The Topic: Prehistoric People Easier - Prehistoric people lived in the time period before events were recorded or written down. Woolly mammoths, saber-toothed tigers, and bears were among the prehistoric beasts that also roamed the earth.   Harder - The development of writing enabled people to record and save information, thus marking the beginning of their history. That occurred about 5,500 years ago. People before that are labeled as prehistoric. Scientists speculate that the first humans on earth lived about 2 million years ago; however, they are probably linked to prehuman ancestors who lived at least 4 million years ago.   Evidence of prehistoric people was first discovered in mid-19th century when sharp-edged stone tools and fossilized human bones were found and identified. Since that time, infrequent discoveries of other fossils of prehistoric people have occurred. These usually fragmented remains have provided additional information about early humans and what they looked like.   Anthropologists whose interest is the study of human and cultural development join with archaeologists, zoologists, botanists, geologists, and other scientists to locate and analyze the physical evidence; artifacts such as pottery shards, stone tools, fragmented fossils, and other remains. From these findings, they must base their conjectures about early human life. In addition, new evidence continues to be occasionally discovered, sometimes leading to questioning or disproval of former theories and giving rise to controversial debates.    Welcome to the Stone Ages from Museum of Antiquities, University of Newcastle http://museums.ncl.ac.uk/flint/menu.html This exhibition takes you into the lives of the inhabitants of Britain and north west Europe from the time when ice sheets still covered land and sea, until the time when settled farming peoples were cultivating the land. Related Websites: 2) Ancient Big Game Hunting http://emuseum.mankato.msus.edu/prehistory/hunters/index.shtml 3) Hunting and Gathering by R. Law from World Civilizations, Washington State University http://www.wsu.edu/gened/learn-modules/top_agrev/3-Hunting-and- Gathering/hunt-gathering1.html 4) Hunter-gatherers (c. 7000 BC - 4000 BC) from Cruithni (Ulster History) http://www.cruithni.org.uk/overview/over_1.html 5) Hunter Gatherer Era (Unformatted article) from Free Term Papers http://www.free-termpapers.com/tp/4/alx67.shtml   Life & Times of Early Man by L Donn & D. Donn http://members.aol.com/Donnclass/EarlyMan.html Why did Cro-Magnon man crawl on his belly through dangerous mazes in deep dark caves? How did the "Upright Man" travel from Africa to America without a boat? Who were the Neandertals? Did man live at the same time as dinosaurs? Find out here! Related Websites: 2) First Humans by M. Dust from Early Histories http://www.mikedust.com/history/index.html 3) Last Neanderthal by P. Quinney from ScienceNet http://www.sciencenet.org.uk/publications/neanderthal.html 4) Neanderthal from Discovery Channel http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/neanderthal/neanderthal.html 5) Neanderthal Heaven by C. Hawkins http://members.iinet.net.au/~chawkins/frames.htm 6) Neanderthals http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/2704/ 7) Neandertals: A Cyber Perspective by K.M. Ramanan http://sapphire.indstate.edu/~ramanank/ 8) Neanderthals and Modern Humans http://www.neanderthal-modern.com/ 9) Neanderthals on Trial from PBS NOVA Online http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/neanderthals/ 10) Who Were the Neandertals? by S. Gonzaga from Earth & Sky http://earthsky.com/Features/Articles/neandertals.html 11) Walking with Beasts: Cro Magnon General Evidence from BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/beasts/evidence/prog6/page6.shtml   Prehistory Exhibits from EMuseum, Mankato State University http://kroeber.anthro.mankato.msus.edu/prehistory/ This website provides a comprehensive overview of prehistoric humans around the world. Related Websites: 2) Early Humans from Oakland Unified School District http://tlc.ousd.k12.ca.us/library/prehistory/index.html 3) Prehistoric Australia and the Ascension of the Marsupials http://ozzyfrank.150m.com/pages/Early_Oz.htm 4) Prehistoric