Wednesdays: 1-4PM Meeting Place: OUTSIDE! Weekly TBA within Lynn Lowrey Arboretum Alternate Meeting Place: Sewall 103 – Archaeology Lab Course Description: This course will immerse students in Stone Age lifeways and the primal innovations that allowed our ancestors to survive. Student “bands” will complete cooperative learning tasks with coached problem solving to ensure group survival (assessment points). Most class meetings will be held in remote outdoors spaces on campus. Extended class sessions will allow student bands flexibility to work on one or more projects simultaneously. This course will introduce the student to the ancient technology of our Ice Age ancestors and that of more recent hunter-gatherers. The course examines how archaeologists use both ethnography and experimentation to shed light on prehistoric human technological adaptations. Techniques for making and using primitive tools will be practiced in weekly laboratory sessions. Learning Goals:  Students will learn to work together – Students will appreciate the significance of teamwork and society in human survival and evolution  Students learn how basic societies functioned in different contexts  Student will learn how basic technology served humans in different places at different times  Students will develop skills in literary research, the scientific method and experimental design Please Note: Although this course will be unconventional and fun, it will not be an “easy elective”. This course will require a significant investment of student time and efforts. Occasional weekend sessions or fieldtrips will occur with prior notice. Students will be asked to collaborate closely with band members in and out of the classroom. Finally, students squeamish about the outdoors, getting dirty, or minor bumps and bruises should not enroll in this class. Think of it like a high school gym class. Wear appropriate attire and bring water. Instructor : Dr. Gus Costa KWGL 103 (713) 348-6826 agc4@rice.edu Office Hours: By Appointment ANTH384: Paleo-Technology