Visit from an archeologist

Lesson: History

Class: Year 3 Year: 2023 - 2024

Stone Age to Iron Age

Dr. John Hill came to visit the children in school and talked about the Stone Age. He started to talk about the time-line and chronology before discussing 'Early Man'. The children were able to recall information from their lessons about 'Early Man' and the Palaeolithic period. They discussed Cave paintings and the animals that were living. He discussed how no-one lived in St. Helens or the surrounding area. He went on to talk about how people travelled and some of the children remembered the term, nomadic – a lifestyle of moving on and not settling in one place. He discussed Hunter Gathers with the children and Skara Brae.

The children were then given lots of artefacts to look at - the tooth of a mammal; the tooth of an ancient shark, megalodon and the bones of other ancient animals. They also discussed how the Hunter Gatherers would gather berries, hunt and how they painted the caves using the charcoal – burnt wood - and the iron from rocks to made red paint.

We then travelled forward on our timeline to the Mesolithic period and onwards to the Neolithic period. He talked about the change in behaviour of the people living in this time and how they became farmers. It was interesting for the children to hear how we know all of this information.

Dr John Hill then talked to the children about the Bronze Age. He explained how bronze was made and how the people lived during this period. He talked of how they settled, lived in one place, and were farmers. He then talked about the Iron Age and how Iron was easier for the people to find, mould and use. The children found the information very interesting. They looked at bronze and iron artefacts and discovered where these items were found. The children discovered new knowledge and were also to use the knowledge they had already learnt to ask questions and answer questions.

The children were looking for the answer to our Historical Enquiry Question

How do historians know about the Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age?

Dr John Hill explained that he is an archaeologist and how they found these artefacts by digging deep in the ground. He also explained how he works as part of an expert team that are able to date the artefacts depending on where they are found. He also explained that they now have specialist equipment that can record radiocarbon. He explained what radiocarbon is and asked the children to take in some deep breaths. He said that there is carbon in the air and every time you breathe you are taking in some carbon called carbon-14. It is this that they can use to date items they find under the ground and this means they can find out how old they are.

What an inspirational day. Some of the children decided they would like to become an archaeologist.