Britain from BBC Online http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/prehistory/index.shtml 5) Prehistoric Times from The Encyclopedia of World History http://www.bartleby.com/67/toc1.html 6) Prehistory by N.B. Mautz from Creative Impulse (Huge links-site) http://history.evansville.net/prehist.html   Stone Age Habitats by W.J. Kowalski from The Maze II http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/w/x/wxk116/habitat/ Man's earliest ancestors sought protection from the elements and predators in natural shelters such as caves and rock overhangs. Gradually, they learned to improve their caves, but ultimately they began creating entirely new habitats in locations that had no natural shelter. Other Related Sites from The Maze: 2) Cave Bears http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/w/x/wxk116/cavebears/ 3) Stone Age Hand-axes http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/w/x/wxk116/axe/ Related Technology & Tool Websites: 4) Australian Stone Tools by S. Hawkins http://rubens.anu.edu.au/student.projects/tools/homepage.html 5) Caveman's Armory http://www.nativewayonline.com/cave.htm 6) Fire in Prehistoric Times from Fundooz http://www.fundooz.com/Knowledge/Tell_me_About_it/Fireinprehistorictimes.asp 7) First Stone Tools: The Great Advantage http://www.mc.maricopa.edu/~reffland/anthropology/learning/origins/hominid_journey/oldo wan.html 8) First Technologies by M. Dust from Early Histories http://www.mikedust.com/history/tech.html 9) From Ancient Flutes to Flame-based Music by A. Boyle from MSNBC http://www.msnbc.com/news/372624.asp?cp1=1#BODY 10) Old Stone Age from Prehistoric Experience Hall, Korea http://www.dolmen.or.kr/e_html/e_exp/sub01/e_exp01_01_01.html 11) Prehistoric Fire http://www.srs.fs.fed.us/sustain/report/histry/histry-12.htm 12) Secrets of the Atlatl by by W.R. Knapp http://www.onagocag.com/atlatl.html 13) Stone Age http://www.bergen.org/technology/stone.html 14) Tools of the Stone Age from Don's Maps http://www.hominids.com/donsmaps/indextools.html   After visiting several of the websites, select one or more of the following projects or activities.   Read A Book About Prehistoric Life. A few books that you might check out are (1) Maroo of the Winter Caves by Ann Turnbull, (2) Dar and the Spear Thrower by Marjorie Cowley, and (3) Boy of the Painted Cave by Justin Denzel. Boy of the Painted Cave is set in the Cro-Magnon era. Tao longs to be a cave artist, but his talent is viewed as a curse, making it impossible to be one of the Chosen Ones. The story of Maroo, a girl of the late Ice Age, involves her family group's struggle for survival. After the death of her father, she and her brother lead their mother and aged grandmother to winter camp before the first blizzards strike. The other book centers on a boy, Dar, and his coming of age in a Cro-Magnon clan. Dar leaves his family in search of the stranger to exchange his sun stones (fire starters) for a spear-thrower. After selecting and reading one of the books, write an analysis that includes its setting, identifies the main characters and their roles and relationships, summarizes the main activities and the big ideas, tells the changes that occur for the main character, and gives your judgment of its historical correctness, and provides your opinion of the story. An alternative activity would be to create a map that places or follows the main character through the story. Locate, illustrate, and label sites where significant events occur - - remember these can be actual events or changes in thinking or significant learning.   Complete A Prehistoric WebQuest. Adapt or follow the procedures found at one of the following webQuest sites: 1) Early Man by (Grade 6) B. Swigart http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/lewis/earlyman/ 2) History of Early Man (Grade 6) by E.O. Buckley http://spidey.sfusd.k12.ca.us/schwww/sch529/buckley/emwebquest.htm 3) International Institute of Archaeology Anthropology (Grade 6) by M. Edwards http://score.rims.k12.ca.us/activity/archaeology/index.html 4) Investigating Prehistoric and Modern Art WebQuest (Grades 6-8) by K. Ballein http://www.berksiu.k12.pa.us/webquest/Ballein/index.htm#Resources   Could You Survive? The