History from Things

History from Things is a loan-kit program for 4th-8th grade classrooms developed through the collaborative efforts of educators and archaeologists in the Research Laboratories of Archaeology. Designed to be compatible with education theories about how students engage with the past, the program encourages students to construct their own meaningful interpretations based on archaeological evidence, inquiry activities, and simulations. Six kits include replica artifacts, lesson plans, and activities pertaining to daily life in North Carolina from Paleoindian through modern times. These materials help students understand how human lifestyles changed over time, the relationship between lifestyles and environments, and how archaeology contributes to interpretations of the past.

Teachers who wish to use History from Things kits in the classroom can find information relevant to the program in the following links:

Making the Past Meaningful to Students
Kit Contents
Sample Lesson Plans

For more information about the History from Things program, please contact rla@unc.edu.