Think anthropology sounds like something only a researcher would know about?
Think again! The word literally means "the study of human beings"_we can ALL do that!
The five fields of anthropology, which include physical anthropology, archaeology,
cultural anthropology, linguistics, and applied anthropology, are represented in the world
all around you. Just think of the early American artifacts that might be buried in your yard...

• ...the different cultures and languages represented by immigrants to your area...
  
• ...the "stories" told by gravestones in a nearby cemetery...
  
• ...all of these paint a picture of the human beings who once lived in your area.

Did you know....

• that UConn's Museum of Natural History is free?
  
• that the Killingly Historical Center gives free tours?
  
• that Dinosaur State Park holds summer workshops for kids?
  
• that the State Archaeologist's office is located right at UConn?
  
• that you can find histories of many of the local landmarks at your town library?
  

Take some time to visit your local cemetery, draw or take photos of old farmhouses, barns,
schoolhouses, and stone walls, and imagine with your child the families who lived in your
area_what brought them here? From where? What did they do for a living? What language
did they speak? What customs are unique to their culture? Help your child question a
grandparent or elderly neighbor to find out about these things....right in your own backyard!

Wilbur Cross Building, University of Connecticut, Storrs 860/486-4460
Museum Hours:
Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, 12:00 noon to 4:00,
Sunday, 1:00 to 4:00.
Admission is Free!
Is your child curious about different cultures of the world, or does he/she wonder
about Native American artifacts? The museum is a wonderful resource, and is only
a short drive away at UConn. It houses a number of permanent displays, including a
Connecticut Indian exhibit with life-sized circle home, hands-on musical instruments,
games and artifacts; fossils; birds of prey; and Videoplace, an artificial reality interactive
computer. Also on exhibit is Disappearing Cultural Diversity: Indigenous People of the World,
a photo display showing people from different cultures around the world.

In addition to its exhibits, the museum offers much more:

(seasonal schedule)
Contact the museum for a complete schedule of coming events and workshop fees.
Recent popular workshops have included:

• Native American Games_games of skill and chance were an important part of
  Native American society. Workshop participants used traditional materials to learn a
  variety of new games.
• Pancake Harvest_where does food really come from, and how did people prepare
  their food long ago? Participants learned about life in the past.

(seasonal schedule)
Contact the museum for a complete schedule of coming events.
Coming in December, Discovery Days 1995, featuring Discover Life in Africa!
December 27-31, 1995, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., $3 per adult, $2 per child. There will be slide talks
from guest speakers each day, videos, displays of art and culture, African music, and hands-on
learning activities and projects for children

.

(seasonal schedule)
Contact the museum for a complete schedule of coming events. Topics have included:

• Colonial Gravestone Carvers of Eastern Connecticut, including a cemetery tour led by the lecturer.
• Safari to Tanzania, Africa, featuring slides and stories by Museum Director Carl Rettenmeyer.

To enhance science education for people of all ages, the museum makes migratory exhibits
available to schools_have your child's teacher contact the Museum for details on renting these
exhibits or the Museum's Discovery Kits.

480 West Street, Rocky Hill (Exit 23 off I-91)
860/529-5816
Reopening in June, 1996 after extensive renovation. Call before visiting for admission fees
and to confirm that the park has reopened!

A little outside of Northeastern Connecticut, but worth the trip if your child is interested
in dinosaurs or fossils. During a lengthy renovation period during which the park has been
closed park naturalists and geologists have been conducting outreach education programs.
When the park reopens, it will feature new displays of rocks, minerals, and fossils in addition
to existing displays, nature trails, and other services.
Some special services include:

• Summer Workshops_affordable one and two-week programs, 2 hours per day,
  on a variety of topics including paleontology and geology.
• School Group Tours_have your child's teacher contact the park for more information.

Nicholas F. Bellantoni, Ph.D., State Archaeologist
University of Connecticut, Storrs
860/486-5248

If your child has a curiosity about arrowheads or other artifacts found in the earth,
this is the place to be! Dr. Bellantoni's job as State Archaeologist includes inspecting highway
construction sites where artifacts have been found and working with the State Police when human
remains are discovered. He is happy to schedule a private tour for you and your child to discuss
archaeology and view his collection of artifacts and educational materials.

196 Main Street, Killingly (Old Bugbee Library)
860/770-7250
Hours: Monday and Friday, 9:00 to Noon; Wednesday and Saturday, 10:00 to 4:00
(may be modified during winter storms; call ahead)
Tours are Free!

Does your child ever wonder what life was really like in the "old days?" Marcella Pasay,
the Research Director at the Center, says that one of her favorite jobs is showing the many
old photographs, paintings, and artifacts to children who visit. She will be happy to show the
pictures and 18th and 19th century artifacts to your child and explain how, and why, they were used.

