We were asked to read anarticle by Carol J Fuhler about using artifacts in the classroom. I found the article very interesting. While reading the article, I was able to imagine how much fun students would find this activity and how much they would learn by doing it. Fuhler states, "using artifacts, from primary documents to items that can be held in one's hand, is a motivational technique that can tie readers to a variety of genres and bring a period of history to life in the process." The best way for students to learn is to motivate them and letting them experience things for themselves. In the article, teachers modeled how to do the activity while encouraging the students to participate and answer questions, that way the students would know what to do when they did themselves and the excitement would build. Teacher modeling is a very effective way to teach.
Some tips for using Artifact Bags:
1. Build the excitement of using the artifact bags before handing them to the students.
2. Use primary sources and authentic artifacts, it helps the students really feel like they are true historians making a discovery.
3. Encourage the students to use their prior knowledge to really help them discover and investigate their artifacts.
4. Use the bags a starting point for a unit plan. Let the bags carry on into a group project, presentation, etc.
5. Discuss what the students have found at the end. You can use a big chart to have the students fill out.
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