hunter-gatherers of the Stone Age did not plant their own crops, but lived off the plants which grew around them, taking fungi, leaves and flowers, and nuts and berries. Some are good to eat, but some are poisonous. To survive as a hunter-gatherer you have to know which you can eat and which to avoid. See how you do with the online quiz at Could You Survive Today as a Hunter Gatherer? If you are interested in more information on the use of plants by people, you might check on these websites: 1) Aboriginal Plant Use in South-Eastern Australia from Australian National Botanic Gardens http://www.anbg.gov.au/aborig.s.e.aust/index.html 2) Ethnobotany of Wild Plant Foods by S. Mason http://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology/research/profiles/smason/smethnob.htm 3) Native American Ethnobotany Database by D. Moerman, University of Michigan - Dearborn http://www.umd.umich.edu/cgi-bin/herb/ 4) Plants for the Future http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/index.html 5) Traditional Herbal &Plant Knowledge, Identifications (Links-site) http://www.kstrom.net/isk/food/plants.html Identify edible plants and fungi that are found where you live. Put together a survival guide for your region.   Create A Model of A Prehistoric Home. Consider the different types of shelters where prehistoric people lived. Is it a cave, canyon overhang or alcove, or a rudely constructed tent or hut? What types of terrain did they frequent? Is it a woodland, a valley, hill country? Now create a model or diorama of an imagined prehistoric dwelling. Find or adapt the ideas you find at (1) Dioromas, (2) How To Make a Diorama, and (3) Dinosaur Dioramas.   Compare And Contrast Neanderthal And Cro-Magnon People. How were these people alike and how did they differ. Present your findings in a graphical way by creating a poster that identifies your findings. Identify those features and traits that you believe are upheld by evidence and those which are more theoretical. Make your poster as attractive as possible.   What Would A Cave Kid's School Be Like? Imagine that you are the "educational leader" for your prehistoric cave dweller school. What would be the curriculum; what material would need to be covered? What types of instruction would be used? Would classes be co-ed; both genders studying the same subjects? Where would they be taught? Who would be teaching? How long would classes be held and for how many years. Be creative, be specific as possible, give your school a name, and present your educational plan. Have some fun imagining!   Create Your Own Rock Art. Visit several of the rock art sites. Then create your own art that imitates or is related to the prehistoric styles. Use a large sheet of art paper to create a mural panel of your rock art. An alternative approach would be to create art on actual rock material. They do not have to be monolith; they can be rocks small enough to carry in your hand. See some ideas found at the eduScapes NatureScapes project on Rock Art.    Websites By Kids For Kids Cave Art from Urbana Middle School, IL http://www.cmi.k12.il.us/Urbana/projects/AncientCiv/caveart/caveart.html Using charcoal and colored chalk and shading with fingers, students created cave art drawings. Later they made their own tools. Their projects are shown in two galleries at this site.   Cro Magnon Caves (Grade 6) http://www.internet-at-work.com/hos_mcgrane/caveart/cavemenu.html This project site contains students models or dioramas of a Cro Magnon homes. The cave models contain decorations and artifacts. Related Student Projects: 2) Cro-Magnon Man http://schools.sd68.bc.ca/COAL/student/sheanjor/cromagnon.htm   Early Humans http://spidey.sfusd.edu/schwww/sch773/review/eh.html Here are a few online student articles on evidence of early humans.   Human Origins (1997 ThinkQuest Internet Challenge) http://library.thinkquest.org/26070/data/eng/ This site is about the evolution of mankind.   TimeKeeper: Cultures of the Southwest (1997 ThinkQuest Internet Challenge) http://library.thinkquest.org/12641/start.html Divided into historical eras, this web site present information about the cultures of the American Southwest.   