Learn About Archeological Digs in Belize With Jess McConnell

"Jess" by Mary Casanova.

       Jess McConnell accompanies her archaeologist parents on a several months-long expedition to Belize, where she learns new lessons about responsibility and preservation of history along learning new things about herself. To illustrate her mixed Japanese-American and Irish-Scottish heritage, the Jess doll debuted with a new face mold. Jess is also the first Girl of the Year by American Girl to be explicitly biracial. 

• The Books of Mary Casanova
• Look up the meaning of the name, Jess

Our Artifacts for the American Girl Doll, Jess McConnell:

• Scientists, Bones and Tools
• Birds of Borneo 
• Tree Animals of Borneo
• How to Recycle a Hammock For a Doll 
• The Reticulate Python 
• The Orangutan of Borneo 

Research Themes Found in Jess's Story Online:

Explore Websites About Belize:

• The Government of Belize
• The Belize Zoo
• Saving Belize's magnificent and endangered barrier reef
• Belize Bird Conservancy
• Red Fire Ants - Beware!
• Help Reserve the Black Howler Monkey/Baboon

Explore 10 Popular Digs/Ruins and Archaeology of Belize: The Institute of Archaeology
 and Watch Archaeo Duck

1. The Caracol Ruins: Caracol is the name given to a large ancient Maya archaeological site, located in what is now the Cayo District of Belize. It is situated approximately 40 kilometres south of Xunantunich and the town of San Ignacio Cayo, and 15 kilometers away from the Macal River. website
2. Nim Li Punit : a Maya Classic Period site in the Toledo District of the nation of Belize, located 40 kilometres north of the town of Punta Gorda, at 16° 19' N, 88° 47' 60W. Nim Li Punit is sometimes known as Big Hat or Top Hat; the name is Kekchi Maya for "Big Hat", referring to the large elaborate head-dress on a stela sculpture found on site depicting one of the site's ancient kings. about from SouthernBelize. com website.
3. Cahal Pech: A Maya site located near the town of San Ignacio in the Cayo District of Belize. The site was a palatial, hilltop home for an elite Maya family, and though most major construction dates to the Classic period, evidence of continuous habitation has been dated to as far back as 1200 BCE during the Early Middle Formative period (Early Middle Preclassic), making Cahal Pech one of the oldest recognizably Maya sites in Western Belize. Youtube video.
4. Blue Creek Preserve: is a small rainforest nature preserve in southern Belize, near the Guatemalan border. It is home to iguana, termite, Bothrops asper, and other snake species, Bufo marinus, lizards, tarantula, leafcutter ants, several species of bats, Morelet's crocodile, jaguarundi, jaguar, tapir, and others. website.
5. Actun Tunichil Muknal: (the Cave of the Crystal Sepulchre), also known locally as ATM, is a cave in Belize, near San Ignacio, Cayo District, notable as a Maya archaeological site that includes skeletons, ceramics, and stoneware. About from  Belize.com website.
6. Xunantunich: is an Ancient Maya archaeological site in western Belize, about 70 miles (110 km) west of Belize City, in the Cayo District. About from Caves Branch website.
7. Altun Ha: is the name given to the ruins of an ancient Mayan city in Belize, located in the Belize District about 50 kilometres (31 mi) north of Belize City and about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) west of the shore of the Caribbean Sea. The site covers an area of about 8 square kilometres (3.1 sq mi). About from uncoveredhistory.com website.
8. Cerros: is an Eastern Lowland Maya archaeological site in northern Belize that functioned from the Late Preclassic to the Postclassic period. About from destinationsbelize.com website.
9. Lamanai: is a Mesoamerican archaeological site, and was once a major city of the Maya civilization, located in the north of Belize, in Orange Walk District. see video.
10. Lubaantun: is a pre-Columbian ruined city of the Maya civilization in southern Belize, Central America. About from Globotreks at website.

Fan Videos About Jess McConnell Doll:

• How I Beautify American Girl Dolls!
• Jess at the beach photoshoot