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Educator Resources

Analyze an Artifact

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Meet the artifact.

  • Material (check all that apply):
    Bone Pottery Metal Wood Stone
    Leather Glass Paper Cardboard Fabric
    Plastic Other

Observe its parts.

Describe it as if you were explaining it to someone who can’t see it.

  • Think about: shape, color, texture, size, weight, age, condition, movable parts, or anything written on it.

Try to make sense of it.

Answer as best you can.

  • Where is it from?
  • When is it from?
  • Who used it? List reasons you think so.
  • What was it used for? List reasons you think so.
  • What does this tell you about the people who made and used it?
  • What does it tell you about technology at the time it was made?
  • What is a similar item from today?

Use it as historical evidence.

  • What did you find out from this artifact that you might not learn anywhere else?
  • What other documents or historical evidence are you going to use to help you understand the event or time in which this artifact was used?

Materials created by the ÍþÄá˹ÈËÓéÀÖ³¡ and Records Administration are in the public domain.

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