Current theory says that during the Ice Age, the Black Sea was an isolated freshwater lake surrounded by farmland that was eventually flooded. This lesson asks students to analyze how the scientific method has been used in studies of the Black Sea. Students will diagram the steps the scientists took to test one of their hypotheses concerning the flooding, and they will outline two other hypotheses and the steps that were taken to test them. They will conclude by writing a research plan for future studies.

Geography, world history

Standard 17: "How to apply geography to interpret the past"

Three hours

• Computer with Internet access
• Writing materials

Students will

• review the scientific method;
• discuss the purpose of and theories behind the Black Sea study;
• read a dispatch from the research and list the steps of the scientific method that were used;
• make flowcharts showing the scientific process described in this dispatch;
• read the other dispatches and list two additional hypotheses and the steps the scientists took to investigate them;
• discuss the importance of using the scientific method in archaeology; and
• write a new hypothesis and research plan that the scientists might use on their next expedition to the Black Sea.

Review the scientific method with the class, asking them to list the steps they take when conducting a scientific experiment. [Note: The method they have learned in their science classes may differ slightly from the method described at this link.]

Ask students to define the words "theory" and "hypothesis." They should understand that a hypothesis is like an educated guess, where they have an idea about something but aren't sure. They then conduct experiments to see if their hypothesis can be proven.

Students should also understand that a theory is broader than a hypothesis. Once a hypothesis is tested and proven to be true, it can be used to support an overall theory about the subject being studied. A theory can be developed before or after testing hypotheses.

Provide this example:

Theory: The force of gravity acts upon all objects.
Hypothesis: Tides are caused by the moon's gravitational pull on the Earth.

Have students go to the Black Sea feature and read "The Legend" and "The Theory." Discuss these questions as a class: What is the overall theory being investigated in this study? What is the purpose of this study? What evidence led researchers to devise their theory about the Great Flood?

Have students go to the first page that comes up after the Black Sea introduction "Dispatch 12: Analysis Begins, October 6, 2000" and read the text. As they read, ask them to list the steps of the scientific method the scientists went through.

Have students make flowcharts of the process the scientists used to investigate their findings, based on what the author of Dispatch 12 has written. Their charts should begin with the purpose and hypothesis and end with the conclusion, showing the steps of the procedure in the middle. They can make the charts on a computer or on paper.

Discuss as a class the steps the scientists took in this part of their research and the conclusions they drew.

Have students read the 1999 and 2000 Black Sea Dispatches. Ask them to list at least two additional hypotheses the scientists investigated, the steps they took to test these hypotheses, and their conclusions.

Discuss the importance of using the scientific method in archaeological studies. What if the scientists just dove into the Black Sea without a working hypothesis? What if they didn't follow scientifically sound procedures for investigating their hypotheses? What if they forgot to properly record their results?

Ask students to pretend they have been asked to travel to the Black Sea in the near future to help the research team continue its investigations. Ask them to write a new hypothesis that the team will test on this future expedition. They should base this hypothesis on the conclusions researchers drew from their 2000 studies and on the questions the scientists raised after their investigations that year.

Once they have written their hypotheses, have students write research plans describing the steps they think the researchers should take to test these hypotheses. Their plans should mention the equipment they will use and the locations they'll visit.

Have students conduct further research on deep-sea archaeology to find out what other findings have been made in recent years. Ask each student or group of students to choose one study that interests them and to report to the class on its theory, hypotheses, methods, and conclusions. They can begin their research at "Resources and Links" from National Geographic's Black Sea feature and at MIT's DeepArch Research Group site.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Deep Water Archaeology Research Group (DeepArch)
National Geographic: Ballard and the Black Sea—The Search for Noah's Flood
The Scientific Method
What is the "Scientific Method"?