The Stone Age: Hunters and Gatherers · Autumn Term

Palaeolithic Survival: Food & Shelter

Learning about the very first humans in Britain and their struggle for survival during the Ice Age, focusing on food acquisition and basic shelter.

About This Topic

The Palaeolithic, or Old Stone Age, marks the beginning of the human story in Britain. Students explore how early hunter-gatherers survived in a landscape shaped by the Ice Age, moving constantly to follow animal herds and seasonal plants. This period is crucial for Year 3 as it introduces the concept of deep time and the fundamental human needs for food, shelter, and community. It sets the stage for understanding all subsequent technological and social developments in the National Curriculum.

By studying the Palaeolithic, children begin to develop their historical enquiry skills, looking at how we know about people who left no written records. They learn to value the ingenuity of early humans who used flint, bone, and wood to create complex tools. This topic comes alive when students can physically model the patterns of survival through role play and problem-solving challenges.

Active Learning Ideas

Inquiry Circle: The Survival Kit

In small groups, students are given a 'survival scenario' in a tundra landscape. They must choose five items from a collection of natural materials (flint, moss, animal fur, wood, bone) and explain to the class how they would use these to meet their basic needs.

⏱ 45 min·Small Groups

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Role Play: The Seasonal Move

The classroom is divided into different 'resource zones'. Students act as a nomadic tribe and must decide when and where to move based on teacher-led 'weather reports' or 'herd sightings', discussing the risks and rewards of each move.

⏱ 30 min·Whole Class

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Think-Pair-Share: The Fire Mystery

Students first think individually about three ways fire changed life for a Palaeolithic family. They then pair up to combine their ideas and share their most important reason with the class, focusing on safety, warmth, or cooking.

⏱ 15 min·Pairs

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Stone Age people lived at the same time as dinosaurs.

What to Teach Instead

Dinosaurs became extinct about 65 million years ago, while the first humans in Britain appeared around 800,000 years ago. Using a long physical timeline in the corridor or playground helps students visualize this massive gap in time more effectively than a standard textbook diagram.

Common Misconception

Early humans were not very intelligent.

What to Teach Instead

Palaeolithic people had the same brain capacity as modern humans and were expert engineers of their environment. Hands-on tool-making simulations (using soap or clay) show students the precision and planning required to create a functional hand-axe.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did Palaeolithic people actually eat in Britain?

Their diet was incredibly varied. They hunted large animals like mammoths and reindeer, but also gathered nuts, berries, and edible roots. In coastal areas, they collected shellfish. It was a high-protein, seasonal diet that required deep knowledge of the local landscape and animal behavior.

How do we know about them if they didn't write anything down?

We rely on archaeology. This includes stone tools (lithics), butchered animal bones, and rare footprints preserved in silt, like those found at Happisburgh. These physical clues allow historians to piece together how they moved, worked, and lived.

How can active learning help students understand the Palaeolithic?

Active learning moves students from passive observers to active problem-solvers. By participating in simulations of hunting or foraging, children experience the pressure of survival and the necessity of teamwork. This builds empathy and a deeper grasp of why specific technologies, like fire or flint knapping, were revolutionary for human development.

Was it always freezing during the Palaeolithic in Britain?

No, the Palaeolithic spanned many hundreds of thousands of years. Britain went through 'glacials' (ice ages) and 'interglacials' (warmer periods). During some warm spells, the climate in Britain was similar to the Mediterranean today, with animals like hippos and lions living in what is now London.

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