Lower Key Stage 2 Stone Age to Iron Age Britain
Technology, Tools and Inventions

Learn about the amazing development of technology and inventions from the Stone Age to the Iron Age and speculate why these changes came about. Make a museum of replicas of inventions made in prehistory including prehistoric pots, and try an alternative to bronze-casting and iron-forging making your own collection of edible prehistoric tools from sugar rock, chocolate and pastry.Finally, report your work using digital technology.

Session 1 Introduction to technology, tools and inventions

Objectives

History

  • Develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods they study.
  • Address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance.

English

  • Give well-structured descriptions, explanations and narratives.
  • Retrieve and record information from non-fiction.
  • Draft and write non-narrative material using simple organisational devices.

Lesson Planning

Sort through objects to work out which of them was invented in prehistory. Find out when and where in prehistory certain inventions were made and add them to a timeline.

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To find out what was invented in prehistory and when.
  • To write object labels.

Children will:

  • Use inference to make educated guesses about what inventions were made in prehistory.
  • Find out the answers to historical questions by looking at sources.
  • Place dates in the right place chronologically on a timeline.

You Will Need

  • Timeline
  • Map of the world
  • Stickers
  • A selection of the following: candle, wheel, pot, bronze object, iron object, woollen garment, linen garment, shoe, gold object, brooch, radio, photograph, phone, paperclip, glasses, drinking glass, electric plug, soap, Lego™, comb, book, bucket, plastic object, pen, paper.

Session 2 Invention of fire and stone tools

Objectives

History

  • Develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods they study.
  • Address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance.

Science

  • Ask relevant questions and use different types of scientific enquiries to answer them.
  • Report on findings from enquiries, including oral and written explanations, displays or presentations of results and conclusions.
  • Demonstrate that dissolving, mixing and changes of state are reversible changes/
  • Explain that some changes result in the formation of new materials, and that this kind of change is not usually reversible, including changes associated with burning and the action of acid on bicarbonate of soda.
  • Identify differences, similarities or changes related to simple scientific ideas and processes.

Lesson Planning

Find out different ways to make fire, and devise a safe experiment with magnesium. Learn about the first stone tools and make replicas from potatoes, chocolate or sugar rock.

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To find out when fire and stone tools were invented and how they were made and used.
  • To plan and undertake science experiments about starting fire and making stone tools.

Children will:

  • Know how people made fire and stone tools in prehistory.
  • Devise a safe and fair experiment using magnesium to light a fire.
  • Devise and undertake a safe and fair experiment using different materials to simulate flint knapping.

You Will Need

  • Matches, Twigs
  • Plastic boxes
  • Candle
  • Magnesium powder
  • Lumps of chocolate, potatoes and sugar rock
  • Rounded stones
  • Latex gloves

Session 3 Invention of pottery and ground stone tools

Objectives

History

  • Develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods they study.
  • Address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance.

Science

  • Ask relevant questions and use different types of scientific enquiries to answer them.
  • Report on findings from enquiries, including oral and written explanations, displays or presentations of results and conclusions.
  • Demonstrate that dissolving, mixing and changes of state are reversible changes.
  • Explain that some changes result in the formation of new materials, and that this kind of change is not usually reversible, including changes associated with burning and the action of acid on bicarbonate of soda.
  • Identify differences, similarities or changes related to simple scientific ideas and processes.

Design and Technology

  • Use research and develop design criteria to inform design.
  • Generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas.
  • Select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks.
  • Select from and use a wider range of materials and components.

Lesson Planning

Learn about the invention of pottery and make replica pots. Devise an experiment to test how long it takes to polish a stone axe.

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To find out when pottery was invented and how it was made.
  • To plan and undertake a science experiments about ground stone tools.
  • To design and make a replica pot.

Children will:

  • Work out how people made pottery in prehistory.
  • Use a specific pottery making technique to make a replica Neolithic vessel.
  • Undertake an experiment about grinding stone tools.

