John White

I bought this book to learn how to prepare, proceed and process a dig. Not a huge one mind you, but more for my own enjoyment in my own backyard! The explanations given in this book are spot-on for a beginner or a classroom situation. I've decided to take a small location on my 22 acres and proceed with my own excavation, not expecting much but wanting to learn how to do it properly (and of course, if something turns up, hand it off to the professionals). But the dream of being on a dig has been with me since I was young. And what better way to learn about something than by educators themselves! So with regards to this being an excellent book for teachers and students, I could not agree more. My son looked through it and was fascinated. Have fun!… (more)

I am not a teacher, but I am a parent. That said, this book lays out very specific and detailed instructions for building a curriculum around hands-on archaeology.

Given the activities, and the culminating trip to a real dig outdoors, this seems well-suited for older students -- perhaps fifth grade and up. It goes into real depth on techniques, theory, and vocabulary, and is more than a casual sampler.

The book would be useful for implementing in a classroom over a term or year, and not just to raid for a few ideas during an Indiana Jones-themed tie-in lesson in a different course.… (more)