• BCPS’ Cable Television ‘Interactive Archaeology Program’
  There are over a hundred and fifty 3^rd grade classes in the district. The BCPS Educational Channel’s archaeology TV program mixes previously filmed on-site footage with a live action sequence that takes place in a mock up of the archaeology equipment tool shed. The instructional program, The Adventures of Indiana Joe and the Secret of Oregon Ridge reinforces lessons in the archaeology curriculum. The telecast has a ‘live’ class interaction component where students from selected schools ask questions of Center for Archaeology Director, George Brauer, through a phone line link-up. The program is filmed 4 times (with four different schools) and these four programs are shown repeatedly over a six-week period. The programming schedule coincides with the period that the District assigns teachers to conduct the archaeology unit portion of the 3^rd grade curriculum. The Adventures of Indiana Joe and the Secret of Oregon Ridge has won several local Emmy-type awards.

• Historic House Survey
  In order to gain a better understanding of the importance of historic preservation, the Historic House Survey Activity involves high school students in completing a study of an existing architectural feature at the Oregon town site. Working in a cooperative format to complete measurements, line drawings, and a questionnaire form, teams of students record a structure’s dimensions, create a floor-plan drawing, and sketch profile drawings for each side of the structure.

• Cemetery Mapping/Headstone Inventory
  High school students document an overgrown family cemetery (found on the park property) through precise mapping notations using a surveying transit and compass. Students also record tombstone designs and inscriptions in order to both formulate demographic profiles and gain an understanding of stylistic trends and meanings.

• Environmental Inventories
  The interdisciplinary nature of conducting archaeological research is explored in a number of environmental activities including soil sampling, water testing, weather recording, and the use of maps and compasses to construct topographic maps. High school students collect and analyze data to determine the quality and attributes of the soil and water found in different areas of the park. Students use scientific instruments to record daily weather data and then compare this to historical weather records

• Historic Reconstruction Program
  Between 1984 and 1994, high school Technology Education students used the Oregon town site as a field laboratory where they engaged in reconstruction of cultural features identified through the archaeology program. Students applied skills learned at their local school as they reconstructed site buildings. Students reconstructed a mid-19^th century tenant house, they constructed a maple sugar processing shed for the park (using the dimensions of a tenant house as a floor plan), and restored the town’s stone springhouse that had fallen into ruin. Local businesses and industries donated most of the materials used in these activities. 

• Gifted and Talented Program
  For a period of several years from the mid-1980’s through the early-1990’s, a Summer Center was operated for a Gifted and Talented ‘archaeology and critical thinking program’ sponsored by the Maryland Department of Education. This two-week course offered high school students an intensive introduction to archaeology and to methods of field excavation.

• Teacher In-Service Training
  Starting in 1993, the Center began offering a 5-day long, summer program for BCPS staff development. This program is for interdisciplinary teams of middle school educators and is designed to develop both model performance-based identification tools for gifted and talented students and interdisciplinary instructional activities. Between 8 and 12 teachers receive an intensive introduction to archaeology, gain personal experience in both field and laboratory methods, and incorporate this knowledge into goals-based, core curricular instruction.

• Bibliography of Educational Materials Produced by The Center for Archaeology

 A descriptive listing of selected high school and elementary school materials follows this Bibliography

2002 [1998] A Study of Cultural ‘World View’ Using Primary Documentary Evidence. Educational Support Services, Office of Social Studies, Baltimore County Public Schools, Towson, Maryland.

2002 [2001, 1999, 1984] History of Oregon Ridge: Where the Past Is Always Present. Archaeology Course Reader/Museum Pamphlet. Student Questions/Teacher Response. Educational Support Services, Office of Social Studies, Baltimore County Public Schools, Towson, Maryland.

2002 [1998, 1994, 1985] Indians of Maryland – 4^th Grade. Educational Support Services, Office of Social Studies, Baltimore County Public Schools, Towson, Maryland.

2002 ‘What’s In a Date’?: The Chronology of Oregon Ridge. Educational Support Services, Office of Social Studies, Baltimore County Public Schools, Towson, Maryland.

2002  History of Oregon Ridge – View To The Past, Grade 3. Educational Support Services, Office of Social Studies, Baltimore County Public Schools, Towson, Maryland.

2002 [2000] Hacienda Plain Activity: Teacher Directions, Student Resource Packet, Student Activity. Teacher Response, Assessment. Eighth-grade World Culture Course, South America Unit. Educational Support Services, Office of Social Studies, Baltimore County Public Schools, Towson, Maryland.

