Invention of bronze

Topics Year 2/3
This unit is part of Stone Age to Iron Age Britain 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.

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.