Project Archaeology: Culturally Contextual Interdisciplinary Inquiry Lessons for Underserved Populations

In the United States, African Americans are underrepresented in science careers and underserved in pre-collegiate science education. This project engaged African American elementary students in culturally relevant science education through archaeology and thereby increased positive dispositions toward science. While imagining what the lives of their ancestors were like, students practiced scientific inquiry and used natural sciences to analyze archaeological sites. The project helped to improve science literacy among African American elementary students through archaeological inquiry and expanded inquiry-based archaeology education to three new culturally diverse urban areas.