This collection of resources is intended to support the OER Commons resource "Historic Games: 9 Men's Morris." In that resource, Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum's Director of Education Deb Rantanen teaches how to play one of the most popular board games from ancient times up to the United States' Colonial Era: Nine Men's Morris. Along the way she'll also share some of the history of where the gameboard has been found.

Explore the physics and material science of making stone tools. Educator Nate Salzman walks us through the surprisingly complex science of flintknapping, or the process of turning stone into blades, arrowheads, spear points, axes, jewelry and more. Making tools from stone may be thousands of years old, but required people to think about the properties of the material they were using and the physics of striking the stone to shape it just right.NOTE: These are animations derived from the video "The Science of Knapping" which is linked here and published under its own listing on OER Commons.This resource is part of Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum’s open educational resources project to provide history, ecology, archaeology, and conservation resources related to our 560 acre public park. More of our content can be found on YouTube and SketchFab. JPPM is a part of the Maryland Historical Trust under the Maryland Department of Planning.

Students are introduced to archaeology vocab through the case of "Barwick's Ordinary," a historic tavern, gathering place, home, and center of business in 1700s Maryland. Students are briefly introduced to the story of the ordinary then explore a 3D "art gallery" with scans of artifacts from the site as well as maps, surveys, and drone photographs. Internet access is currently required. Paintings by John Lewis Krimmel help illustrate how things may have looked. An extension is to conduct some more detailed reading into the role of ordinaries, a ubiquituous feature of the European colonies in America. There are 3 activities to "meet" Barwick's, followed by 2 summative activities.

Mending is an important part of archaeology, as it can be used to establish relationships between different parts of an archaeological site. This resource is a tutorial detailing how to perform a ceramic mending activity with your students. Use it to support Maryland Math Standard 7.G.B.4-6 for grade 7 by focusing on the mending of round ceramics and determining their circumference or diameter from pieces. If you evaluate this resource or use it, please consider responding to this short (4 question) survey bit.ly/3rw0WQY

What does it mean to belong to a country? Can events change what that means? This interactive compares two paintings by John Lewis Krimmel. Both show people in Philadelphia’s Centre Square celebrating the Fourth of July, but one was painted in 1812, just after the United States had declared war on Great Britain, and the other was painted in 1819, four years after the war had ended. The two look very different, reflecting changing ideas. This "Genial.ly" presentation includes interactive annotations and a juxtapose slider--the final slide includes suggestions on how to help students use the art as historical evidence. If you evaluate or use this resource, please respond to this short (4 question) survey here bit.ly/3ofUImf

This video resource is presented as a real-world application of chemistry in the field of conservation archaeology. Conservator, Francis Lukezic, walks through the conservation practices for waterlogged archaeological wood and explains the chemical and cellular processes at work. Use to support Maryland/NGSS for Grades 5, MS, and HS. For 5-PS1-1 and MS-PS1-1, have students watch or perform the paper clip demonstration and discuss how the hydrogen bonding of water allows this then is disrupted by the soap; have students develop diagrams explaining the phenomenon of surface tension on the molecular level. For HS-PS2-6, have students watch or perform the sponge demonstration and discuss how the molecular structure of the wood makes it vulnerable to becoming waterlogged then brainstorm materials that are more resilient to water and discuss the uses of the materials. For interdisciplinary connections to geography and history, have students research why Maryland archaeologists do or do not discover the materials brainstormed instead of wood. If you evaluate or use this resource, please respond to this short (4 question) survey bit.ly/3DhRumA

Consider the need for home education for Black and African-American families in Southern Maryland in the 1870s through 1920s, when public education was unavailable or inaccessible. This resource combines 3D models and 2D interaction to introduce students to Alphabet Wares/Alphabet Plates as found at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum when excavating "Sukeek's Cabin," a late-19th century home by a newly-freed family on the park grounds. Themes include unjust limitations, archaeology as a primary source, and home life in the 1870s-1920s. The resource includes simple prompts and resources for hypothesizing about archaeological findings, researching them, drawing conclusions, and suggestions for further reflection.

