September is Scottish Archaeology Month, an annual celebration of Scottish heritage, history and archaeology run by Archaeology Scotland as part of European Heritage Days.

To coincide with this national event we’re sharing our collection of free Archaeology teaching and learning resources for school teachers. Introduction to Archaeology is a series of seven lessons aimed at pupils aged 10-12, which introduces the field of archaeology and the archaeological significance of the Orkney Islands through interactive activities.

Throughout the seven lessons, learners will explore important archaeological concepts and learn skills to become good archaeologists, ticking off their skills in the accompanying Archaeology Skills Passport. Throughout the lessons, learners are encouraged to think creatively and work collaboratively through a range of interdisciplinary activities, including excavation, drawing, and group discussions, allowing them to develop a wide range of Scottish Curriculum for Excellence Experiences and Outcomes.

All lessons packs are free to download and use, and include Powerpoint slides, Teachers Guides, game resources, Evidence Book, Archaeology Passport and more. Topics include:

Lesson 1: Introducing Archaeology
Lesson 2: Introducing the Orkney Islands
Lesson 3: Excavation
Lesson 4: Human-environment Interactions
Lesson 5: Orkney and Human-Environment Interactions
Lesson 6: Protecting Sites
Lesson 7: Educating the Public

Teachers can choose to teach all seven lessons or pick any lesson as a standalone class.   All lessons can be downloaded from the Open.Ed shop on TES Resources and accessed directly from the links above.

Introduction to Archaeology was created by Sam Connor and adapted by August Enger and Mayu Ishimoto, University of Edinburgh, 2023. Unless otherwise stated, all content is released under a CC BY SA 4.0 license.

Illustrations: Flat Neolithic People Illustration, Hand Drawn Neolithic People Illustration and Vikings Culture Settlement Family Life Traditions Kids Playing Outdoor Fighting from Freepik Company, Freepik Free License.​

Header image: Archaeologist Archeology Excavation by Eva Pokorna, Pixabay, Pixabay Content License.