William Benton Museum of Art

245 Glenbrook Road, University of Connecticut, Storrs
860/486-4520
Hours: Tuesday - Friday, 10:00 to 4:30; Saturday - Sunday, 1:00 to 4:30
Admission is free!
If your child wants to know more about different cultures of the world, don't miss this museum.
In cooperation with UConn's Center for Latin American Studies, a traveling display will be
available (Fall, 1996) to schools and organizations, consisting of two dozen Puerto Rican folk
figures housed in individual plexiglass cases. The figures depict common daily chores such as
sewing or bread making. An interpretation of the figures and their mythical past is in progress.
Have your child's teacher contact the museum for more information.

Interested in learning more about South American cultures?
The museum has a collection of Chilean arpilleras, tapestry-like cotton patchwork
backed by burlap fabric which depict Chilean's lives during a difficult time. In 1972,
Chilean women, who had no work available and were deprived of their rights by an
oppressive ruler, were encouraged by churches to use their sewing skills to create
the tapestries as a way to make money and express their views of the political situation.
Churches organized these groups to enable information to be passed on, since there was
no free press, and established community soup pots to feed the hungry population.
The arpilleras are visual art depicting the situation in Chile at that time, and their scenes
are described as "happy." They contain no descriptive text, only words that might be
found in the scene they are depicting. One element common to all arpilleras is the Andes
Mountains in the background, intended to remind viewers of the arpilleras' Chilean roots.
The arpilleras were created to meet a need during a 20-year period in history, although
the museum is currently researching conflicting reports that they are still being made.
A selection of these arpilleras, along with curriculum materials, can be sent to schools.
Have your child's teacher contact the museum for more information.

Do you have access to the Internet?

If you're lucky enough to have access to this terrific resource, help your child discover
the exciting diversity of topics by visiting ArchNet on the World Wide Web. Visit natural
history museums around the world, view current archaeological digs, even keep up on
what's happening at UConn's Museum of Natural History!
Access ArchNet at:
Click Here to Jump to ArchNet!

SOME INTERESTING READING AT YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY

(these books were found at Bracken Memorial Library, Woodstock)

• Anderson, D. The Origins of Life on Earth. Mt. Airy, MD: Sights Productions An ancient African creation myth retold by Dr. Anderson, complete with colorful illustrations.
• dePaola, T. (1987). An Early American Christmas. New York: Holiday House.
  Read this with your child to find out what happens when a German family brings its rich holiday
  traditions to a New England town with no traditions of its own.
• Tourtellotte, M. M. (1976). A History of the First Congregational Church, Woodstock, CT. Pictures and text that give a real feel for what Woodstock must have been like, describing the early
  formation of the congregation and highlighting many of the "founding fathers."
• Weaver, M. (1980). Perspectives of Putnam. Putnam, CT: Aspinock
  Historical Society of Putnam.
  Does your child wonder about all those old, deserted buildings around Putnam? Read this book
  to find out about the history of the mills and old buildings, built in Putnam's heyday, and then take
  a walk by them, imagining what life must have been like.
• Musgrove, M. (1976). Ashanti to Zulu: African Traditions. NY: The Dial Press. Help your child to understand and respect the traditions of other cultures. Learn about some
  of them by reading this illustrated collection of 26 short stories depicting a custom important to
  each of the featured African cultures.
• Selsam, M. (1978). Tyrannosaurus Rex. NY: Harper and Row.
  Do reruns of Jurassic Park get your child interested in dinosaurs all over again? This book,
  more suitable for older children, features pictures and a brief history of early Tyrannosaurus rex finds.
• Lauber, P. (1987). Dinosaurs Walked Here. NY: Macmillan.
  This book will provide your child with an introduction to fossils and the stories they tell about the
  past as they are uncovered.
• Gibbons, G. (1986). From Path to Highway: The Story of the Boston Post Road.
  NY: Thomas Y. Crowell.
  A short, nicely illustrated history of one of the first roads in America that began as an Indian trail
  and became what was, for many years, the main road from Boston to New York!
• Weitzman, D. (1975). My Backyard History Book. Boston: Little, Brown & Co.
  The past lies all around us! A book of fun activities to illustrate this concept.
• Hadley, E., & Hadley, T. (1983). Legends of the Sun and the Moon. NY:
  Cambridge University Press.
  Bright illustrations will make this book even more enjoyable for your child. The collection
  of stories depicts myths from different cultures, including Maori, Anasazi, and Cherokee.

OTHER RECOMMENDED READING (check with your local bookstore)

• Stark, R. (1986). Archaeology. Hawthorne, NJ: Educational Impressions.

  A comprehensive guide to help your child explore the world of anthropology. Available in both
  student and teacher editions.

• Sylvester, D., and Wiemann, M. (1982). Mythology, Archaeology, and Architecture.
  Santa Barbara, CA: The Learning Works.

  A terrific guide, including hands-on activities, to help your child explore myths and their effect
  on different cultures. Intended for use by teachers_but why not use it for at-home activities?