This resource uses Genial.ly, an online-presentation service, with additional tools by S'CAPE to increase the interactivity. Public Genial.lys may be remixed into new presentations after signing up for an account with the service.

This resource is part of Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum’s open educational resources project to provide history, ecology, archaeology, and conservation resources related to our 560 acre public park. More of our content can be found on OER Commons, YouTube, and SketchFab. JPPM is a part of the Maryland Historical Trust under the Maryland Department of Planning.

This video resource is presented as a real-world application of chemistry in the field of archaeology. Conservator, Nichole Doub, walks through the process of electrolytic reduction and how it is used to conserve archaeologically recovered artifacts. Use to support Maryland/NGSS for grades 5, MS, and HS. For 5-PS1-1, pair with the Exploratorium's "Copper Caper" activity for a similar reaction which can be conducted safely in the classroom--have students watch the video and discuss why the spoon formed tarnish and why the tarnish was not visible as particles moved from the spoon to the sacrificial anode. For MS-PS1-1, pair with the Exploratorium's "Indicating Electrolysis" activity and have the students explain the charges of oxygen/hydrogen and compare/contrast those with the silver and sulfur in the tarnish. Have students research silver sulfide (the usual tarnish found on silver artifacts) and model a single molecule of it before and after electrolysis. For HS-PS1-1 have students research silver sulfide and model a molecule of it prior to watching the video and predict what will happen when the positive or negative charges change. For HS-PS2-6, have students postulate why, historically, coins were made from silver and gold (with reference to their chemical reactions), then have students design a coin and specify a different metal to make it out of, explaining why the atomic properties of that metal make it appropriate for use in currency. If you evaluate or use this resource, consider responding to this short (4 question) survey at bit.ly/3G0bNqy

Imagine trying to cut your hair without metal tools. How would you do it? Join JPPM's Educator Nate Salzman as he uses experimental archaeology to answer the question "How did Native Americans cut their hair before metal tools?" Use to support the Maryland Social Studies Framework for grades 3, 4, and High School. To support the grade 3 content topic "Cultural Change Over Time," have students compare the advantages/disadvantages of the results of this experiment and how they receive a hair cut; for grade 4 topic "Native Cultures," have students either hypothesize and research how Native American tribes who did not have access to shells may have cut their hair or respond to the prompt "why did European colonists use metal tools for cutting their hair while the Native Americans used shells? Would some hair styles be easier to cut with one type of tool than the other?"; finally for HS topic "Exploration, Colonization, and Global Interaction, have students respond to the prompt "with the introduction of metal tools, how might the role of 'barber' have changed within a Native American tribe? If you evaluate or use this resource, consider responding to this short (4 question) survey at bit.ly/3G6RxUa

What did people do to occupy themselves before there were computers, phones, or even electricity? Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum's Director of Education Deb Rantanen teaches how to play one of the most popular board games from ancient times up to the United States' Colonial Era: Nine Men's Morris. Along the way she'll also share some of the history of where the gameboard has been found. Search OER Commons for "9 Men's Morris Resources" for some additional materials like a link to an online game and list of locations where the game has been found. Use to support Maryland Social Studies Frameworks for grades 2 or 7. For Grade 2, Content Topic "Geography," have students note, with a map, where they live then the continents where the game has been found. Finally have them write the total of times the game has been found on each continent and express where they believe the game was invented. See the "9 Men's Morris Resources" resource on OER Commons for more find locations. For Grade 7, Content Topic "Geography," have students do the same but at the country level before hypothesizing how the game spread such as through generic answers like migration or more specific answers like the Silk Road. If you evaluate or use this resource, please respond to this short (4 question) survey here bit.ly/3ppwaXt

Sara Rivers-Cofield, Curator of Federal Collections at the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory, walks through applying acid-free paper labels to artifacts. This is an alternative to labelling artifacts with permanent archival ink, and the tutorial is appropriate for both students and professional education. The Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory (MAC Lab) standards and guidelines for preparing artifact collections and their associated records, both paper and digital, for permanent curation at the lab can be found at https://jefpat.maryland.gov/Documents/mac-lab/technical-update-no1-collections-and-conservation-standards.pdf

The MAC Lab is a state-of-the-art archaeological research, conservation, and curation facility located at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum, the State Museum of Archaeology. The MAC Lab serves as the primary repository for archaeological collections recovered from land-based and underwater projects conducted by state and federal agencies throughout Maryland.