Provided Resources

  • Pottery
  • Three methods of making pottery vessels
  • Grinding a royal icing axe on sand-paper experiment sheet
  • Experiment reporting sheet

You Will Need

  • Clay
  • Flint
  • Greenschist
  • Sand-paper
  • Royal icing
  • Stopwatches

Weblinks

There are no weblinks needed for this session.

Session 4 Invention of bronze

Objectives

History

  • Develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods they study.
  • Address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance.

Science

  • Ask relevant questions and use different types of scientific enquiries to answer them.
  • Report on findings from enquiries, including oral and written explanations, displays or presentations of results and conclusions.
  • Demonstrate that dissolving, mixing and changes of state are reversible changes.
  • Explain that some changes result in the formation of new materials, and that this kind of change is not usually reversible, including changes associated with burning and the action of acid on bicarbonate of soda.
  • Identify differences, similarities or changes related to simple scientific ideas and processes.

D&T

  • Use research and develop design criteria to inform design.
  • Generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas.
  • Select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks.
  • Select from and use a wider range of materials and components.

Lesson Planning

Find out how bronze is made and devise a way to safely replicate casting a bronze tool from chocolate, ice or jelly. Make replica bronze tools or gold jewellery from gold foil.

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To find out when bronze was invented and how it was made.
  • To plan and undertake a science experiment replicating the bronze-casting process.
  • To design and make Bronze Age replicas using foil.

Children will:

  • Learn how people made bronze in prehistory.
  • Replicate the bronze-casting process using water, chocolate or jelly.
  • Design and make replica bronze age objects with gold foil.

Provided Resources

  • Prehistoric bronze-casting
  • Bronze tool and weapon timeline
  • Devising an experiment to replicate bronze-casting sheet
  • Instructions for replicating bronze-casting for teacher
  • Images of Bronze Age objects to replicate with gold card

You Will Need

  • Potatoes
  • Clay modelling tools
  • Chocolate
  • Squash
  • Jelly
  • Saucepan, Pyrex™ bowl, Measuring jug
  • Cooker, Fridge/freezer
  • Gold metallic card.

Session 5 Invention of iron

Objectives

History

  • Develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods they study.
  • Address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance.

Science

  • Ask relevant questions and use different types of scientific enquiries to answer them
  • Report on findings from enquiries, including oral and written explanations, displays or presentations of results and conclusions.
  • Demonstrate that dissolving, mixing and changes of state are reversible changes.
  • Explain that some changes result in the formation of new materials, and that this kind of change is not usually reversible, including changes associated with burning and the action of acid on bicarbonate of soda.
  • Identify differences, similarities or changes related to simple scientific ideas and processes.

D&T

  • Use research and develop design criteria to inform design.
  • Generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas.
  • Select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks.
  • Select from and use a wider range of materials and components.

Lesson Planning

Devise a way to twist, fold and flatten dough to make sword or spearhead shapes with pattern welds, like Iron Age weapons. Make replica weapons with silver foil.

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To find out when iron was invented and how it was made.
  • To plan and undertake a science experiment replicating the iron-smithing process.
  • To design and make Iron Age replicas using card.

Children will:

  • Learn how people made iron in prehistory.
  • Replicate the iron-smithing process using pastry.
  • Design and make replica iron age objects with silver card.

You Will Need

  • Pastry
  • Lasagne sheets
  • Cheese
  • Chocolate
  • Microwave or cooker
  • Silver card

Session 6 Scientific report

Objectives

History

  • Construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information.

Science

  • Report on findings from enquiries, including oral and written explanations, displays or presentations of results and conclusions.

Computing

  • Select, use and combine a variety of software (including internet services) on a range of digital devices to design and create a range of programs, systems and content that accomplish given goals, including collecting, analysing, evaluating and presenting data and information.

Lesson Planning

Write a report about all the scientific experiments carried out and the results.

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To present what they have learned about prehistoric technology.
  • To present the results of their scientific experiments and enquiries.
  • To present information using one of a range of programs.

Children will:

  • Explain to others about prehistoric technology.
  • Explain to others the results of scientific enquiries.

You Will Need

  • Using Movie Maker
  • Hardware and software for recording video, audio, writing or making a presentation

Weblinks

There are no weblinks needed for this session.