“If we only look at a country, civilization, or specific ethnicity through the lens of their conquerors, then we aren’t getting the best representation or history of that culture. Like so many other ancient civilizations, the Maya have a rich and beautiful history that still lives on today.”
— Brooke Knight, Editor-in-chief
Honest History magazine Issue Eleven, Journey Through the Jungle, has plenty of themes to explore: archaeology, ancient civilizations, relic kingdoms, Mesoamerica, early cultures, and more. We love connecting kids with what they are passionate about, and also invoking curiosity about a subject that may not have considered before.
Such as: Did you know that many Maya people live today, all over the world? The rich history and traditions of their civilization have endured throughout the centuries, and with storytelling and archaeology, their legacies have lived on and will continue. And through the work of archaeologists like Claire Novotny, who is profiled in Issue Eleven, we continue to learn more every day!
Maya structures are still being discovered! And this wouldn’t be possible without archeologists and the study of human history through the excavation of artifacts and other physical remains of ancient civilizations. Issue Eleven explores the stories of a few historians who help us understand the beauty and wonder of ancient Mesoamerica; the meaning behind Maya glyphs; and the tools of the trade.
Because Issue Eleven is full of discovering and discoveries, here are a few resources for the budding archeologist in your life. Issue Eleven, along with a few of the tools below, would be a good start for a unit study on archaeology. Happy digging!
What is archaeology? An easy-to-follow explainer from the Museum of London
The American Museum of Natural History offers ideas, information, stories, and games on their ArchaeOlogy: Clues From The Past website
A career spotlight on an archaeologist from the National Park Service
Learn about the Maya from Nat Geo Kids (and even more archaeology from Nat Geo Kids)
Take a fun quiz! What Do You Know About Archaeology?
A Junior Archaeology Kit to fuel his or her love of digging and exploring
The Archeological Institute of America has an entire section devoted to lesson plans for youngsters
This Shoebox Dig (an at-home DIY activity) will help kids become archaeologists on a small scale, but with a big impact
What can we learn from artifacts? A prompted activity to understand what artifacts are, how they are discovered, and what we can learn from them
Booklist for further digging:
Here We Go Digging for Dinosaur Bones by Susan Lendroth (ages 2-5)
The Street Beneath My Feet by Charlotte Guillain (ages 5-8)
The Berenstain Bears’ Dinosaur Dig by Jan and Mike Berenstain (ages 3-8)
How the Sphinx Got to the Museum by Jessie Hartland (ages 7-10)
Accidental Archeologist: True Stories of Unexpected Discoveries by Sarah Albee (ages 8-12)
And here’s a youth reading list for all things archaeology, ordered by age