Peel High School archaeological dig exercise sees students become Indiana Jones for the day

As part of their class in the School of the Future project, year 7 and 8 kids at Peel grabbed their trowels and sieves on Friday to find artefacts buried in the dirt on the outskirts of their school oval.

These artefacts included bones, pottery creations, and other interesting items that were buried by a group of boys in year 9 and 10.

The exercise proved a positive for all involved, because it was a way for students to get some hands-on experience out of the classroom.

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The year 7 and 8 'Einstein' class is headed up by teacher Naarah Scholes.

She said the dig was the perfect addition to their current studies on ancient Egypt.

"We're looking at those ancient investigations and archaeology is a key concept in our curriculum this term, so we decided we'd create an experience for the kids to use and apply those skills we're talking about in class, and actually use them and show them that it's not all this abstract sort of foreign idea," Ms Scholes said.

"We thought we'd give them this experience, and also open their eyes to how history can lead to further opportunities later in life, potentially jobs for these kids.

"With Schools of the Future, we're trying to not just have project-based learning, but real, meaningful experiences, rather than just sitting in a classroom saying 'this is what archaeology looks like'."

Head teacher special programs Keya Stevenson said it was an opportunity for the year 9 and 10 boys class to get involved, too.

"They're boys that have been identified as not suitable to the mainstream," she explained.

"They usually had behavioural challenges so we find integrating them back into the mainstream projects like this, it's kind of a double-edged win because it engages our stage 5 boys and gets them back involved in the mainstream in a purposeful way.

"People aren't seeing them as troublemakers anymore, they're seeing them as helpful, and it helps the kids learn hands-on skills."

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