examples: old photographs,
magazines, coins, stamps)
Why did you select this artifact?
Why would a historian find this artifact interesting?
© Teachers’ Curriculum Institute Discovering the Social Sciences 2

3. S T U D E N T H A N D O U T B
Analyzing Artifacts
Your teacher will give you a bag. As you examine the four artifacts in the bag, complete
the notes below.
We believe that ____________________________
is the economics artifact because
We believe that _________________________
is the geography artifact because
© Teachers’ Curriculum Institute Discovering the Social Sciences 3

4. S T U D E N T H A N D O U T B
We believe that __________________________
is the political science artifact because
We believe that __________________________
is the history artifact because
© Teachers’ Curriculum Institute Discovering the Social Sciences 4