Note: The following reading selection and and story descriptions are amended from:
Yokota, J. (1993). "Issues in Selecting Multicultural Children's Literature".
Language Arts, 70, 156-167

• Carey, V. S. (1990). Quail Song. New York: Putnam.

  "A retelling of a traditional Pueblo tale in which Quail outwits a persistent coyote."

• Dooley, N. (1991). Everybody Cooks Rice. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda.

  "A child is sent to find a younger brother at dinnertime and is introduced to a variety of
  cultures through encountering the many different ways rice is prepared at the different households visited."

• Ekoomiak, N. (1988). Arctic Memories. New York: Holt.

  "Text in both Inuktitut and English describes a now vanished way of life for the Inuit."

• Goble, P. (1988). Iktomi and the Boulder: A Plains Indian Story. New York: Orchard.

  "Iktomi, a Plains Indian trickster, attempts to defeat a boulder with the assistance of some
  bats, in this story which explains why the Great Plains are covered with small stones."

• Greenfield, E. (1991). Night on a Neighborhood Street. New York: Dial.

  "A collection of poems exploring the sounds, sights, and emotions enlivening a black
  neighborhood during the course of one evening."

• Hayes, J. (1983). Coyote &. Santa Fe, NM: Mariposa.

  "Fourteen Native American folktales, all depicting coyote with another animal."

• Hoffman, M. (1991). Amazing Grace. New York: Dial.

  "Although classmates say that she cannot play Peter Pan in the school play because
  she is black and a girl, Grace discovers that she can do anything she sets her mind to do."

• Hoyt-Goldsmith, D. (1991). Pueblo Storyteller. New York: Holiday House.

  "A young Cochiti Indian girl living with her grandparents in the Cochiti Pueblo near
  Santa Fe, New Mexico, describes her home and family and the day-to-day life and customs of her people."

• Joseph, L. (1991). A Wave in Her Pocket: Stories From Trinidad. New York: Clarion.

  "On the island of Trinidad, Tantie tells the children six stories, some originating in the countries
  of West Africa, some in Trinidad, and some in her own imagination."

• Kroll, V. (1992). Masai and I. New York: Four Winds Press.

  "Linda, a little girl who lives in the city, learns about East Africa and the Masai in school,
  and imagines what her life might be like if she were Masai."

• MacGill-Callahan, S. (1991). And Still the Turtle Watched. New York: Dial. "A turtle carved in rock on a bluff over a river by Indians long ago, watches with sadness
  the changes man brings over the years."
• Yolen, J. (1990). The Devil's Arithmetic. New York: Viking Penguin.

  "During the Passover Seder, Hannah opens a door to symbolically welcome the prophet Elijah,
  and is swept back in time to 1942, to a Polish village where everyone calls her Chaya."

• Yolen, J. (1990). Sky Dogs. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.

  "When horses first appeared to the Blackfeet people, they thought the strange animals were
  large dogs sent as a gift from the sky."

• Zalben, J. Beni's Little Library: A Jewish Holiday Set. New York: Holt.
  Beni's First Chanukah. 1988.
  Happy Passover, Rosie. 1990.
  Leo & Blossom's Sukkah. 1990.
  Goldie's Purim. 1992.
  

Thank you to

• Dr. Nicholas Bellantoni, State Archaeologist;
• Hildy Cummings, William Benton Museum of Art;
• Dr. Eva Diaz, School of Education, University of Connecticut;
• Charlene Fuller, Connecticut State Museum of Natural History;
• Marcella Pasay, Killingly Historical Center;
• and Siamak Vahidi, The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented,
  University of Connecticut,

• Spend some time at a State Park. Each park has a historic "theme" connected to a famous
  battle, event, or Native American tribe who originally inhabited the area. Research the park
  ahead of time to find out its particular story, and ask the park staff for additional information or a tour.
  Don't forget a picnic!
• Have you ever REALLY noticed the headstones at your local cemetery? Some are
  large and ornate, others small and unremarkable. Take a walk through the cemetery and
  imagine the cultural of those who are buried there....what were their lives like? Were
  those with big, fancy markers wealthier and more socially prominent than those with the
  smaller markers? Notice that these large, intricate markers are from more recent times;
  in earlier days, smaller and more uniform headstones conveyed the belief that humans
  should not display their wealth, but should show humility in the eyes of God. Compare the
  two styles, and talk about how our culture has changed as wealth and material goods
  became more important and religion played a smaller part in our lives.

• Visit the map library at UConn or ask to see maps at your local historical society.
  Find your town_how has it changed? Are the roads in the same location? Can you find
  the spot where your house now stands? Then, write and illustrate a story about the family
  who might have lived in your house in the 18th or 19th century.

Click Here to Go Back...

These pages are maintained by: Dr. Brian Donohue-Lynch
Direct comments, questions or suggestions to:

blynch@qvcc.commnet.edu

Page Last Revised: Jan. 2007