2012
ArcheologyFieldSchool
Application Packet
To be considered for this great opportunity, you need to turn this packet in bynext Thursday, May 10.
If you have difficulty with any portion of this packet, Diane has offered to help.
May 3, 2012
To: BHS staff, families, and students
Re: SummerArcheologyFieldSchool
Greetings,
We again are pleased to announce an exciting adventure-based education opportunity for summer school. In cooperation with the Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC), 15 to 18 students will live and work for seven days at an archeology site on the Yukon River near Eagle, Alaska. We will complete an integrated curriculum aligning three MSBSD courses, Principles of Archeology, Frontier Literature,and Alaska Wilderness Studies, with the rigors of camp life and actual experience performing an archeological dig. To enroll in this course, applicants must agree to attend all 16 summer school dates, those at Burchell High as well as those in the field.
The centerpiece of the three-week summer school program is a nine-day trip to a working archeological site (seven days at the site with two travel days). Following preparatory work at Burchell High, students and three teacher/chaperones will travel by bus from BHS to Eagle, Alaska. We’ll camp overnight one night on the way. From Eagle, we will travel by charter boat 12 miles down river to the work site at Calico Bluff. We will camp there for eight nights. Once on-site, daily activities will include hikes, communal cooking and class time, but will mostly involve work at the archeological dig as directed by the lead archeologist.
Students who wish to participate in this fantastic learning opportunity will submit the following application packet for consideration. Preference will be given to students in grades 10, 11, and 12.
Timeline
Thursday, May 10Applications due
Tuesday, May 29First day of summer school, four mandatory school days at Burchell – classroom lessons, team building activities, trip planning – you must attend all class days before and following the trip to enroll in this course.
Saturday, June 2day off
Sunday, June 3Depart from BHS 9AM sharp, overnight at Tok River Campground
Monday, June 4Complete drive toEagle, arrive early afternoon, charter boat to Calico Bluff site, set up camp for next nine days
Monday, June 11Depart Calico – first boat departs 8AM sharp, board bus in Eagle, dinner in Tok, camp Tok campground,
Tuesday, June 12Depart Tok Campground 9 AM, arrive at Burchell about 3PM
Wednesday, June 13Day off
Thursday, June 14Mandatory school day, unpacking, class time, final projects
Friday, June 15Mandatory school day, complete final projects, comprehensive archeology final exam, graduation/commencement 6 PM
Paul Morley will teach the English elective, Frontier Literature. Delia Doss will teach a general elective course, Alaska Wilderness Studies. Mikey Evans will teach a science elective, Principals of Archeology. Bob Sattler, lead archeologist for Tanana Chiefs Conference, has guided the archeology portion of five previous Burchell field schools and has extensive experience in working on archeology digs with youth.
Living conditions will be a step up from roughing it. Students will sleep in pairs in backpacking tents (supplied by BHS and TCC). There will be separate male and female sleeping camps which will be kept segregated at all times. Camp will consist of a covered kitchen structure, another meeting structure, fire, pit and water storage tank. We will share and maintain a unisex, temporary outhouse. Bathing opportunities probably will be limited to quick dips in the Yukon River (we’ll bring solar showers, but even that will be Yukon water).
We’ll take turns cooking on a camp stove from a limited array of foods which we will select during the first four days of summer school here at Burchell. Evenings will be spent around the campfire, some of it class time, some free time. Most of our waking hours will be structured, whether working at the dig site, doing course work, maintaining camp, or doing group activities in and around camp. It may rain every single moment we are there,or it could be beaming hot sunshine, so we have to be prepared mentally and physically for whatever challenges present themselves.
Students are expected to put in a full day of archeology for each of the seven work days we’ll be on-site, in addition to school work. Nobody will be asked to work beyond their capacity, but we will be there on the dollar and good will of the TCC., and they expect us to fulfill our part of the bargain. Before summer school even begins, students who are accepted to the program will have at least one mandatory orientation meeting with parents, date and time TBA. Attendance issues will forfeit the student’s place on the trip.
In short, students who apply must be prepared to take on less-than-comfortable living conditions and responsibility with a good attitude and in the spirit of teamwork. In past years, our team of students has exceeded T.C.C.’s expectations in both behavior and work ethic. We plan to continue this tradition of excellence this year.
In any case where a student or students are found to be engaged in any illegal activity or any activity prohibited in school will be sent home by air at family expense from Eagle via Fairbanks and Anchorage. Prohibited activities include use or possession of illegal drugs or alcohol, sexual misconduct, or fighting. Firearms are also prohibited. Students may also be sent home for unwillingness to comply with camp expectations such as camp duties, lights out/getting up time, boys or girls visiting the opposite gender camp, or inappropriate behavior which negatively affects the well-being of the group.
Students who do not attend both wrap-up days at Burchell following the field school will not earn course credit for summer school.
I understand these requirements for participation and agree to these conditions:
______
student
______
Parent or guardian
Archeology Summer School Prospective Student Questionnaire
Please answer each question thoughtfully using complete sentences.
1)Why do you want to participate in this class?
2)If accepted, you will be required to attend all 16 days of the field school session. In other words, you must make a serious commitment to the class. Please describe your qualities and/or an experience that demonstrate your ability to make such a commitment.
3)If accepted, you will be living and working in the outdoors, sleeping in tents, working in all kinds of weather and sharing meals, cooking, and clean-up. Please describe your qualities and/or an experience that demonstrates your ability to live in this kind of situation.
4)This class will require an ability to cooperate with other students and staff, and a desire to learn from personal and academic lessons. What will you contribute to the team?
Calico Bluff Field School Prospective Student Gear Inventory
Please check all that you will be able to bring on the trip. Lack of gear will NOT be a factor in deciding who will go on the trip. This inventory is for planning purposes only.
Sleeping Bag
Sleeping Pad
Full-size Backpack or Duffel Bag
Daypack (for day trips)
Rain jacket
Rain pants
Solid footwear (for hiking)
Warm socks
Hat
ArcheologyFieldSchool Application Checklist
Applicants: Check all included components. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Applicant Name:______
General Questionnaire
Student/parent/guardian signatures
Gear Inventory
Letter of Recommendation
Proof of Insurance or
plan to get it: ______
Applications must be returned to Paul by Thursday, May 10 before the end of school.