CORE NATURAL CULTURAL RECREATION SERVICE
12
CULTURAL BINGO
Name
Date
Park
As you explore and enjoy the natural treasures
of Florida’s state parks, you will find there are
parts of the parks which have been shaped or
influenced by people. These are the park’s
cultural resources. They represent the people
and events which took place before your visit
and are part of Florida’s prehistory or history.
Cultural resources include archaeological artifacts, cultural
landscapes, historic structures and museum collections. The Florida Park
Service is responsible for protecting and preserving these resources so we can
learn about and appreciate Florida’s prehistory and
history.
It is important to understand the past so we can learn
who we are, where we come from and where we are
going. Florida State Parks provide a way for us to
share in our common heritage.
What is the name of one person or group of people who are mentioned in this park’s
flyer, sign or museum?
When were they at the park and what did they do there?
What cultural resource did they leave behind which this park protects for the future?
There is more this way!
CULTURAL RESOURCES ACTIVITY Look for the different types of cultural resources in this
CULTURAL BINGO
park. On the BINGO board below, draw an “X” in the square
for each type of cultural resource you find. You may have
to visit more than one park to get bingo. When you have
marked four squares in a row (side to side), column (up and
down), or diagonally (corner to corner)—you win!
Visit a Fort
Visit an
Archaeological
Mound or Midden
Study an Artifact
on Display
Take a Historic
House Tour
Find a Historic
Structure
Read About Cultural
Resources in a Park
Brochure
Find a CCC Structure
Explore a Sugar Mill
Ruin
Walk on a Battlefield
Enjoy a Lighthouse
Study a Farm or
Historic Garden
Read a Monument
Watch a Cannon or
Musket Firing Demo
Watch a Movie
About Native People
View a Living History
Find a Historic Marker
Demonstration
CORE NATURAL CULTURAL RECREATION SERVICE
13
THE PARK’S PAST
Name
Date
Park
History includes stories about people
and the events which happened at a
particular place. Your visit is now part of
this park’s history.
Read a park brochure, exhibit panel or
informational sign to learn about
the history of the park you are
visiting today.
Use what you have learned
to help you answer the
questions below.
How did the park get its name?
In what year were you born?
Name one thing which happened at the park before you were born.
CULTURAL RESOURCES ACTIVITY
PARKS PAST
I read this story to
You are now part of the park’s story. Record the
story of your visit. Read your story aloud to your
classmates after your visit.
On this day:
CORE NATURAL CULTURAL RECREATION SERVICE
14
THE NIGHTTIME SKY
Name
Date
Park
From the beginning of time people have looked up at the night sky in wonder. Some
thought the night sky was the home of the gods. Others saw constellations, which are
patterns of stars. The Ancient Greeks and the Native Americans saw one of these
constellations as a bear, known as the Great Bear (Ursa Major). Even though different
cultures were gazing at the same sky, they have different tales about the constellations.
Once upon a time, three hunters started to chase a bear. The first hunter was
carrying a bow to shoot the bear, the second hunter was carrying a pot to cook
the bear and the third hunter was carrying wood to light a fire. The three hunters
were never able to catch the bear and continue to chase it through the sky.
- Adapted from Iroquois Legend
North Star
Leo
Orion
Cassiopeia
Big Dipper
Great Bear
(Ursa Major)
Before compasses and GPS units were invented, travelers used two of the stars found in
the Great Bear which point to the North Star as a way to navigate through the wilderness
or on the sea.
Today, parks are great places to look for star patterns because they have few lights and
plenty of open space. Ask a parent or adult to stargaze with you
on your next overnight camping trip!
CULTURAL RESOURCES ACTIVITY What kinds of constellations do you see in the night sky?
NIGHTTIME SKY
Draw a constellation you can make up
from the night sky and write a story
about it.
1. What is the pattern of your constellation – a shape? an animal? a person?
2. What does this pattern represent to you?
3. How did your visit to the park help you create your constellation?
CORE NATURAL CULTURAL RECREATION SERVICE
15
CONTEXT CLUES
Name
Date
Park
Archaeology is the study of people and cultures from the
past. Archaeologists are scientists who try to find clues
about how people in the past lived by studying
artifacts—the tools, art, writing and structures which
those cultures left behind. Being an archaeologist is like
being a detective.
Florida State Parks have more than 2,200
archaeological and historic sites! Park Rangers must
think like archaeologists. When rangers need to dig holes,
they watch for buried artifacts to be sure they are
not disturbing an archaeological site. Look around, can you see where someone
has needed to dig a hole?
Rangers who have received training monitor archaeological resources to help
preserve Florida’s rich history. Many of Florida’s archaeological resources were
lost before they were protected. Now anything over 50 years old qualifies as a
historical resource.
Understanding how people lived in the past can help us to better understand
ourselves and why parks are so special.
Can you find an exhibit, kiosk or brochure which describes ancient people who
have used the park before you? Who were they?
What does the evidence tell you about what they did or the way they lived?
Name one way in which your life is similar.
Name another way in which your life is different.
CULTURAL RESOURCES ACTIVITY
Site Investigation
Archaeologists document sites by photographing or
sometimes drawing the artifacts they find. They keep
track of how close items are found to each other. This
is called an item’s context. Archaeologists find context important because where items
are found can indicate how they were used.
Below you will find different groups of items which people have left behind. Write
what you think each person was doing based on the group of items.
1.
2.
3.
Draw and then write the names of three objects you used on your visit to the park today.
Ask someone else if they can guess what you were doing based on your list.
CORE NATURAL CULTURAL RECREATION SERVICE
16
EARLY CHRONICLES
Name
Date
At the beginning of European
exploration (1514 C.E.) many
American Indian tribes with
complex societies already lived in
Florida. Some were the Apalachee,
Timucua, Ais, Calusa, Jeaga,
Tequesta and other smaller tribes.
These people farmed, hunted,
gathered, and fished to make their
living. They had systems of
government, spoken language and
trade with neighbors. They did
not have a form of writing like the
alphabets we use today, but one
method they used to convey their
thoughts and feelings was
through pictures and motifs.
Park
Panzacola
Apalachee
Timucua
Ocale
PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
Panzacola: pan-ZUH-koh-luh
Apalachee: app-uh-LATCH-ee
Timucua: tee-MOO-qua
Ocale: o-CAL
Ais: eyees
Jeaga: yay-ga
Calusa: kah-LOO-sah
Tequesta: tuh-kes-tuh
Ais
Jeaga
Calusa
Tequesta
A motif is a decorative design or pattern. Examples of motifs like the ones
below could be painted on shells, sculpted in clay or carved from wood. Most artifacts of
this type left behind by American Indians in Florida were
images of people, plants or animals.
Today we can use these images to help us
better understand how people communicated
with one another and how they told stories
in the past.
CULTURAL RESOURCES ACTIVITY
EARLY CHRONICLES
Answer the questions below about you and your
visit. Then use your answers to tell a story using
only pictures.
1. List four words to describe you:
2. List four words to describe your visit at the park today:
3. List two shapes or patterns (do not forget animals also count as shapes):
Use the words above to create pictures like the ones used by Florida’s American
Indians to tell your story.