Social Science - Archaelogical Site

General Education Capstone Course

Event/Experience Details and Guideline Form

Gen. Ed. Category Event should be listed under: Social Science

SCC Competency addressed by event: 1. Explain social institutions, structures, and processes across a range of historical periods, places, and/or cultures.  2. Develop and communicate hypothetical explanations, predictions, and descriptions of human behavior within an historical, spatial, and/or social context.

Event experience Title:  Visit an archaeological site and museum in the St. Louis Region

Anticipated Learning Outcome. 

Through this exercise students should develop a better understanding of the diversities and complexities of the cultural and social world, past and present, and come to a better informed sense of self and others. This exercise will also highlight the processes archaeologists use to learn about the past, and how those stories are then shared through museum exhibits.   

Guidelines for accomplishment of event

Instructions for Students:  Visit one of the archaeological parks that surround St. Louis (Cahokia Mounds to the east, Mastodon State Park to the south, or the Center for American Archaeology in Kampsville to the north). (See Web sites listed below for directions.)

Take a tour of the archaeological site itself, and spend some time in the accompanying museum. Your structured journal entry for this project should include a discussion of what we think happened in prehistory at the site. Included in this discussion should be a consideration of why we think we know what we do about these places. In other words, what artifacts were presented, what was the overall theme of the museum exhibits, and how were the two connected? Finally, what did you find personally relevant from the visit, and why?

Assessment Rubric for Instructors: Are they able to write a coherent essay, about the experience. Are they able to make critical observations about the way material is presented, showing awareness that all stories have authors? Do they demonstrate the ability to “think” from the perspective of others (e.g. what the exhibit creators were trying to do, how the intended audience might react to the exhibits? Or even an appreciation for what life on the spot might have been like for the Indians who lived there?). Did they come away from the museum with an awareness of change in prehistory (eg. That all things were not static and unchanging before the arrival of Europeans to North America)? Were they able to connect the lives of others to their own in a meaningful way?

Provide at least one the following: 

Event Contact website URL:   http://www.cahokiamounds.com

http://www.mostateparks.com/mastodon.htm

http://www.caa-archeology.org/

SCC Event Creator: Wm. Griffin

Estimated Time for full completion (include: making contact/appointment; attending activity; travel; and journal consideration and entry) 4