The Teachers Guild
Cancel
Phase: IDEATE Missions: Across disciplines

Cool/Funky Artifacts

Use artifacts to spark wonder and curiosity.

Photo of Ellen Deutscher
5 5

Written by

This is a way to spark curiosity across the curriculum as well as a great way to introduce new topic areas.  Physical objects for students to touch, manipulate, play with sparks their natural wonder and curiosity. They will want to know more and will be motivated to ask questions: Who is for? What is it? Where did it come from? Why is it here?  Does it relate to something we are learning?  How?  This can be used across grade levels.

How does this idea help to spark student curiosity?

Naturally sparks students to start wondering why and wanting to ask questions.

What grade level is this idea most appropriate for?

  • Elementary (1-5)

5 comments

Join the conversation:

Comment
Photo of James Campbell
Team

I love the idea of students touching an "artifact" and attempting to make connections. I do a project at the very beginning of year call Think Like a Historian. Teachers bring in personal "artifacts" and students attempt to figure it out.
I wonder if you could use 3D printing to create artifacts.
I wish there was a resource that shipped different artifacts to schools and allow students to touch and play with them.

link
Photo of Ellen Deutscher
Team

James, I feel like there used to be something like the "rent an artifact" idea. Not sure if it's still true, but I feel like some museums might do something like this.

link
View all comments