Can you dig it? Developing an overview of Arkansas History from the Prehistoric to the Civil War

Students will be introduced to Arkansas History by becoming archeologists who discover artifacts in a “dig simulation.” They will gain an understanding of how archeology has aided the study of Arkansas’ past and be introduced to the different groups who have made our state their home. By placing artifacts on an Arkansas History Timeline, students will develop an overview of the important time periods in Arkansas History. As a final exercise student teams will creatively present a period in Arkansas’ History to their class.

Lesson Plan

Courtesy of CALS Butler Center for Arkansas Studies

Grade Level:K-4 Elementary School

Time period:Pre-European Exploration Through Arkansas Settlement to 1802

Arkansas Academic Standards are subject to revision every six years by the Arkansas Department of Education. The frameworks used in the majority of lesson plans on the Arkansas History Hub are from the 2006 Social Studies Frameworks and the 2007 Arkansas History Amendments and School Library Media Frameworks.

H.6.3.14, H.6.3.16, H.6.3.2, H.6.3.8, H.6.4.10, H.6.4.14, H.6.4.17, H.6.4.3, H.6.4.9, H.6.5.19, H.6.5.29, H.6.5.32, H.6.5.33, H.6.5.6