2001a Food for Thought: 19^th-Century Food Preparation, Presentation and Consumption. Student Questions/Teacher Response. Educational Support Services, Office of Social Studies, Baltimore County Public Schools, Towson, Maryland.

2001b What’s In A Burial?: Middle Woodland Analysis Activity. Educational Support Services, Office of Social Studies, Baltimore County Public Schools, Towson, Maryland.

2000a Ceramic Study Kit and Ceramic Study Assessment Kit: Archaeology Course. Traveling Study Kits. Educational Support Services, Office of Social Studies, Baltimore County Public Schools, Towson, Maryland.

2000a  [1996]  Student Activity Packet for Third Grade Social Studies Archaeology Units. Educational Support Services, Office of Social Studies, Baltimore County Public Schools, Towson, Maryland.

2000b Archaeology: Search for the Past, Student Workbook. Educational Support Services, Office of Social Studies, Baltimore County Public Schools, Towson, Maryland.

2000c Tools of the Archaeologist. Third Grade Social Studies Archaeology Units Workbook. Educational Support Services, Office of Social Studies, Baltimore County Public Schools, Towson, Maryland.

2000d Using an Archaeological Site Map to Learn About A Culture: Kalahari Site Activity: Teacher Directions, Student Resource Packet, Student Activity, Teacher Response, Assessment. Seventh- grade World Culture Course, Africa Unit. Educational Support Services, Office of Social Studies, Baltimore County Public Schools, Towson, Maryland.

2000e Torralba Activity: Teacher Directions, Student Resource Packet, Student Activity. Teacher Response, Assessment. Seventh-grade World Culture Course, Europe Unit. Educational Support Services, Office of Social Studies, Baltimore County Public Schools, Towson, Maryland.

1999a Economic Life at Oregon Ridge. Educational Support Services, Office of Social Studies, Baltimore County Public Schools, Towson, Maryland.

1999b [1990] Oregon Ridge Pipe Stem Study.  In Content Outline for High School Archaeology Course Teacher Instruction Guide.  Educational Support Services, Office of Social Studies, Baltimore County Public Schools, Towson, Maryland.

1999c Using an Archaeological Site Map to Learn About A Culture. In Seventh Grade World Culture Course Teacher Instructional Guide. Educational Support Services, Office of Social Studies, Baltimore County Public Schools, Towson, Maryland.

1999d Pre-Visit Student Activity Packet for Grade 3 Social Studies Archaeology Unit. Educational Support Services, Office of Social Studies, Baltimore County Public Schools, Towson, Maryland.

1998a  Site Formation In archaeology. In Content Outline For High School Archaeology Course Teacher Instructional Guide.  Educational Support Services, Office of Social Studies, Baltimore County Public Schools, Towson, Maryland.

1998b  [1992] The Cemetery as A Source of Information: Investigating the Cultural and Physical Characteristics of a Cemetery. Archaeology Course Supplementary Resource. Educational Support Services, Office of Social Studies, Baltimore County Public Schools, Towson, Maryland.

1998c Using Probate Inventories To Study the Past.  In Content Outline For High School Archaeology Course Teacher Instructional Guide. Educational Support Services, Office of Social Studies, Baltimore County Public Schools, Towson, Maryland.

1997a Content Outline for High School Archaeology Course: Teacher Course Guide. Educational Support Services, Office of Social Studies, Baltimore County Public Schools, Towson, Maryland.

1997b Life and Work at Oregon Ridge Furnace, 1850: Grade 2 Social Studies Student Reader. Educational Support Services, Office of Social Studies, Baltimore County Public Schools, Towson, Maryland.

1997c   [1996] Using Clues from the Past: Performance Assessment Activity, Grade 3 Social Studies. Educational Support Services, Office of Social Studies, Baltimore County Public Schools, Towson, Maryland. 

1996a  Archaeology: Search for the Past, Third Grade Social Studies Archeology Units Reader. Educational Support Services, Office of Social Studies, Baltimore County Public Schools, Towson, Maryland.

1996b  To Dig or Not To Dig.  In Content Outline for High School Archaeology Course Teacher Instructional Guide.  Educational Support Services, Office of Social Studies, Baltimore County Public Schools, Towson, Maryland.

1995  Blast From The Past. Archaeology Course Reader/Museum Pamphlet. Educational Support Services, Office of Social Studies, Baltimore County Public Schools, Towson, Maryland.

1991 Fauna Comparative Analysis: Sites E and B. In Content Outline For High School Archaeology Course Teacher Instructional Guide.  Educational Support Services, Office of Social Studies, Baltimore County Public Schools, Towson, Maryland.

