Expanding the Ancient World Workshop

This workshop will take place online; a Zoom link will be provided via email to registered participants.

Registration is required at THIS LINK.

Expanding the Ancient World is a series of professional development workshops and online resources for teachers. Keyed to the NYC Department of Education Social Studies Scope and Sequence, this program is designed to offer K-12 educators opportunities to develop their knowledge of the ancient world and to provide classroom-ready strategies for teaching the past with reliable sources. Featuring inquiry-based workshops, flexible lesson plans, and up-to-date research, Expanding the Ancient World aims to equip teachers with information and skills that they can share with their students. CTLE credits will be offered to New York State teachers.

Almost all living beings have DNA. It is not only an instruction book for building the body of an organism, but also an archive for the history of the species. With modern technology, we are able to extract and analyze DNA from organisms long dead — humans, animals, plants, and even bacteria. In this workshop, we will learn how ancient DNA is used to reconstruct past kinship, migration, agriculture, and diseases.

We will first familiarize ourselves with the basic facts of DNA: where do you find it? what does it look like? how does it code for genetic information that is passed down from parent to child? We will then look at the techniques for working with ancient DNA, including extraction from archaeological materials, sequencing in the lab, and analytical tools. Next, we will learn its application through several case studies. We will start with studies of ancient human DNA. What does it tell us about kinship in the past? How do we reconstruct migration history? Then, we will explore how ancient DNA of non-humans, such as animals, plants, and bacteria, can tell us about agricultural practices and diseases. Lastly, we will discuss the current limitations of ancient DNA studies.

Workshop led by Tianrui Zhu (PhD Student, ISAW).

Participants will receive 1.5 CTLE hours.

If you have any questions regarding the Expanding the Ancient World program please email ETAW@nyu.edu.

Please check isaw.nyu.edu for event updates.

ISAW is committed to providing a positive and educational experience for all guests and participants who attend our public programming. We ask that all attendees follow the guidelines listed in our community standards policy.