For more information on how you or your students can participate, contact (415) 561-ARCH or archaeology@presidiotrust.gov.

Field Trips

Garbology 101: This program invites students in grades three to six to become archaeologists for a day. Kids enjoy fun hands-on activities like excavation and sorting in the Presidio Archaeology Lab. They then go to Crissy Field Center to study decomposition in miniature landfills, consider the impact of garbage on the environment, and discuss alternatives for reducing waste. The experience culminates when each student uses recycled materials to create a journal. The Garbology program is overwhelmingly popular with teachers and students, and received the California Governor’s Award for Historic Preservation in 2002.

Excavate History: With the study of archaeology at its core, Excavate History is a one-day field trip for fourth graders that provides students with an authentic and active learning environment. Students are encouraged to excavate the colonial history of El Presidio de San Francisco through hands-on activities with archaeological artifacts. Outdoor activities include experimental adobe brick making and a landscape excavation hike. Indoor activities include cataloging real archaeological artifacts and an observation/interpretation activity with replica artifacts. These activities were designed to help students uncover the forgotten voices of San Francisco and discover their own connection to the park. This field trip was made possible thanks to a generous grant from the Shaw Fund. 

Internships

The Presidio Archaeology Lab welcomes interns through a program administered by partners at the Alexandria Archive Institute. The program is open to students and recent graduates. Students choose a project that provides professional practice in the field of archaeology.

In addition, through an US/ICOMOS partnership, the lab hosts an international intern each summer. Interns have come from Scotland, the Philippines, Argentina and Bulgaria. These exchanges are mutually beneficial and help foster understanding in the field of archaeology as well as the conservation of our world heritage.

Professional Enhancement

U.C. Berkeley Summer Session
U.C. Berkeley Anthropology 136e: Digital Documentation and Representation of Cultural Heritage is being offered in the 2008 Summer Session and marks the third year that U.C. Berkeley has held an accredited upper division course on the Presidio. This course focuses on “New Media and Cultural Heritage,” and will highlight the real world challenge of creating interpretive walks and other installations for the public that involve wireless technology, digital geomapping, and storytelling both globally and locally at the site of El Presidio and the de Anza trail. The course involves the design, field trial, and documentation of these different formats of representation of cultural heritage places.

Effective Interpretation of Archaeological Resources
This 5-day course brings together interpreters, educators, and archaeologists to strengthen the relationship between archaeology and public interpretation and ultimately to improve the effectiveness of efforts to present archaeological and cultural heritage  information to the public. Participants learn to improve interdisciplinary communication skills using a team approach to developing and carrying out effective public interpretation and education programs and products. More information will be available at www.cr.nps.gov/seac/course-of-study.