Lower Key Stage 2 Stone Age to Iron Age Britain
Culture and Art

Learn about the fascinating culture and art of prehistoric people. Research art and music in prehistory. Make Ice Age art and replica art objects from the Neolithic, Bronze and Iron Ages. Make replica musical instruments. Take part in an improvised performance using the musical instruments you have made and present your work in an assembly.

Session 1 Introduction to culture and art

Objectives

History

  • Address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance.
  • Understand how our knowledge of the (prehistoric) past is constructed from a range of sources (including archaeological excavation, and the reliability of such sources).
  • Develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British and world history.

Art

  • Learn about great artists, architects and designers in history.

Lesson Planning

Find a cave in the classroom decorated with art. What could the art mean?

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To find out about the origins of art.
  • To discuss what art is.

Children will:

  • Be able to put the date artworks were made in chronological order.
  • Explain how art changed over time in prehistory.
  • Discuss the nature of art.

You Will Need

  • Large cardboard box
  • Brown paper
  • Torches
  • Map of the world on the wall
  • Timeline
  • The First Drawing by Mordicai Gerstein

Session 2 Ice Age art and music

Objectives

History

  • Address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance.
  • Understand how our knowledge of the prehistoric past is constructed from a range of sources.
  • Develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British and world history.

Art

  • Improve mastery of art and design techniques.
  • Produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences.

Music

  • Play and perform in solo and ensemble contexts, using their voices and playing musical instruments with increasing accuracy, fluency, control and expression.
  • Improvise and compose music for a range of purposes using the inter-related dimensions of music.
  • Develop an understanding of the history of music.

Lesson Planning

Research Palaeolithic art and paint and sculpt as Ice Age artists would have. Make and play a Stone Age flute.

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To find out about Ice Age art.
  • To make Ice Age art.
  • To make a working flute from paper.

Children will:

  • Discuss the meaning of Ice Age cave art.
  • Make art inspired by Ice Age art.
  • Make and play a flute.

You Will Need

  • Air-drying clay or FiMo
  • Charcoal, Chalk, Pastels
  • Pears soap
  • Feathers
  • Sticks, Stones, Animal bones
  • Stanley knife for teacher

Session 3 Neolithic art and music

Objectives

History

  • Address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance.
  • Understand how our knowledge of the (prehistoric) past is constructed from a range of sources (including archaeological excavation, and the reliability of such sources).
  • Develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British and world history.

Art

  • Improve mastery of art and design techniques.
  • Produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences.

Music

  • Play and perform in solo and ensemble contexts, using their voices and playing musical instruments with increasing accuracy, fluency, control and expression.
  • Improvise and compose music for a range of purposes using the inter-related dimensions of music.
  • Develop an understanding of the history of music.

Lesson Planning

Find out that there was a taboo about depicting humans in the Neolithic art, and learn how to carve replica objects. Make and play replica drum.

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To find out about Neolithic art.
  • To make Neolithic inspired art.
  • To make a working drum from cardboard and paper or tin can and fabric.

Children will:

  • Discuss the meaning of Neolithic art
  • Make some sculpture inspired by Neolithic art
  • Make and play a drum

Provided Resources

  • Neolithic art from the British Isles
  • Making your own Neolithic art object
  • Making a replica drum

You Will Need

  • Lumps of air-dried clay
  • Clay modelling tools
  • Jam jar
  • Fabric

Session 4 Bronze Age art and music

Objectives

History

  • Address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance.
  • Understand how our knowledge of the (prehistoric) past is constructed from a range of sources (including archaeological excavation, and the reliability of such sources).
  • Develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods they study.

Art

  • Improve mastery of art and design techniques.
  • Produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences.

Music

  • Play and perform in solo and ensemble contexts, using their voices and playing musical instruments with increasing accuracy, fluency, control and expression.
  • Improvise and compose music for a range of purposes using the inter-related dimensions of music.
  • Develop an understanding of the history of music.

Lesson Planning

Research Bronze Age artistic expression on metalwork and make replicas. Make replica Bronze Age horns and play them.

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To find out about Bronze Age art.
  • To make Bronze Age inspired art.
  • To make a working horn from cardboard and foil.

Children will:

  • Discuss the meaning of Bronze Age art.
  • Make some art objects inspired by Bronze Age art.
  • Make and play a horn.

You Will Need

  • Gold metallic card
  • Sticky tape
  • Scissors
  • Plastic bottles

Session 5 Iron Age art and music

Objectives

History

  • Address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance.
  • Understand how our knowledge of the (prehistoric) past is constructed from a range of sources (including archaeological excavation, and the reliability of such sources).
  • Develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British history.

Art

  • Improve mastery of art and design techniques.
  • Produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences.

Music

  • Play and perform in solo and ensemble contexts, using their voices and playing musical instruments with increasing accuracy, fluency, control and expression.
  • Improvise and compose music for a range of purposes using the inter-related dimensions of music.
  • Develop an understanding of the history of music.

Lesson Planning

Research Iron Age artistic expression in metalwork and make replicas. Convert their Bronze Age horns into carnyxes.

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To find out about Iron Age art.
  • To make Iron Age inspired art.
  • To modify one of the Bronze Age horns into a carnyx.

Children will:

  • Discuss the meaning of Iron Age art.
  • Make some art objects inspired by Iron Age art.
  • Make and play a carnyx.

You Will Need

  • Gold metallic card
  • Sticky tape
  • Blue fabric

Session 6 Performance

Objectives

History

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

English

  • Become more familiar with and confident in using language in a greater variety of situations, for a variety of audiences and purposes.
  • Participate in discussions, presentations, performances, role-play, improvisations and debate.
  • Plan their writing by discussing and recording ideas.
  • Draft and write by composing and rehearsing sentences orally and organising paragraphs around a theme.
  • Read aloud their own writing, to a group or whole class, using appropriate intonation and controlling the tone and volume so that the meaning is clear.

Music

  • Play and perform in solo and ensemble contexts, using their voices and playing musical instruments with increasing accuracy, fluency, control and expression.
  • Improvise and compose music for a range of purposes using the inter-related dimensions of music.
  • Develop an understanding of the history of music.

Lesson Planning

Take part in an improvised performance of their prehistoric instruments for an assembly.

Teaching Outcomes:

  • To present what they have learned about prehistoric art.
  • To take part in a role-play about prehistoric art.
  • To improvise music on their self-made instruments.

Children will:

  • Explain about prehistoric art.
  • Take part in a role play.
  • Perform improvised music for an audience.

You Will Need

  • All artwork and instruments made during this block and the cave, tomb and river

Weblinks

There are no weblinks needed for this session.