May 28, 2003 Feature Story
They
Knew it All — Utah State University Class Explores Great
Basin Sites
 Imagine
a life in which all ridges, rivers and valleys throughout a
large area are as familiar as you own back yard.
That's what a group of Utah State University students tried
to imagine and assimilate recently in a field trip taking them
to important sites showing geological history and early human
occupation in northwestern Utah and eastern Nevada. During the
archaeological field trip the students physically experienced
the vast differences in the array of locations used by native
North American groups. The field trip was a course taught by
Steve Simms, professor of anthropology at Utah State and recognized
authority on the Great Basin.
The course is designed to fully illustrate concepts taught in
the classroom but in a direct, hands-on manner in the field
and at specific sites. The 21 students who participated in the
course ranged from freshmen to a teaching and lab assistant.
This range of students and experience added to the learning
environment — students with more experience and background
were able to answer questions posed by other students. This
student interaction and learning contributed to the experience,
said Simms.
This type of learning requires dedication by the professor as
well as the students. The process creates a highly innovative,
dynamic learning environment, but it also entails extra work
that falls outside the usual classroom experience on campus,
said Buck Benson, a teaching assistant for the trip. His contributions
to the trip included gathering field supplies, driving and supervising
students and returning all safely. Leading discussions and conversations,
he emphasized the educational elements of the trip. And according
to more than one surprised student, he conducted several in-the-field
pop quizzes.
 "The
benefits are unbelievable when these seemingly abstract concepts
learned in classroom settings have real presence," said
Ann Stuart.
In the classroom, students learn of the different levels of
ancient Lake Bonneville. Stuart said seeing the actual ancient
lake levels helped bring the concepts into focus.
Extending learning beyond the classroom is what the course is
about, Simms said. Evening chats around the fire ranged from
the mundane to questions about what was learned on the trip.
Campfire questions also led to discussions and learning opportunities
the next day.
Students camped during the three-day experience. The first night
out, Simms asked students to gather firewood and stack it near
the fire. Students returned with arms filled with wood, but
Simms sent them back to gather more.
Eventually, the stack of wood grew to an impressive height —
much more than would be needed to keep the camp fire burning.
On the last day of the trip the wood pile exercise came sharply
into focus. Upon
observing a 200-year old antelope and horse trap, the question
was posed: how long do you think it took to build this trap?
After some discussion about the time and resources required,
it was agreed that a lot of wood would be needed. Then, the
camp fire wood pile was pointed out — with a group effort,
a large quantity of wood had been collected in a short period
of time. The original trap was constructed as a group effort
and took less time than a modern observer would imagine.
The traps provided one example of how native populations lived
in harmony with the environment. These populations moved to
the centers of exploitable resources — in this case antelope
and horses. Other cases included Lakeside Cave, where grasshoppers
were gathered, and Danger Cave, where pickleweed seeds were
gathered. The items were gathered as a food source and as a
group activity. Resources are gathered at peak times, stored
and then used during leaner times.
The three-day field trip is one element of the anthropology
program at Utah State, Simms said. It is a direct, hands-on
experience that incorporates classroom learning and field work.
Over the years many students have participated, and many have
gone on to careers in associated fields.
Jason Bright received his bachelor’s degree in 1977. After
taking a year off he completed a master's degree. He has established
a company, Mountain States Archaeology, based in Salt Lake.
The company does contract work for agencies such as the Bureau
of Land Management, doing assessments of the land. He became
interested in the field of archaeology as a freshman, and said
he met Simms and "the rest is history." As a student,
Bright took this course.
During the recent trip, various areas were explored and ancient
environments and
geological features were studied. Students learned how these
areas were used by the original populations, and what can be
learned from the traces left by these populations.
"This was a great learning experience," said Briged
Turner. "We learned how to deal with people in group situations,
and we couldn't go home at the end of the day. We learned how
to get along and how to work together as a group to get projects
done."
Following the field trip Turner returned to campus and gave
a mini-presentation about the trip to her world archaeology
class, starting with "They knew it all," a phrase
she appropriated from Simms.
Earlier one of the students in the field posed the question,
"How did these people know where to go, what to look for
and what to do?"
"They knew it all," Simms responded.
For more information on anthropology and archaeology programs
at Utah State University, see the Web site at http://www.usu.edu/sswa/anthro.htm.
Contact: Leticia Neal (435) 752-3879
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