Sayre School Project: Historical Archaeology at Waterwild Farm, Fayette County, Kentucky

The Sayre School project is an educational archaeology program developed by employees of Cultural Resource Analysts, Inc. for the fourth grade class at Sayre School, Lexington, Kentucky. The project consists of archaeological investigations at Waterwild Farm, an historic site that includes an 1830s double I-house, located in Fayette County, Kentucky. The project is directed by CRA employees, with participation in all aspects of the fieldwork and analysis by the students (see the project proposal). The project is directed at introducing students to the field of Archaeology.

Each fourth grade class over the last four years has been cycled through classroom presentations of historical archaeology, Waterwild research designsand followed by hands-on fieldwork at the site, artifact processing and analysis, and a summary discussion of the progressive results and accomplishments of each year's work. To date, these fourth grade students have been involved in nearly all phases of archaeological research at the site. This includes the initial formulation of research questions and a site research plan. Students have participated in the basic "down and dirty" field work, have washed and identified prehistoric and historic artifacts, and have witnessed the results of "high tech" remote sensing surveys and computer generated artifact distribution maps. The process of archaeological investigations is stressed as a scientific learning experience; a process of constant questions, research plans, fact finding, and hopefully answers. Cultural Resource Analysts, Inc. believes that the process of learning, as demonstrated through these archaeological investigations, is an educational opportunity that is exciting, fun, and valuable for all involved.

Special thanks to the owners of Waterwild Farm, Jamie and Madelyn Millard, without whose support this exciting learning experience would not have been possible.

CRAI was honored with the 2003 Henry Brainerd McClellan Award
In recognition of CRAI's ongoing educational program with the Sayre School of archaeological investigations at Waterwild Farm, the Board of Trustees of the Sayre School gave this year's Henry Brainerd McClelland Award to Jamie and Madelyn Millard and Cultural Resource Analysts, Inc.
View the Henry Brainerd McClelland Award letter - another browser window will open
View Karen Ulack's (Sayre School's Lower School Director) introduction to the Henry Brainerd McClellan Award at the 2003 Board Dinner

Sayre Project Proposal | Teacher's Guide | Student and teacher participants