This resource is part of Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum’s open educational resources project to provide history, ecology, archaeology, and conservation resources related to our 560 acre public park. JPPM is a part of the Maryland Historical Trust under the Maryland Department of Planning.

Walk through how to pack artifacts in bags and boxes for curation and storage with Sara Rivers-Cofield, Curator of Federal Collections, and Alice Merkel, Collections Assistant, at the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory. In addition, tips are offered as to how best to arrange boxes to simplify handling and, as always, best protect artifacts. The Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory (MAC Lab) standards and guidelines for preparing artifact collections and their associated records, for permanent curation at the lab can be found at https://jefpat.maryland.gov/Documents/mac-lab/technical-update-no1-collections-and-conservation-standards.pdf

The MAC Lab is a state-of-the-art archaeological research, conservation, and curation facility located at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum, the State Museum of Archaeology. The MAC Lab serves as the primary repository for archaeological collections recovered from land-based and underwater projects conducted by state and federal agencies throughout Maryland.

This resource is part of Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum’s open educational resources project to provide history, ecology, archaeology, and conservation resources related to our 560 acre public park. JPPM is a part of the Maryland Historical Trust under the Maryland Department of Planning.

What should you do if you're lucky enough to find an artifact? In this resource, JPPM Educator Kenny walks you through a simple 4-step process for making sure your find gets taken care of. Use to support Maryland Social Studies Frameworks for Grades 2 and 3. For Grade 2 Content Topic "Civic Engagement" search OER Commons for the related resource "JPPM - Marv's Story". Read the story together then as a class discuss and explore students' ideas of citizenship by asking whether Marv was a good citizen and if she could have made a different decision while still being a good citizen then have students reflect further by creating short profiles of people they respect, writing what makes them good citizens. For Grade 3 Content Topic "Civic Virtue" do the same except before discussing Marv's story have some students list their responsibilities if they find an artifact while others list what they are technically free to do even if they find an artifact. Then as a class decide if Marv had even more responsibility to do something when artifacts were found on her farm. If you evaluate or use this resource, please respond to this short (4 question) survey at bit.ly/3Gb4ZX5

What should you do if you're lucky enough to find an artifact? In this resource, JPPM Educator Kenny walks you through a simple 4-step process for making sure your find gets taken care of. Available in video and text form, this resource also includes connections for instructors to Maryland State Social Studies Frameworks for grades 2 and 3 on Civic Engagment and Civic Virtue.

Marbling paper is a form of art that produces "monotypes"--every piece is unique because of the process! It also has a long history as a form of art and decoration. This resource includes a video tutorial detailing how to marble paper yourself. Use it to support Maryland Visual Arts Standards for Grades 6-8 or Maryland Social Studies Frameworks for Grade 7. For Visual Arts Standard 1, indicator I:6-8:1, have students first research the history of sumi, ebru, or monotyping, then plan a marbled work to reflect the same motivations as historic artists using one of those forms. For example, sumi may reflect concerns about the future since some historians believe it was related to ink divination, so a student could marble over a calendar that is relevant to them, a sketch of a future event, a saying about the future, or even try to marble a pattern like a calendar page. For Grade 7, Content Topic "Geographic Characteristics" have students map different appearances of paper marbling mentioned in the video along with their date and express whether they think the spread can be attributed to a single discovery that traveled, multiple discoveries that spread, or multiple independent discoveries. Students could even marble over these maps. If you evaluate or use this resource, please respond to this short (4 question) survey here bit.ly/3dfwEK8

Can you pull a car with cordage made just from a plant? We put it to the test! This clip with Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum's Educator Nate Salzman provides a simple demonstration proving that a cell's microscopic structure affects its macroscopic properties. Included in the video is the very simple method needed to produce and test cordage from yucca leaves on your own.

