UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240
http://www.blm.gov/
November 4, 2010
In Reply Refer To:
1115, 8100 (172) P
EMS TRANSMISSION 11/05/2010
Information Bulletin No. 2011-007
To: AFOs
Attn: State Cultural Resource Leads
State Heritage Education Leads
State Environmental Education Coordinators
State Youth Leads
State Interpretation Leads
From: Director, National Landscape Conservation System and Community Partnerships
Subject: Availability of Project Archaeology Heritage Education Materials for Teachers: Investigating Shelter
I am pleased to announce the recent publication of Project Archaeology: Investigating Shelter, a curriculum guide for teachers and their students in grades 3-5. Project Archaeology, a joint program of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Montana State University (MSU), uses heritage education curricula to support the BLM’s mission of protecting cultural resources.
Drawing on authentic primary data, including maps, artifact drawings, oral histories, and historic photographs, the guide’s nine lessons comprise a complete archaeological investigation of a historic shelter. Investigating Shelter teaches the principles of archaeological stewardship, the basics of laws that protect archaeological resources, and the responsibilities of citizens and visitors in protecting archaeological sites on public lands. While the guide is designed for nationwide application, it may be customized for local use via an online database of regional curricular modules. The guide has been endorsed by the National Council for the Social Studies for its educational quality.
Montana State University, the guide’s publisher, is offering copies to BLM offices at $30 per copy, which represents a 35-percent discount off the regular price of $45. To purchase copies of Project Archaeology: Investigating Shelter, BLM staff should contact Crystal Alegria, MSU’s National Project Archaeology Coordinator, at calegria@montana.edu. Please note that Project Archaeology’s original activity guide for teachers, Intrigue of the Past, is also available for use in classrooms, at visitor centers, and in the field. To receive a free copy, please contact the BLM Project Archaeology program lead, Jeanne Moe, at Jeanne_Moe@blm.gov or (406) 994-7582.
State and regional Project Archaeology programs serve all western states and some eastern states as well. I hope that BLM managers will support State and regional Project Archaeology programs by providing annual funding, endorsing staff or partner travel to national Project Archaeology meetings, and encouraging BLM cultural resource professionals to assist with in-service Project Archaeology workshops and online courses whenever possible. Please also inform local teachers and informal educators (interpreters, museum docents, youth group leaders, et al) in your area about Project Archaeology materials and professional development opportunities.
Additional information about professional heritage education development opportunities and Project Archaeology curricular materials is available at the Project Archaeology website at
www.projectarchaeology.org. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact Jeanne Moe of the Division of Education, Interpretation, and Partnerships at
Jeanne_Moe@blm.gov or (406) 994-7582.
Signed by: Authenticated by:
Carl Rountree Robert M. Williams
Director, National Landscape Conservation Division of IRM Governance,WO-560
System and Community Partnerships
