Archaeologists Dig for Clues – book

It is no secret that my kids love all things prehistoric (obsessed could be a more accurate term). We have tried to build as much learning as we can into this area as they both just get so excited whenever we read anything remotely linked to this. So around a year ago I bought them this fab little book – Archaeologists Dig for Clues (Let’s Read-And-Find-Out Science (Paperback)) by Kate Duke.

The book is based on some kids going with an archaeologist (named Sophie) on a dig. As the kids participate in the dig Sophie explains how the dig works and what the discoveries may indicate. They learn about how the dig site is mapped out into squares and how everything needs to be neat and organized on the site. They also learn a lot about what life would have been like, what tools the people may have used, possible food they may have eaten and possible clothes.

In the book the archaeologists discover a row of dark marks in the ground which were marks left behind by the posts of an ancient house and together with a number of other things that they find, lead them to discover the site was actually an ancient village. They create a map showing how the ancient village was set out according to the discoveries in each squared off area.

And based on the map and the other facts that the kids have learnt while on the dig they are able to imagine what the ancient village probably looked like.

The story ends with Sophie taking the kids back to her lab where they meet more scientists and learn how everything is catalogued. And the surprising fact that archaeologists actually spend more time back in their labs then on the dig sites (my son was very disappointed when he learnt this as he liked the idea of being an archaeologist on a dig site but did not like the idea of all the filing and working in the lab).

All in all a great little book (we bought ours for under £5), very informative and great for young kids who are interested in what life was like a long long time ago (words from my youngest).

For the US readers – Archaeologists Dig for Clues (Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2)