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Learning how to look at old objects, or artifacts, to understand how people lived.
Imagine you found a mysterious, heavy metal key buried in your backyard. Who did it belong to, and what secret door did it open years ago?
A history detective looks for clues called artifacts. An artifact is an object that was made or used by people a long time ago. It could be a toy, a tool, or even a piece of clothing. These objects are like time machines! They help us understand what life was like before your parents or even your grandparents were born. When we find an artifact, we ask: 'Who used this?' and 'What did they do with it?'
Quick Check
What is the special name for an object made or used by people in the past?
Answer
An artifact.
How can you tell if something is old? One way is to look at what it is made of. Today, many of our things are made of plastic. But a long time ago, people used materials from nature. You might find objects made of heavy metal, carved wood, or smooth stone. If you see a toy made of wood instead of plastic, it might be a clue that it is very old!
1. Look at Spoon A: It is bright blue, light, and made of plastic. 2. Look at Spoon B: It is dark brown, heavy, and carved from a tree branch. 3. Because Spoon B is made of wood, it is more likely to be an artifact from the past.
Quick Check
If you find a toy made of wood instead of plastic, is it likely old or new?
Answer
It is likely old.
Artifacts tell us stories about daily life. For example, if we find an old oil lamp, we know that people didn't have electric light switches. They had to light a flame to see at night! By looking at an object's shape and how it works, we can imagine the person who owned it. We can see if they were a farmer, a teacher, or a child just like you.
1. You find a small, flat piece of black stone in a wooden frame. 2. You find a white chalk stick next to it. 3. Story: This is a slate. Long ago, students didn't have tablets or lots of paper. They wrote their math problems on this stone and wiped it clean to use it again the next day!
1. You find a very heavy piece of metal with a handle. It has no cord to plug into a wall. 2. To use it, someone had to set it on a hot stove to make it warm. 3. Story: This tells us that doing chores like ironing clothes took a lot of time and hard work years ago!
Which of these is the best definition of an artifact?
Which material was used more often for toys long ago than it is today?
Artifacts can help us understand how people lived before electricity was invented.
Review Tomorrow
Tomorrow, try to remember the three materials (wood, stone, metal) that help us spot an old artifact.
Practice Activity
Ask a grown-up to show you the oldest thing in your house. Is it made of plastic, or something else? What story does it tell?