Cupcake Archaeology

I baked cupcakes this morning. These are the left-overs. The rest were consumed during this afternoon's "Cupcake Archaeology" social studies project.

I mixed up three different flavors of cake mix (chocolate, strawberry, and funfetti), and layered them in different combinations. Odd-looking cupcakes, I know, but yummy.

In class, we talked about how archaeologists have to choose where to dig. We imagined that we were traveling in tiny helicopters that landed atop cupcake mounds. My students mapped the surface, and then sketched a side view. They used plastic drinking straws to take core samples, and then predicted what a cupcake cross-section would look like.

Such careful sketches, persuasive discussions, and thoughtful predictions! Once the cupcakes were cut and the cross-sections sketched, the children ate.

"Best social studies class, EVER!" said at least one child in each section. "Can we do archaeology again tomorrow?"

"Yes, but no eating. Tomorrow we explore artifacts."

For the occasion, I wore this pair of baking earrings that I made over the summer using charms that I bought at a bead store in Leesburg, VA.