Faculty from the UWG archaeology department are pictured with Mr. Hawig and Mr. Fowlkes’s environmental science class, from the far left are Director Dr. Nathan Lawres, Education Outreach Assistant Raleigh Pritchard, and Curator of Collections Andrew Carter.
Throughout the spring, professors from the University of West Georgia partnered with teachers at Carrollton Middle School and Carrollton High School to provide students with hands-on learning experiences.
Dr. Nathan Lawres, director of the UWG Antonio J. Waring, Jr. Archaeological Laboratory, along with his team, Andrew Carter, curator of collections, and Raleigh Pritchard, education outreach assistant, joined forces with CCS science educators, Chrissy Loveless, Beth Renfrow, Tim Hawig, Tyler Fowlkes and Meghan Graham, to plan engaging lessons for students.
Using their expertise, Dr. Lawres and his team taught students about human technological innovations, focusing on how civilization developed, specifically about survival and hunting techniques utilized thousands of years ago. They reviewed the collection of artifacts, including tools for making pottery and hunting. Students were thrilled to get outdoors and practice using dart replicas to aim at targets, bringing learning to life.
The archaeology team took time to visit Chrissy Loveless’s seventh-grade science class at CMS and share about Georgia’s archaeological past. As they examined the ancient tools and household objects, students designed how they would create their own items using the techniques they studied. These memorable hands-on lessons left a lasting impression.
CHS environmental science teacher Tim Hawig saw students more engaged in the material when they saw what they are learning about come to life, taking their knowledge beyond the textbooks. Hawig shared that collaborating with collegiate faculty resonated with him and students.
“To have colleagues at another level of education that also believe in creating engaging memories for students is such a joy,” said Hawig. “These experiences were life-changing for my students, as they now have more care and concern about people and the environment that we live in.”
This successful partnership between faculty at UWG and CCS benefited students by allowing them to deepen their knowledge while strengthening an appreciation for lifelong learning.
