Boiling Stones and Bison Bones.

• Appropriate for grades 8-12 Physical Science or Appropriate for grades 8-12 Physical Science or Earth Science Classes Earth Science Classes

• Rod BensonRod Benson• Earth Science TeacherEarth Science Teacher• Helena High SchoolHelena High School

Science Concepts Indian Education

• heat transfer• measurement of heat that

is transferred• rock types• Ice Ages

• the use of fire-heated stones to boil water

• called “boiling stones”

SourcesSources• Brink, Jack. Brink, Jack. Imagining Head Smashed InImagining Head Smashed In. Edmonton: Athabasca University . Edmonton: Athabasca University

Press, 2008.Press, 2008.

• Brumley, John. Archaeologist at Wahkpa Chu'gn Buffalo Jump in HavreBrumley, John. Archaeologist at Wahkpa Chu'gn Buffalo Jump in Havre

• Fisher, John, Ph.D., Department of Sociology, Montana State University-Fisher, John, Ph.D., Department of Sociology, Montana State University-Bozeman Bozeman

• Lahren,Lahren, Larry, Ph.D, Larry, Ph.D, Homeland: An archaeologist’s view of Yellowstone Homeland: An archaeologist’s view of Yellowstone Country’s Past.Country’s Past. Cayuse Press, Livingston, Montana 2006. Cayuse Press, Livingston, Montana 2006.

• Rennie, Patrick J. "The Interpretive Value of Fire-Cracked Rock." Rennie, Patrick J. "The Interpretive Value of Fire-Cracked Rock." Archaeology In MontanaArchaeology In Montana 42.1 (2001): 65-90. 42.1 (2001): 65-90.

• Wilmoth, Stan. Archaeologist, Office of Historical PreservationWilmoth, Stan. Archaeologist, Office of Historical Preservation

• PowerPoint, handouts, etc. are all available PowerPoint, handouts, etc. are all available online online • http://formontana.net/bones.html

• Take a look at the worksheet.Take a look at the worksheet.• Bison Bones and Boiling StonesBison Bones and Boiling Stones• http://formontana.net #102 #102

• Next: Lab ActivityNext: Lab Activity• No Pots? No Pans? No ProblemNo Pots? No Pans? No Problem

1. What are the three ways heat is 1. What are the three ways heat is transferred from one material (or place) to transferred from one material (or place) to another?another?

• ConductionConduction• ConvectionConvection• RadiationRadiation

• Conduction?Conduction?• Convection?Convection?• Radiation?Radiation?

As cool as As cool as thetheother side other side of the of the pillow . . .pillow . . .

Map courtesy of The Map courtesy of The Defenders of WildlifeDefenders of Wildlife

• 60-75 million bison60-75 million bison• About 40,000 Native About 40,000 Native

Americans lived on the plains Americans lived on the plains of Montana of Montana

• Each person needed about 5 Each person needed about 5 bison/yearbison/year

• No horses, no gunsNo horses, no guns• How did they capture and kill How did they capture and kill

the bison?the bison?

Pre-European ContactPre-European Contact

Photo courtesy of the Montana Historical SocietyFigures by Gardell Christensen, 1952Background by Dale Livezey, 1988Photo by John Smart, 1988

First Peoples Buffalo Jump

Formerly known as Ulm Pishkun

Hwy. #2

The Mall

Milk River

Havre Middle School

The Belt Meteor CraterThe Belt Meteor Crater

Bear Paws (April 2009)

NEXT: Evidence left at kill sitesNEXT: Evidence left at kill sites

• Bone BedsBone Beds• Projectile PointsProjectile Points•ArrowheadsArrowheads•Spear pointsSpear points

• Roasting PitsRoasting Pits• Boiling PitsBoiling Pits• Stone toolsStone tools

How can you tell this is a roasting pit (not a boiling pit)?How can you tell this is a roasting pit (not a boiling pit)?

Photo from Imagining Head Smashed In by Jack BrinkCourtesy of Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump

Courtesy of Canadian Museum of Civilization CorporationCourtesy of Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation

2. Containers for boiling?2. Containers for boiling?

• Stomach sacsStomach sacs• Pits lined with hidesPits lined with hides

Next: Focus on bonesNext: Focus on bones

Courtesy of Canadian Museum of Civilization CorporationCourtesy of Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation

Other challenges? bears, wolves, lack of refrigerationOther challenges? bears, wolves, lack of refrigeration

Marrow from Marrow from a roasted bonea roasted boneMarrow from Marrow from a roasted bonea roasted bone

MarrowMarrow

Bone Bone MatrixMatrixcontainincontaining g bone bone greasegrease

Illustration by Shayne Tolman

3. What are some ways to bring 3. What are some ways to bring the water to a boil?the water to a boil?

• ANSWER: They used fire-heated ANSWER: They used fire-heated stones called “boiling stones”stones called “boiling stones”

5-minute YouTube Video

Jeopardy anyone?Jeopardy anyone?

