What the workshop aims to do
The main goal is for children to understand that knowledge about the past comes from evidence, and that evidence has to be read carefully. An archaeologist does not find a story; they find a broken pot, a coin or a bone, and build a careful explanation from it.
By the end, children should be able to describe an object precisely, record where it was found, and give a reason for their guess about its use. They also learn that two people can look at the same object and reach different conclusions, and that the honest answer is sometimes "we are not sure yet".
Free activities to download
Ready-to-run EduTrend Contents history and archaeology workshops for primary, middle and high school. Each free download includes a step-by-step session plan, facilitator notes, three student worksheets and an assessment checklist. Full 20-week programmes are available in EduStore.
Timeline Detectives
Primary · Ages 7–10
Foundation · 60 min
Pupils sort photos and everyday objects from different times, build a class timeline and explain the clues they used to put things in order.
Mini Dig
Primary · Ages 8–11
Developing · 60 min
Pupils excavate layered dig boxes, record each find on a grid and use the layers to work out the order in which objects were left behind.
Artefact Investigators
Middle School · Ages 11–14
Intermediate · 60 min
Students examine unfamiliar objects, separate what they can see from what they infer, and build a reasoned case for what each artefact was used for.
Local History Detectives
Middle School · Ages 12–14
Intermediate · 60 min
Students compare historic and modern maps and photos of their local area, identify changes and continuities, and explain the causes behind them.
Weighing the Evidence
High School · Ages 15–18
Advanced · 75 min
Students evaluate a set of conflicting primary sources on one event, judge their reliability and usefulness, and write a supported historical argument.
Liked the free activities? Go further with a 20-week programme.
Each free activity comes from a full EduTrend Contents programme: a Family Guide or Teacher's Guide with one-page session plans for 20 weeks, plus an Assessment Toolkit with rubrics, trackers and certificates. Choose the one for your child's age or your class below. Instant PDF download after checkout.
W4C-311 · 20 WEEKS · $29
History Hunters at Home
Family · Ages 6–11 with a grown-up
20 one-page history activities for home using family photos, objects and memories. Includes the Family Guide and an Assessment Toolkit with a star chart, tracker and certificate.
W4C-312 · 20 WEEKS · $39
Young Historians
Primary · Ages 7–11
Four units from sources and timelines to excavation, ancient civilisations and local history. Includes the Teacher’s Guide with 20 session plans and an Assessment Toolkit with rubric, baseline challenge and tracker.
W4C-313 · 20 WEEKS · $39
History Investigators
Middle school · Ages 11–14
Source analysis, archaeology and dating, causation and a community history project. Includes the Teacher’s Guide and an Assessment Toolkit with concept checks and answers.
W4C-314 · 20 WEEKS · $45
Historical Research Lab
High school · Ages 15–18
Source evaluation, historical data, scientific dating, historiography and a capstone research project. Includes the Teacher’s Guide and an Assessment Toolkit with worked concept checks.
Photos: Paul Macdonald, Compagnons / Unsplash
History and Archaeology
Five ready-to-run history and archaeology workshops for primary, middle and high school. Each one comes as a free PDF with a session plan, facilitator notes, student worksheets and an assessment checklist.
W4C
/
/
History and Archaeology
