Archaeo-Tech: Exploring the Lime Cycle with Tabby Architecture

Lesson Overview

This lesson uses tabby, a historical building material local to coastal South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, to explore chemical reactions, changes in the state of matter during chemical reactions, and the conservation of matter. Students will learn about the history of tabby architecture and the importance of the lime cycle in making tabby. Using their understanding of the lime cycle, students will complete a brief experiment using limewater and then relate their findings to tabby architecture. Further discussion will connect historical building materials, like tabby, to modern building materials, such as concrete, and the importance of sustainability in modern construction.