More on Prehistoric Humans Ancient Architects of the Mississippi from the National Park Service http://www.cr.nps.gov/aad/feature/feature.htm Eight hundred years ago, the lower Mississippi Delta was home to some of the most highly organized civilizations in the world, the moundbuilders. Related Websites: 2) Adena Mounds http://www.adena.com/adena/ad/ad01.htm 3) Cahokia Site Map http://medicine.wustl.edu/~mckinney/cahokia/site.html 4) Mound and Rings from National Park Service http://www.cr.nps.gov/goldcres/cultural/moundhome.html 5) Moundbuilders from National Park Service http://www.cr.nps.gov/seac/moundb.htm 6) Woodland Period (ca. 2000 B.C.- A.D. 1000) from National Park Service http://www.cr.nps.gov/seac/woodland.htm   Arctic by R. McGhee from Canadian Museum of Civilization http://www.civilization.ca/cmc/archeo/cvh/arctic/earc.htm From the northwestern Canadian Arctic, archaeologists have convincing evidence of the earliest human presence in the New World. At least 20,000 years ago, this area was inhabited by Palaeolithic hunters of mammoth and other large game. Related Sites on Prehistoric Humans from the Canadian Museum of Civilization: 2) British Columbia by K.R. Fladmark http://www.civilization.ca/cmc/archeo/cvh/bc/ebc.htm 3) Kichi Sibi http://www.civilization.ca/cmc/archeo/kichisibi/welcome.htm 4) Maritimes by D. Keenlyside http://www.civilization.ca/cmc/archeo/cvh/maritim/emar.htm 5) Newfoundland and Labrador by J.A. Tuck http://www.civilization.ca/cmc/archeo/cvh/neuf/eneuf.htm 6) Ontario by J.V. Wright http://www.civilization.ca/cmc/archeo/cvh/ontario/eon.htm 7) Québec by J.V. Wright http://www.civilization.ca/cmc/archeo/cvh/quebec/equeb.htm 8) Tsimshian Prehistory http://www.civilization.ca/aborig/tsimsian/intro00e.html   Cave of the Warrior from American Museum of Natural History http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/cave/index.html Discovered in 1993, the Cave of the Warrior, in Wadi el-Makkukh, near Jericho, held a unique burial assemblage that included unusual textiles, sandals, and the oldest bow known to be preserved in the Near East. The exhibition also presents objects found in other regional burial sites of the time. Related Website: 2) Paintings, Engravings and Sculptures from Don's Maps http://www.hominids.com/donsmaps/indexpaintings.html    Cave Art from McDougal Littell Publishers http://www.mcdougallittell.com/whist/netact/U1/U1frame.htm The site contains information and images on ancient cave paintings. Related Websites: 2) Cave of Chauvet-Pond-d'Arc http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/arcnat/chauvet/en/index.html 3) Cave at Lascaux http://www.culture.fr/culture/arcnat/lascaux/en/ 4) Cave at Pech Merle, France http://www.quercy.net/pechmerle/ 5) Chauvet Prehistoric Cave http://www.france.diplomatie.fr/label_france/ENGLISH/SCIENCES/CHAUVET/cha.html 6) Vallon-Pont d'Arc from Harcourt School Publishers http://www.hbschool.com/activity/cavepaintings/vallon.html   Contemporary Approaches to World Rock Art by M. Morwood & C.E. Smith http://www.une.edu.au/Arch/ROCKART/MMRockArt.html This website provides an overview of current rock art studies; distribution and chronology of major rock art bodies throughout the world, major techniques for dating and analysing rock art, and current approaches to rock art conservation and management. Other Rock Art Websites: 2) Bob's Rock Art Photo Gallery http://www.questorsys.com/rockart/ 3) Links to Rock Art Sites http://www.questorsys.com/rockart/links.htm 4) Painted Rocks of Africa from The Kennedy Center http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/aoi/events/visual/painted2.html 5) Pictograph Cave State Park http://www.pictographcave.org/educate/rock_art.html 6) Prehistoric Art (Links-site) http://www.historylink101.com/1/prehistory/prehistoric_art.htm 7) Prehistoric Rock Paintings of Bhimabetaka (India) by K.L. Kamat http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/rockpain/betaka.htm 8) Rock Art Links http://www.rupestre.net/ralinks/ 9) Trust for African Rock Art http://www.tara.org.uk/rockart.htm   Early Man by L.D. Larsen http://www.oldhistory.com/Unit2EarlyMan/tblcon2.htm This extensive interactive chapter of an online World History tutorial focuses on the arrival and development of early humans on