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Show cssp ----- I ft tf$$ i (v s 1 in1 x :J 1 it i I : V V ' k s - f " " ; ' Jj - - I - f k I - . 1 , ; s- Boyd McAffee, left, holds a piece of pottery found at an Anasazi dig in Boulder, Utah, while a teacher from Tremonton, center, excavates a skull of an ancient Indian. Jackie jacobson, right, observes the process. pleasant Grove teachers get hands on experience in Anasazi search course Jackie Jacobson carefully brushes dirt away from 800 year old Indian skull found at the Anasazi dig in Boulder, Utah. l ,..,.,,.. i, ....I . Students at Valley View School till have a unique experience learning about the ancient Indians, called the Anasazi, as a result of Heir teachers participating in a special anthropology workshop recently in which the 800-year-old rave of an Indian was found . Actually, five residents and teachers participated in the dig at B0Uider, Utah, at the Anasazi State Indian Village, a state run museum inGarfield County. Those attending were Fran Sicholes, a sixth grade teacher at Valley View, and her husband, 1'erlin; Jackie Jacobson, a fourth grade teacher at Valley View and her husband, Virgil, who is principal il Canyon View Junior High in Otem; and Boyd McAffee, sixth jrade teacher at Valley View. They joined in a workshop sponsored by the Utah Museum of Natural History at the University of L'tah called "In Search of the Inasazi." They spent the weekend tlSept. 26, 27, 28 at the site. I During the workshop, they spent I onsiderable time in the classroom J elore they were allowed to go out to Ihe dig itself. They were taught how j do proper research and they ' received a graph from the University of Utah on how to record their findings. Boyd said that at first they only found pottery but then a teacher discovered the skeleton of a child which was estimated to be about 800 years old. Buried with the body were three burial pots. After the discovery, the experts were a little nervous about having amateurs there working, Boyd reported. The professionals told them exactly what to do. The remainder of the excavation of the grave was done by the professionals, Boyd added. He said they were told about the great amount of theft of the Indian artifacts that is taking place now. He explained that one piece of pottery had been traced to Paris, France where it had been sold on the black market for thousands of dollars. Boyd stated that it was interesting that when the pioneers came to Utah and the west, they would plow around burial mounds and leave them intact. Now the artifacts are considerd bo be art objects and thieves will go to any length to acquire the prized pieces. Those taklng'theorksTiopWf e" allowed to make pottery, rope, do basketweaving, and build fires like the ancient Indians did back then. When the students in the sixth grade study ancient civilizations this year, they will learn that excavations, ex-cavations, such as the dig the teachers participated in, is how we know about the people who lived a long time ago. Boyd said that they will do a mini-dig mini-dig with a sand box. Miniature dishes and other items will be buried in the sand and the children will be taught the correct way to excavate so that nothing is damaged or lost. The children will record their findings on an excavation form just as the teachers did on their trip to Boulder. Boyd said he had slides which he will show to the children about the excavation process. Jackie also plans to have a mini-dig mini-dig when her fourth graders study Indian history. They will make baskets, too. I ) " "'. 1'This is one of the more exciting " "things I've done that will help me in the classroom," Boyd said. "It was a lot of fun and makes my job easier because I came back so invigorated," in-vigorated," he concluded. |