Old Independence Regional Museum – Registration now open for Spring Homeschool Day –
Old Independence Regional Museum – Registration now open for Spring Homeschool Day –
Museum to Offer Archaeology Homeschool Day
Old Independence Regional Museum’s Spring Homeschool Day on March 14th will feature archeology programs funded in part by the Bill Jordan Education Grant. Registration forms are available at oirm.org or at the museum. Space is limited to 50 students and a $5.00 fee applies.
During archeology Homeschool Day, students will learn basic techniques for archeological excavations by using proper digging techniques to find, screen, analyze, and record artifact data found in a stratified “pit”. They will also learn the differences between public archeology and private collecting and how archaeologists know where to dig. Students will view images of cave painting from our region and be encouraged to come up with an interpretation of the symbols (to date the meaning of these particular paintings are not known). They will then have the opportunity to make their own “cave” painting using know Native American symbols and decorate a medallion.
While touring the Shawnee room, students will be shown multiple archeological artifacts and given the opportunity to say how they think artifacts may have been used. Artifacts presented include a discoidal, ax head, grinding stone, and various sized points. Students will also be able to examine the clay pots on display at the museum to see how clay pots varied. They will then be able to make their clay pot, while learning where clay comes from, the different uses it had for Native Americans, how tribes in different regions decorated their clayware, and what archaeologist can learn from pots. “The Archeology Week programs offer a hands-on experience for students who have studied or will study Native American culture and Arkansas History,” said museum Humanities Educator, Amelia Bowman.
This humanities program is made possible by local support from Independence County and the City of Batesville, as well as by Challenge Grant Endowment funding from the National Endowment of the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Old Independence serves a 12-county area: Baxter, Cleburne, Fulton, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Marion, Poinsett, Sharp, Stone, White, and Woodruff. Parts of these present-day counties comprised the original Independence County in 1820s Arkansas territory.
The museum is open Tuesday-Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission is $3.00 for adults, $2.00 for seniors and $1.00 for children. The museum is located at 380 South 9th street, between Boswell and Vine Streets in Batesville. During your visit, stop by our gift shop. We stock many items from local artists, authors, and crafters, as well as historical toys and games.
