Archaeological Activities for Teachers

These resources are intended for teachers who want to use elements of archaeology in teaching at KS2.

It will allow you to present your children with a hands-on experience of the past and bring history to life for them.

Archaeological fieldwork can provide a stimulating way to engage children with the past. Below is a selection of resources and activities that can be used by teachers to undertake your own archaeological surveys and then to analyse the results back in the classroom.                                                      

Churchyard Survey - An activity based on the process of recording names and ages from gravestones. This data handling exercise can stimulate discussion about life expectancy in the past.

Fieldwalking - Archaeologists can tell a lot about what lies under the surface of the ground by walking across a ploughed field and picking up material they find on the way. So can you and your class.

Molehill Survey - This activity is a simplified version of fieldwalking. Ideal for younger pupils.

Garden survey - This works on the same principle as fieldwalking, only pupils are asked to pick up materials from their own gardens.

Interpretation and Using Finds in the Classroom - Once you've assembled your finds you can start to analyse them.

Finds Recording Checklist - A helpful form students can use to record artefacts.

Risk Assessment Action Plan for Teachers - Carrying out archaeological fieldwork is a stimulating way to engage children with the past. However there are certain health and safety issues which need to be considered thoroughly before such work can be undertaken.