Project Archaeology and the Smithsonian join forces for archaeology education at the National Council for Social Studies Annual Conference on December 2, 2011 at the National Museum of Natural History.

1. June 7, 2011
For Immediate Release
Media contact: Crystal Alegria
calegria@montana.edu
Project Archaeology and the Smithsonian Join Forces for
Archaeology Education at NCSS Annual Conference
“Attending staff development can sometimes be rather boring. Finding something (Project Archaeology) that not
only peaks your interest but also inspires you to change what you are currently doing is an uncommon
occurrence.”
Nathan McAlister, Kansas
2010 Gilder Lehrman Preserve America History Teacher of the Year
“This is by far the best workshop I have attended in a very long time. Not only did I learn new lessons to teach,
but I am so excited that I can integrate them right into reading, writing, and math.”
Chesapeake area teacher
From Indiana Jones to Lara Croft, the excitement of learning about the past through ancient objects and places
ignites students’ imagination. Archaeology is an exciting vehicle for classroom learning and draws knowledge
from many other disciplines, as well as teaches many of the skills students need in socials studies, science, math,
and reading. Studying archaeology also provides students with a rich cultural awareness and sensitivity, which
leads to an understanding of multicultural perspectives.
Project Archaeology, a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) supported archaeology education organization, and
the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) announce a pre-conference clinic in conjunction with the
annual National Council for Social Studies Conference (NCSS). NCSS endorsed Project Archaeology:
Investigating Shelter, Project Archaeology’s newest curriculum guide. Susan Griffin, executive director of NCSS
notes, “NCSS is pleased to support a program that seeks to educate students on the cultures of the past and how
they have endured to the present.”
Investigating Shelter won the 2010 Excellence in Public Education Award from the Society for American
Archaeology. Jeanne Moe, BLM Project Archaeology Lead, says “All Project Archaeology educational materials
have a strong citizenship component and emphasize personal responsibility in protecting archaeological sites on
Public Lands.” The clinic, titled “Archaeology and Diversity in American History,” will be held at the
Smithsonian’s Department of Anthropology at the National Museum of Natural History. Participating teachers
will receive Project Archaeology: Investigating Shelter and learn to use it in their classrooms. They will
investigate an early 19th century slave cabin using authentic archaeological data and historical documents and
apply new inquiry skills to learn archaeology and history through Written in Bone: Forensic Files from the 17th
Century exhibit.
The day-long program will take place on Thursday, December 1, 2011 at the NMNH. Participants must register
for the NCSS conference to attend. While this program focuses on the Chesapeake Bay region, the Project
Archaeology curriculum offers regional components that will allow teachers from throughout the United States to
work with more localized cultural resources. For more information about the clinic, contact Jeanne Moe at
jmoe@blm.gov. To register online or by downloading a registration form visit:
http://www.socialstudies.org/conference/registration. Enrollment is limited, so teachers should register
early.
Project Archaeology is a joint program of BLM and Montana State University. It is a comprehensive archaeology and heritage education program, which
includes publications, professional development for educators, networking opportunities, and continuing support for participants. The US Bureau of Land
Management (BLM), which manages 253 million acres of Public Lands, has supported Project Archaeology since its inception in 1990 and is pleased to
assist MSU and NMNH to distribute stewardship education.