Education Program

What is Archaeology?

Archaeology is the principal way to learn about humanity’s ancient past. In Iowa, archaeologists discover and study the sites, artifacts, and physical remains that make up the past 13,000 years of human settlement.

Education and Outreach Program Mission Statement

The goal of the Education and Outreach Program is to provide programs, resources, and opportunities for people of all ages to understand and appreciate Iowa’s archaeological heritage and preserve it for the future. The interest shown by educators, students, cultural and historical organizations, naturalists, the public and Iowa tribes guides these efforts.

Bringing Archaeology to the Public

The Education and Outreach program has available pamphlets, brochures, texts, exhibits, traveling resource boxes, and publications. Staff members can provide in-school presentations as well as tours of the OSA lab and collections. Site tours, field opportunities, and professional development workshops are scheduled periodically. Each year, the OSA organizes and sponsors Team Archaeology at RAGBRAI [1] and follows the tour to offer exhibits and hands-on demonstrations.

• Book an OSA speaker for your classroom or community (fees apply) [2]
• Reserve a Discovery Trunk, free shipping to Iowa educators (service fees apply) [3]

Exploring Iowa Archaeology in the K-12 Classroom [4]

• OSA Educators will visit classrooms statewide or host tours of our University of Iowa facility. Our archaeology lessons are highly multidisciplinary with roots in the sciences and humanities.

Iowa Project Archaeology [5]

• The OSA Education and Outreach program has been a Project Archaeology [6] partner since 2003. Learn more about this program [5]!

Archaeology Education Resources [7]

• The OSA Education & Public Outreach Program has been developing resources for K-12 educators and the general public for over 20 years. 

Recent Publications

• Reetz, Elizabeth and William Quackenbush
  Creating Collaborative Learning Opportunities for Indigenous Youth with Archaeology-Based Environmental Education [8]
  Copyright 2016, The Society for American Archaeology

Research and Volunteer Opportunities in Iowa Archaeology

• Iowa Archaeological Certification Program [9] (for non-professional archaeologists)
• Volunteer or Intern at the OSA [10]
• Archaeology Field Schools [11]
• Iowa Archeological Society [12]
• Association of Iowa Archaeologists [13]

Contact Elizabeth Reetz, Director of Education and Outreach, for information on these and other resources and services. Send email requests to Elizabeth Reetz [14] for hard copies of activities or resources displayed here.