earth. Related Websites: 2) Becoming Human from Institute of Human Origins http://becominghuman.org/ 3) Creation Science http://emporium.turnpike.net/C/cs/index.htm 4) Early Modern Man from Hunterian Museum http://www.hunterian.gla.ac.uk/museum/hominid/Sect3/guid17.html 5) First True Humans http://spidey.sfusd.k12.ca.us/schwww/sch529/buckley/homoh.htm 6) Human Evolution: The Fossil Evidence in 3D from University of California, Santa Barbara http://www.anth.ucsb.edu/projects/human/ 7) Human Origins from Smithsonian Institution http://www.mnh.si.edu/anthro/humanorigins/index.htm 8) Hominid Species from Talk Origins http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/homs/species.html 9) Hominid Species Timeline by R. Law from World Civilizations, Washington State University http://www.wsu.edu/gened/learn-modules/top_longfor/timeline/timeline.html 10) Human Evolution from PBS You Try It http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/tryit/evolution/ 11) Human Prehistory: An Exhibition by D.I. Loizos http://users.hol.gr/~dilos/prehis.htm 12) In Search of Human Origins Part Three (Transcript) from PBS NOVA http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/transcripts/2108hum3.html 13) Origins of Humankind http://www.versiontech.com/origins/ 14) Overview of Human Origins by R. Law from World Civilizations, Washington State University http://www.wsu.edu/gened/learn-modules/top_longfor/overview/overvw1.html    Mothers of Time: Seven Palaeolithic Figurines from Canadian Museum of Civilization http://www.civilization.ca/archeo/paleofig/pal00eng.html Approximately 25,000 years on from their birth date and almost 4,000 kilometres distant from their place of origin, these seven Balzi Rossi figurines shed new light on the origins and meaning of an art. Other Sites on Prehistoric Art: 2) Gather Around This Pot . . . from Canadian Museum of Civilization http://www.civilization.ca/archeo/ceramiq/cerart1e.html 3) Lost Visions, Forgotten Dreams from Canadian Museum of Civilization http://www.civilization.ca/archeo/paleoesq/peinteng.html 4) Prehistoric Art and Artifacts from Tigertail Virtual Museum http://www.tigtail.org/M_View/TVM/E/PreHistory/prehistory.html   Origins of War: Mesolithic Conflict in Europe by N. Thorpe from British Archaeology http://www.britarch.ac.uk/ba/ba52/ba52feat.html#thorpe The Mesolithic era is often characterised as a kind of golden age of harmony with nature and peaceful co-existence between people. Not so, writes this author.    Prehistoric Grampian by A. Burl http://www.ifb.net/webit/stdnston.htm The Grampian region of Scotland has a large concentration of recumbent stone circles, a type of prehistoric construction that is almost unique to Britain and Ireland. Other Prehistoric Megalith Websites: 2) America's Stonehenge http://www.stonehengeusa.com/ 3) Beginnings of Stonehinge from Britannia http://www.britannia.com/history/bb2000.html 4) Megalithic Temples of Malta http://web.infinito.it/utenti/m/malta_mega_temples/ 5) Stonehenge from Mysterious Places http://www.mysteriousplaces.com/stonehenge/index.html   Prehistoric Peoples of the Desert Southwest from DesertUSA http://www.desertusa.com/ind1/du_peo_ancient.html During the past century, investigators have been solving one of the great mysteries of the North American continent: Who built the spectacular, prehistoric cliff dwellings and other ancient structures scattered throughout the American Southwest? Related Websites: 2) Anasazi from DesertUSA http://www.desertusa.com/ind1/du_peo_ana.html 3) Ancient Peoples (Southwest US) http://coe.west.asu.edu/students/lleavitt/ancientpeoples.htm 4) Freemont Culture from National Park Service http://www.nps.gov/care/petpull.htm 5) Introduction to Aztalan from Madison Schools http://www.madison.k12.wi.us/whitehorse/ss/intro.htm (Follow links at bottom of page) 6) Paleoamerican Origins from Encyclopedia Smithsonian http://www.si.edu/resource/faq/nmnh/origin.htm 7) Prehistory of Alaska from National Park Service http://www.nps.gov/akso/akarc/ 8) Sipapu - Anasazi Emergence into the Cyber World by J. Kantner http://sipapu.gsu.edu/index.html    Walking with Prehistoric Beasts from Discovery Channel http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/beasts/beasts.html