If you're thinking of using this in a classroom, considering pairing this exploration of cells' structures with an engineering challenge! Yucca fiber can be made without boiling the leaves, if needed: students can either pound/mash leaves to isolate fibers or fibers can be peeled from wet leaves and used while still "green" (any cordage made from green fibers will loosen as it dries, however).

This resource is part of JPPM’s open educational resources project providing education content from our in-house educators, horticulturalists, curators, and conservationists at our 560 acre public park. The grounds have provided a home for different peoples for over 10,000 years and includes extensive archaeological sites, multiple ecosystems, and a 1930s farmstead designed by architect Gertrude Sawyer for the park’s namesake, Jefferson Patterson.

What can historical paintings tell us about the past? Are they trustworthy, or should we just chalk them up to an artist’s random doodles? This resource links to a "Genial.ly" presentation with a collection of images from John Lewis Krimmel (1786-1821) with interactive annotations. All of the images can be used in conjunction with studying the War of 1812 or Federal period in US History. The final slide includes four suggestions for responding to the historic images as a way of using them as evidence about the past. If you evaluate or use this resource, please respond to the short (4 question) survey here bit.ly/3luUea2

A very short video introduction to how photosynthesis cycles energy through an ecosystem and a "real-world" application of ratios! Lindsay Hollister, JPPM's horticulturalist, taps a black walnut tree for its sap and park staff boil it down to create syrup. Included in this video are an animated food web showing the directions of energy flow during photosynthesis and when sap is "rising," which can be extended by students to include humans or more parts of their local ecosystem. Use the video as an introduction to activities about sugar and biological storage, and an excuse to sample maple syrup to taste the sugar. Alternatively, research trees nearby students could help tap and witness the biological transfer of energy themselves.

Always be sure you can successfully identify a plant before using it and take precautions to avoid negative reactions.

This resource is part of Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum’s open educational resources project to provide history, ecology, archaeology, and conservation resources related to our 560 acre public park. More of our content can be found here on OER Commons or from our website at jefpat.maryland.gov. JPPM is a part of the Maryland Historical Trust under the Maryland Department of Planning.

Explore the physics and material science of making stone tools. Educator Nate Salzman walks us through the surprisingly complex science of flintknapping, or the process of turning stone into blades, arrowheads, spear points, axes, jewelry and more. Making tools from stone may be thousands of years old, but required people to think about the properties of the material they were using and the physics of striking the stone to shape it just right.

Consider using this resource to support classroom learning about the relationship between microscopic and macroscopic properties and how forces are transmitted. Animations derived from this video have been published separately as "Animations - The Science of Knapping."

This resource is part of Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum’s open educational resources project to provide history, ecology, archaeology, and conservation resources related to our 560 acre public park. More of our content can be found on YouTube and SketchFab. JPPM is a part of the Maryland Historical Trust under the Maryland Department of Planning.

Director of the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory (MAC Lab), Dr. Patricia Samford, presents and demonstrates an activity for students to learn about archaeobotany, or the study of botanical finds in archaeological contexts. Using tweezers and magnifying glasses, students search for seeds mixed in sand or gravel, and use a type collection to identify their finds. What do the finds say about the archaeological environment and uses of plants at a site? Search OER Commons for "Search for Seeds - Resources" for related seed id cards and a type collection for the activity. Use to support Maryland/NGSS for Grades K and 2, or Maryland Social Studies Framework for Grade 1. For K-ESS2-2, have students perform the activity then discuss what the seeds tell them about people who would have used the plants and seeds or write a short vignette about the people at this site using the seeds and their uses as evidence. For Grade 1 Content Topic "Life in the Past," have students perform the activity and similar discussion, then compare those plants and their uses to their uses today or plants that have replaced them. For 2-LS2-1, have students perform the activity along with the planting extension. Students can plant multiples of each type of seed and try growing them in conditions with different light; students can also note how much water they give the seeds. Once sprouted, have students record and discuss their findings as to which did better with more/less sunlight/water. If you evaluate or use this resource, please respond to this short (4 question) survey at bit.ly/3Ep57BP