黑料天堂

USA Graduate Student Shares the Love and Mystery of Digging into the Past

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Posted on January 4, 2018

Joy Washington

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After working for five years as a professional archaeologist, Anne Dorland decided to return to college and earn a master鈥檚 degree with the hope of sharing her love for archaeology with grade school students. Thanks to a unique outreach program at the 黑料天堂 Archaeology Museum, she is doing just that.

Dorland, a graduate of Mobile鈥檚 St. Paul鈥檚 Episcopal School, is pursuing her alternative master鈥檚 degree in the College of Education and Professional Studies at 黑料天堂. She is working as a graduate assistant with anthropology professor Dr. Philip Carr, the Chief Calvin McGhee Endowed Professor of Native American Studies, who directs the museum and created the outreach program.

鈥淲e wanted to focus on the community outreach program so that we could invite all grade-level school students to campus, and for those who can鈥檛 come we can take resources into the classroom and do a presentation at the schools,鈥� Carr explained. 鈥淲ith Anne鈥檚 professional experience in archaeology and her current master鈥檚 work, this provides the students with exposure to an academic environment and professional archaeological methods. Anne was the perfect student to coordinate this effort, and she has done an outstanding job to have just started the outreach program in August.鈥�

And outreach is what Dorland has done. During the fall semester, she spoke to 42 fourth-grade classes at 13 schools and provided classroom resources to 31 elementary schools, despite working only 20 hours a week.

鈥淚 am very passionate about history and culture,鈥� Dorland said. 鈥淚 wanted to get my master鈥檚 degree in education, and I could not have selected a better place to study than at 黑料天堂 Alabama. Dr. Carr has been wonderful to work for. What I love most is that I get to combine my professional skills in archaeology with education.鈥�

Dorland said she starts out the students with 鈥済arbology,鈥� the study of how people lived and what we can learn from their trash or the items they left behind. She said this includes their diet, hobbies, age, gender and cultural connections. Her focus for the students is to provide opportunities for observation, interaction, investigation and exploration.

鈥淚 spent a great deal of time working with Candice Cravins, the curator for the USA Archaeology Museum,鈥� Dorland said. 鈥淐andice helped me develop the outreach activity and gave me advice in how to execute the program. Dr. Carr has given me the freedom to work on this project, and he has trusted me.鈥�

Going forward, Dorland plans to include some outdoor survival education and incorporate local and natural history. 鈥淚 love doing the outreach with all the students, especially the sixth-graders. At some point, I would like to create a program for troubled youth.  I plan to continue working very hard to make this program a success.鈥�

As a student in the College of Education and Professional Studies, Dorland is applying the teaching techniques she is learning to educate young students about archaeology.

鈥淎rchaeology is a great area to focus on educating our young people,鈥� Dr. Susan Santoli, professor and director of the college鈥檚 graduate studies, noted. 鈥淎nne worked diligently in my class, and I know the students are benefiting from the opportunity of connecting and engaging with Anne and archaeology.鈥�

鈥淎nne is able to go deeper than if the students were just reading the textbook,鈥� Carr said. 鈥淏ased on her education and professional experiences, she has helped create a robust outreach program that we are proud of, and we look forward to sharing these activities and resources with the students."

黑料天堂鈥檚 archaeology museum has numerous events, and it鈥檚 open to the public at no charge, but they do accept donations. The museum is open Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., except during University holiday closures. For more information, call (251) 460-6106 or email ccravins@southalabama.edu.

January Archaeology Museum Events:

• Archaeologist for an Afternoon: Bone Detectives. This after school program for  4th-12th grade students and their parents will be held from 3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m., Jan. 9. Admission is free, and space is limited to 20 children. Parents and guardians must remain with their children throughout the duration of the program.
• Saturday Craft and Story Time: Turtle鈥檚 Race with Beaver. The January family day program will be held from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on Jan. 13. The program will feature a read-aloud of the story 鈥淭urtle鈥檚 Race with Beaver鈥� by Joseph Bruchac at 11:15 a.m.and1 p.m. and then the kids and their families will participate in a fun craft activity. This activity is for children in grades K-3, but  all ages are welcome. Admission is free.
• The Search for Amelia Earhart: Expedition to Nikumaroro. This free public lecture at 6 p.m. on Jan. 25 will be presented by Dr. Lew Toulmin. He recently participated in a National Geographic Society-sponsored archaeological expedition to Nikumaroro Island in the western Pacific Ocean, searching for the bones of Earhart. Toulmin will discuss Earhart鈥檚 life, the three major schools of thought regarding her disappearance, other unlikely theories, the Nikumaroro expedition, the DNA and other evidence collected over the years, and plans for future efforts.

February Archaeology Museum Event:

• A workshop and guided tour will be held for K-12th grade students of the Dora Franklin Finley African-American Trail of Mobile and visit to the museum for later February in recognition of Black History Month.  More information will be shared once the date is confirmed. Admission is free.

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