Classroom Outreach – “Ancient People of Arizona”

Old Pueblo Archaeology Center’s OPENOUT (Old Pueblo Education Neighborhood Outreach) program offers 45 to 60 minute presentations by a professional archaeologist. The “Ancient People of Arizona” presentation is designed to give children an idea of how the ancient Hohokam lived and how some aspects of everyday life have changed and others have stayed the same. The outreach presentation includes dioramas of ancient homes, artifact replicas, and illustrations to help the kids experience how prehistoric Native Americans of our area lived and appreciated the arts they created. The hands-on materials in this program brings archaeology and the past alive for your students.

PRESENTATION OUTLINE

1. Introduction
   1. The archaeologist briefly discusses with the class what archaeologists are and what they do
   2. The archaeologist leads a brief discussion on the people that once inhabited Arizona
2. Slides
   1. Timeline of the Ancient Puebloan, Mogollon, and Hohokam people
   2. Geographic distribution
   3. Housing
      1. Pithouses
      2. Compounds
      3. Cliff Dwellings
   4. Diet
      1. Types of plants available for gathering
      2. Types of plants grown for cultivation
      3. Types of animals available
   5. Artifacts
      1. Flaked stone technology
      2. Ground stone technology
      3. Pottery
   6. Agriculture
      1. Canals
      2. Dry farming
      3. Floodwater farming
   7. Trade
      1. Shell
      2. Obsidian
      3. Pottery
      4. Ball games
   8. Preservation
      1. Why it is important to look but leave in place (context)
      2. Artifact’s role in interpreting the past
3. Artifacts and replicas
   1. Brief description of the artifact collection brought in
      1. Model of a pithouse
      2. Chip stone tool making
      3. Ceramics
      4. Milling stone
      5. Shell and other exotics
      6. Food
4. Students are encouraged to get up close and handle artifacts

For a foldable brochure that provides details about the “Ancient People of Arizona” program please [click here].

To register, call Old Pueblo’s office at (520) 798-1201.