Irvington Middle School sixth graders recently immersed themselves into the world of archeology. As part of their studies in Carol LaBella’s and Michelle Griffin’s social studies classes, the students took on the roles of archeologists and transformed their classrooms into an excavation site.
Equipped with chocolate chip cookies, the sixth graders were tasked with extracting each chocolate chip from the cookie, serving as an artifact waiting to be uncovered. The hands-on learning experience allowed the students to grasp the fundamental principles of excavation and the delicate art of unearthing history without damaging any artifacts.
“They also learned how each part of the process is slow and they need to work carefully and precisely,” LaBella said. “The students recorded and analyzed their data before the dig to develop a hypothesis. Then, they collected and recorded all the data during the dig and developed conclusions afterwards that was data-driven.”
Throughout the experience, the sixth graders gained an appreciation for the intricacies of archeology and a deep understanding of the process and importance of meticulous work, patience and the scientific method.
