The Mystery of the Shoe Box

Designed by: Nancy Pierce Little    School: Heyward Gibbes Middle

Grade Level: 6     Subject: Social Studies

Core Curriculum Objectives(s):  

Explain terms related to prehistory. (artifact, archaeologist).  (6WH2-2)

 Explain how we know what happened in prehistory.  (6WH2-3)

(Textbook: World, Adventures in Time and Place, McGraw Hill, Chapter 2, A Look at the Past, pages 25-26, 29, and 32.)

Overview: This activity is designed as an introduction to World History, to new terminology and concepts, and to the work historians and archaeologists do. Students will work in cooperative groups to identify the contents of a shoe box and through deduction and prior knowledge will try to determine to whom the shoe box belongs.

Focus/Essential Question: Where do historians get their information? How do historians know what happened in the past?

Time Frame: 1 - 45 minute class period, plus additional time during the following class periods for students to share their paper bag time capsules.

Resources/Materials:

One shoe box with five "artifacts" for each group 

"The Mystery of the Shoe Box" story 

"Rules for Small Groups" (one sheet for each group) 

"Historical Research Team" handout (one sheet for each group) 

"Solving the Mystery" handout (one sheet for each group) 

"What's Your Opinion" whole class discussion questions 

Brown paper bags (one bag for each student)

Before class the teacher will need to assemble shoe boxes - filling them with his/her personal mementos. One shoe box with five items is needed for each cooperative group. Vary the type and age of the items. Some possible items might be: old family photographs, souvenirs, legal documents, inexpensive jewelry, letters, postcards, items belonging to parents, grandparents, etc. Use your imagination. Try to put at least one item in each box that the students might not have seen before. Items I have used include: letters my grandfather wrote to my father during WWII, my father's Bronze Star, the deed to my parents' home, my birth certificate, my parent's marriage license, and my baby picture. Place the items in see-through plastic sleeves or ziploc bags. (Photo copy items as needed.) Number each item. These momentos are now referred to as artifacts.

Culminating Assessment: Paper Bag Time Capsules: Each student is given a brown paper bag to take home and bring back to the next class with five items that could tell a story about themselves. Students are told that these artifacts will be shared with the class and therefore they are not to bring expensive, breakables, or embarrassing items. Students share their items and story with the class. (Rubric: http://go.hrw.com/resources/go_ss/teacher99/rubrics/RUBRIC24.pdf)

Instructional Activities 

The teacher tells the story "The Mystery of the Shoe Box." The class is split into cooperative learning groups. The teacher distributes the handouts: Rules for Small Groups Historical Research Team Solving the Mystery of the Shoe box (Artifact Description Form)

The groups are now called Historical Research Teams. Students select their jobs and fill out the form. The teacher gives each group a shoe box. The Historical Research Teams identify the contents of their boxes. The Artifact Description Form is completed and the Historical Research Team determines to whom the box belongs. The Reporter from each Historical Research Team shares their findings with the class and shows each of their artifacts. The teacher helps with identification as needed and offers additional information. The teacher informs the class that all the shoe boxes belong to him/her and gives additional background information about the artifacts.

To conclude the lesson, the teacher leads a whole class discussion using questions listed in "What's Your Opinion."

Homework assignment: Paper Bag Time Capsules

The Mystery of the Shoe Box

Yesterday while riding on a city bus you found a shoe box filled with interesting stuff. After examining the contents of the box you realize that these items are keepsakes that belong to someone who will miss them very much. You take the box to the bus driver, but he tells you that the box will just gather dust on a shelf at the bus depot; that no one at the bus company has the time to try and locate the owner of the shoe box. The bus driver turns to you and says, "Why don't you keep the box and see if you can figure out who it belongs to. Return the box to its owner and maybe, just maybe, there might be a small reward." "Might as well," you reply. "There's nothing on TV, my Gameboy is busted, and I couldn't find a good book at the library."

RULES FOR SMALL GROUPS

1) Everyone should participate in solving the problem.

2) Be considerate of others.

3) Ask others in the group to explain their thinking and work.

4) It is OK to disagree with others in the group.

5) Help any group member who asks a question.

6) Do not interact with other groups.

7) Everyone in the group should agree on an answer.

8) Help others in the group understand solution strategies.

9) Ask the teacher for assistance only when everyone in the group has the same question.

"Ask three before me." 

Historical Research Team

*Decide who in your Historical Research Team will do each 
of the jobs listed below.

Print the name of each student beside his/her job.

Site Coordinator:_____________________________________ (Keeps the team on task. Monitors noise level.)

Archaeologist:________________________________________ (Takes the artifacts out of the box and arranges them on the research table.) (Replaces the items in the box at the end of class.)

Data Recorder:_______________________________________ (Fills out the Artifact Description Form - Solving the Mystery.)

Reporter:____________________________________________ (Reports the findings of the Historical Research Team to the class.)

Researchers: (Additional team members help with the identification and solving the mystery.) ___________________________________________

Solving "The Mystery of the Shoe Box" 
(Artifact Description and Identification Form)

* Your job is to identify each of the numbered contents in the shoe box. Why do you think this ARTIFACT was important enough for the owner to keep? What information can you get from the object? * Who is the owner of the shoe box?

ARTIFACT #1: What is it?____________________________________________ What information can you get from this item? Why do you think it was placed in the shoe box? _____________________________________________

ARTIFACT #2: What is it?____________________________________________ What information can you get from this item? Why do you think it was placed in the shoe box? ________________________________________________________________

ARTIFACT #3: What is it?____________________________________________ What information can you get from this item? Why do you think it was placed in the shoe box? ____________________________________________________________________

ARTIFACT #4: What is it?____________________________________________ What information can you get from this item? Why do you think it was placed in the shoe box? ___________________________________________________________

ARTIFACT #5: What is it?____________________________________________ What information can you get from this item? Why do you think it was placed in the shoe box?__________________________________________________________

WHO IS THE OWNER OF THE SHOE BOX?__________________________

What's Your Opinion? Whole class discussion questions

1. What are your most prized possessions?

2. Do you have something special that has been "handed down" in your family?

3. Do you have something you would like to save and give to your children?

4. Which of your possessions might last 100 years? 500 years? 1000 years?

5. What artifacts will archaeologists 500 years in the future find from our current civilization?

6. What do you think people 500 years from now will think about us?