Woods Canyon Pueblo | Life on the Edge

Archaeological Research Question: Why did the ancient Pueblo people choose to live at Woods Canyon Pueblo?

Introduction: Your challenge is to explore five theories about why the ancient Pueblo people lived in this remote and rugged canyon more than 700 years ago. Did they choose to build their village in this location for reasons related to farming? Water? Natural resources? Defense? Beauty?

As you investigate each theory, you will collect evidence from the information presented by Native Americans and archaeologists in Woods Canyon Pueblo: Life on the Edge. After collecting evidence, you will make an informed decision about which theory you think best answers the archaeological research question.

This research process is similar to what archaeologists do when they study past cultures. Because archaeology is based in science, archaeologists must record evidence to test their hypotheses. After collecting evidence in the field, archaeologists analyze the information to see if it proves or disproves their theories. They may also revise their theories on the basis of newly collected evidence.

Part One Instructions: Before archaeologists conduct research in the field (survey and excavation), they study what other archaeologists have already learned about a culture. Using this introductory knowledge, archaeologists then propose hypotheses to answer archaeological research questions like the one you are challenged to answer.

Read the information presented in the "Who, What, Where, and When" section of Woods Canyon Pueblo: Life on the Edge so that, like an archaeologist, you can gain the introductory knowledge you will need to formulate a hypothesis about why the ancient Pueblo people chose to live at Woods Canyon Pueblo. State your hypothesis by completing the sentence at the top of the Woods Canyon Pueblo Evidence Record. Choose from one of the five theories listed at the top of the chart (Beauty, Water, Farming, Natural Resources, Defense).

Part Two Instructions: Now it is time to continue your research and test your hypothesis. You should record evidence in the columns on the Woods Canyon Pueblo Evidence Record. This record sheet has separate spaces for you to record information found in the introductory paragraphs of Woods Canyon Pueblo: Life on the Edge (Who, What, Where, and When), as well as in the sections written by archaeologists and Native Americans. Each of these sources contains important information; you should record evidence in every box. The evidence will include facts, observations, quotations, and ideas. After you are finished, you can compare your evidence with the evidence collected by other students to see what they found important.

Part Three Instructions: Now that you have read and recorded the evidence, choose the theory that you think best answers the archaeological research question, Why did the ancient Pueblo people choose to live at Woods Canyon Pueblo? Just like an archaeologist, you need to explain your theory in a written report. This report should provide a history of your research, and it must document your conclusion(s). Your report should be written in paragraph form and should answer the following questions:

• Which theory did you finally select as the best explanation for why the ancient Pueblo people chose to live at Woods Canyon Pueblo?
• What evidence led you to this conclusion?
• What evidence do you consider the strongest? Why do you consider it the strongest?
• If your final theory is different from your initial theory, what evidence did you find that caused you to change your mind?
• What other kinds of evidence would be valuable for answering the question of why people chose to live at Woods Canyon Pueblo?

Write your report on a separate piece of paper. Do not forget to give your report a title and a date.