CLUE: The name of this Montana Indian tribe means CLUE: The name of this Montana Indian tribe means “those who cook with stones”.“those who cook with stones”.

The Assiniboine are people of the northern Great Plains of North America who call The Assiniboine are people of the northern Great Plains of North America who call themselves Nakoda or Nakota. To the Chippewa, they are known as AS'see'nee pai-tue themselves Nakoda or Nakota. To the Chippewa, they are known as AS'see'nee pai-tue (those who cook with stones).(those who cook with stones).

Illustration by Shayne Tolman

Grease is the word.Grease is the word.

Quartzite Cobbles

Quartzite used to be sandstone.

Near Harlem(North-Central Montana)

How do we know quartzite was preferred?How do we know quartzite was preferred?

Fire-Cracked Rock

Fire-Cracked rock from Fire-Cracked rock from The The First People Buffalo First People Buffalo JumpJump

HereHere’’s how you do the activity.s how you do the activity.Short YouTube Video of Activity

Will the rocks explode?Will the rocks explode?Where can you get quartzite?Where can you get quartzite?

4. What measurements will 4. What measurements will you need to make?you need to make?

• the mass of the water the mass of the water • the temperature of the water before the temperature of the water before • the temperature of the water afterthe temperature of the water after

5. The specific heat of water is 1 5. The specific heat of water is 1 calorie/gram calorie/gram x x °C°C• It takes one calorie of heat to raise the It takes one calorie of heat to raise the

temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 °C. temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 °C. • So, how many calories would it take to So, how many calories would it take to

raise the temperature of 30 g. of water raise the temperature of 30 g. of water by 5 °C?by 5 °C?

6. What is a calorie?6. What is a calorie?

• amount of energy needed to raise the temperature amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 g. of water by 1 °C of 1 g. of water by 1 °C

• NOTE: Nutritionists use NOTE: Nutritionists use kilocalorieskilocalories • equal to 1000 caloriesequal to 1000 calories• typically label them as "kcal" or as "Calories" with a typically label them as "kcal" or as "Calories" with a

capital "C".capital "C".

C x m x T = Heat transferred in caloriesC x m x T = Heat transferred in calories

• CC = specific heat of water (1 cal/gram x °C) = specific heat of water (1 cal/gram x °C)• mm = mass of water (200 g.) = mass of water (200 g.)

• TT = change in temperature of water= change in temperature of water

NEXT: CautionsNEXT: Cautions

CAUTIONSCAUTIONS•The rock is hot. If you drop it, use the tongs The rock is hot. If you drop it, use the tongs

to pick it up!to pick it up!•The tongs will become very hot also. Do not The tongs will become very hot also. Do not

touch them.touch them.•Wear your goggles during the activity.Wear your goggles during the activity.• If your burner goes out, turn the valve to the If your burner goes out, turn the valve to the

off position.off position.

• Work in groups of 2-3.Work in groups of 2-3.• Read the directions and take your Read the directions and take your

time!time!

•What were the variables?What were the variables?• Type of rockType of rock• Size of rockSize of rock• Amount of waterAmount of water• How long the rock is heatedHow long the rock is heated

NEXT: Follow-Up QuestionsNEXT: Follow-Up Questions

• Go over these after the lab.Go over these after the lab.

1. What if the cup had contained 100 ml of water instead of 200 ml?

Theoretically . . . . The T should have been twice as

much.

2. What if the rock had been twice as massive? Theoretically . . . . The T should have been twice as

much.

300 g.300 g.

250 250 °C°C

150 g.150 g.

250 250 °C°C

200 g.200 g.

20 20 °C°C

200 g.200 g.

20 20 °C°C

35 35 °C°C??50 50 °C°C

3. If water splashed out . . . ?

4. How was most of the heat transferred from the stone to the water?

5. radiation 6. conduction 7. conduction 8. convection 9. conduction

ExtensionsExtensions

• This PowerPoint Presentation This PowerPoint Presentation www.TeacherTube.com

• The lab handouts (students and teacher)The lab handouts (students and teacher)• Online worksheet assignment called “Boiling Stones Online worksheet assignment called “Boiling Stones

and Bison Bones”and Bison Bones”• Montana’s Earth Science Pictures Web Site Montana’s Earth Science Pictures Web Site

www.formontana.net . . . #102 . . . #102• TeacherTube.com and Youtube.com videosTeacherTube.com and Youtube.com videos

• Boiling Stones DemonstrationBoiling Stones Demonstration• No pots? No pans? No problemNo pots? No pans? No problem

Questions? rbenson@helena.k12.mt.us