1990a Archaeology: A Field Manual and Resource Guide. Archaeology Course Supplemental Resource. Educational Support Services, Office of Social Studies, Baltimore County Public Schools, Towson, Maryland.

Content Outline for High School Archaeology Course
This is the teacher course guide for the BCPS’ semester-long, high school archaeology elective course. It includes a list of the course goals, a list of the course indicators (objectives), and an outline of the program’s instructional activities.

Blast From The Past/Oregon Ridge Furnace: Its Construction and Operation
This student reading is used in the high school archaeology course. It provides students with a brief history of the iron smelting industry and explains the operation of the Oregon Ridge iron smelting furnace. Students read and discuss this selection prior to visiting the archaeology site for a field/lab practicum.

The History of Oregon Ridge, 1720-2001: Where the Past is Always Present (Student Questions, Teacher Response)
This student reading summarizes the history of the Oregon Ridge town site from the earliest land grants, through the period of iron production, including its present operation as an outdoor education facility. Written in both personal narrative and 3^rd person format, this selection provides social history information about the 19^th century town and the town’s people. The high school archaeology course students read this history prior to visiting the archaeology site for their field/lab practicum. Student questions and a teacher response sheet accompany this course resource.

Archaeology: A Field Manual and Resource Guide for Use with the Social Studies Selective: Archaeology
This field manual is provided to all students in the high school archaeology course. The information included in this resource prepares students for their excavation experience (practicum) by addressing field methods and techniques (grid layout, excavation procedures), reviewing the concept of stratigraphy, and explaining recording and reporting practices (daily field records, site survey forms, site report formats).

To Dig or Not To Dig: The Stadium Showdown
By participating in the simulated role-play activity, the high school archaeology course students come to understand the role they have as citizen in preserving the past. This group exercise deals with archaeological morals and ethics and with the conflicting interests of preservation, heritage, tourism, archaeology, and economic development.

Decoding Archaeological Evidence: “What’s All This Stuff Mean?”
This exercise gives the high school archaeology course students experience with making inferences and drawing conclusions based on archaeological data.

Pipe Stem Dating Activity – A Dating Study of 3,729 Clay Pipe Fragments
Using archaeological data from secondary sources, the high school archaeology students learn techniques for absolute dating of historical archaeology sites through pipe stem analysis. This exercise activity is cross-disciplinary, drawing on math skills as well as social studies skills.

Using Probate Inventories To Study The Past
This is a high school archaeology course exercise that draws on primary data related to the Oregon Ridge site. While learning to critically examine primary documents, the students gain insight into early 19^th century social and economic history.

Faunal Analysis Activity for Selected Sites At The Oregon Ridge Furnace
This exercise draws on data recovered during student research at Oregon Ridge. Students in the high school archaeology course compare and contrast the site data to gain information about the dietary habits and social status of two different socio-economic groups at Oregon Ridge. The students complete this exercise prior to visiting the site for the field/lab practicum.

Economic Life at Oregon Ridge Furnace, 1848-1854
This weeklong set of exercise activities for the high school archaeology course draws on primary documentary evidence related to the Oregon Ridge site. Students transcribe original documents from the Oregon Ridge General Store and draw inferences from the collected data about the economic history of the Oregon Ridge towns’ people. The exercise is completed prior to visiting the site for the field/lab experience.

Artifact Study Kit Activity – “Take the Artifact Challenge: Introduction to Debris”
This activity booklet accompanies an artifact study kit. It is part of a high school archaeology course supplemental offering where students undertake a hands-on analysis using artifacts recovered from the sites at Oregon Ridge. Five artifact study kits, designed for group use, are made available to local high schools on a scheduled basis. The kits are used as initiatory or summarizing activities.

Archaeology: Search for the Past
This reader is provided to all 3^rd-grade students in the district for use during the two units of archaeology instruction taught as part of the Integrated Science-Social Studies Curriculum. The selection presents archaeology terms and concepts to 3^rd graders.

Tools of the Archaeologist
This 3^rd-grade social studies activity booklet reinforces student understandings about archaeology terms and methods gained in reading Archaeology: Search for the Past. All 3rd-grade students complete this.

Artifact Interpretation Activity
This is a resource used during programming visits made to 3^rd-grade classes by Center for Archaeology/BCPS staff. This worksheet is completed by students while conducting a hands-on artifact analysis.

Using Clues from the Past: Performance Assessment Activities Grade 3 Social Studies
Students complete this set of exercises after Center for Archaeology personnel have conducted a classroom visit. The activity is formatted to the State of Maryland’s annual standardized testing program. It provides students with test preparation experience as well as educational content.

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