Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.7
Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a question or solve a problem.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.9
Integrate information from diverse sources, both primary and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or event, noting discrepancies among sources.
Technology required
Students will need a device to search the Internet. This lesson assumes students submit assignments on Google classroom but that is not a requirement.
Time
2 hours, including time for presentation, student research and completing assignment sheet.
Lesson Summary
Students learn definitions of artifacts and their use in understanding every day life during a historical period. Students conduct research on sites such as the Library of Congress and Smithsonian Institute to find images of four artifacts and write a discussion of each.
Lesson
Begin with this presentation explaining what is an artifact, the steps in completing the artifact assignment. The assignment requires finding four artifacts and writing a discussion of each. An example of a completed artifact assignment for one artifact, a butter churn, can be found here.
Allow students 30-60 minutes for research and an additional 30-60 minutes for completing the written assignment for each artifact. To maximize time on task, we recommend having students turn in their draft for at least one artifact by the end of the first class period. A second class period can be used for finding and describing additional artifacts.
Differentiated Instruction
For AP U.S. History and other advanced students, we recommend assigning this web-based lesson on artifacts from the Smithsonian Institute.
Students with writing or language difficulties may be assigned fewer artifacts to research and discuss.