Meet the bizarre-looking mammals that rose after dinosaurs died out millions of years ago. Related Websites: 2) Land of the Mammoth from Discovery Channel http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/landofmammoth/landofmammoth.html 3) Mammoth Saga by U. Carlberg, Swedish Museum of Natural History http://www.nrm.se/virtexhi/mammsaga/ 4) Midwestern U.S. 16,000 Years Ago from the Illinois State Museum (Plants & animals) http://www.museum.state.il.us/exhibits/larson/content.html 5) Prehistoric Life from Museum Victoria http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/prehistoric/ 6) Saber-toothed Tiger http://www.lam.mus.ca.us/cats/encyclo/smilodon/index.htm   Websites for Teachers Analyzing Artifacts (Grades 5-7) by S. Manes from AskERIC http://www.askeric.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Social_Studies/Archaeology/ARL0002.html Generally children do not have knowledge of or understand the methods of collecting information about pre-historic peoples. A question most often asked is, "If there was no writing, how do you know what they were like?"   Cave Art Lesson http://www.historylink101.com/lessons/art_history_lessons/cave_art1.htm Here is a lesson on cave art of early man. The lesson includes follow-up questions and has a few links forstudy and illustrations.   Early Man in North America: The Known to the Unknown (Grade 8) by V.A. Polino from Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1980/2/80.02.07.x.html This unit deals with the science called New Archaeology, which sees culture as a link between behavioral patterns and material items. The culture that a society develops therefore, is the direct result of the way humans learn to cope with their environment.   If Rocks Could Talk by S. Gibson from The Kennedy Center's Imagination Celebration http://www.imaginationcelebration.org/curriculum/rocks.html This lesson will introduce students to southwestern rock art, the difference between a petroglyph and pictograph, and use of negative space. Students will create a simple monoprint and make and use a stencils.   Oorg Goob Glurg (Grade 6) by R. Cress http://www.santee.k12.ca.us/cress/ctap/ Most people have very definite ideas of what a "cave man" is. In this exploration, students will be writing extensively, viewing websites, doing online assessments, participating in class discussions, reading summaries by experts, and creating a cave art project to gain a beginning understanding of early man.   Rock Art Workshop Curriculum (Grades 4-8) from American Museum of Natural History http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/cave/index.html This unit plan leads students to explore a variety of rock art sites and compare their similarities and differences, create a journal/sketch book to document their studies, create a petroglyph and a pictograph, make a folding book and illustrate it with a rock art panel, and assemble a classroom museum exhibit.   Teacher Resource Guide: Boy of the Painted Cave by J. Denzel, San Francisco Unified School District http://www.sfusd.k12.ca.us/programs/cipd/middle/lessons/teacherlessons/marg_costello/Teacherguide.html This unit is designed for intermediate English Language Development students. Teacher, N. Bartel, has written an easy to read version of Boy of the Painted Cave for ESL students which can be downloaded. Advanced readers can follow along with the original version. This site provides student and teacher worksheets for each chapter. Related Websites: 2) Dar and the Spear Thrower by Marjorie Cowley (Student worksheet) from Houghton Mifflin's Eduplace http://www.eduplace.com/ss/hmss/6/lam/dar.html   prehistoric homo habilis Palaeolithic Age stone tool farming Australopethicus burial creation / evolution hunting homo erectus hominid culture rock art flintknapping saber-toothed tiger paleontology Cro-Magnon atlatl animal skins Ice Age forage ancient Africa Stone Age dinosaur Aztec Neanderthal cave petroglyph Native American implement pictograph archaeology pottery Lucy ancient China mythology shelter horse war Inca Neolithic Age archaeology hunter gatherer fire Mesopotamia clothing rock varnish homo sapiens       Created by Annette Lamb and Larry Johnson, 11/02.