The Rock Ages
Social Studies
Objectives
- Students will learn that rocks and minerals have been used for many things since early times.
- Students will learn that the history of the human race is divided into periods of time based upon the use of the Earth's rocks and minerals.
- Students will predict in which order the different periods of civilization, the Stone Age, the Copper Age, the Bronze Age, the Iron age, the Industrial Age, and the Information Age, took place by identifying photographs and authentic materials when possible.
- Students will learn the correct order of these ages.
- Students will learn specific facts about each of the ages.
Anticipatory Set
Talk about the cartoon, The Flintstones. Talk about the different kinds of tools that they used at that time. Tell the students that this time period was the Stone Age. Talk briefly about the different time periods. Use a picture of the Flintstones as a visual aid.
Materials
Pictures and/or artifacts of artworks, tools, weapons, and jewelry of each of the different ages, for example:
- Stone Age, Axe Head
- Copper Age, Cooper tools
- Bronze Age, Bronze tools
- Iron Age, Iron Armor
- Industrial Age, Oil or coal
- Information Age, Computer
It would also be helpful to have authentic pictures of the different ages.
Procedure
- Give each group of students materials from each of the different time periods.
- Have them work together as a group to decide in which order they think the different things were created and used.
- After all groups have decided on an order, have each group present their order and tell reasons why they think this is so.
- After all groups have explained their order and reasons why those chose them, talk about each period and the different kinds of tools, etc., that were used in each.
- Have the students write one sentence about each of the ages in their journals. (This can be done over a period of a few days.)
Evaluation
- Have the students learned that rocks and minerals have been used since early times? After introduction, can they name some examples?
- Do the students see the differences between the ages of time? Can they roughly discriminate why history is divided up in this way?
- Are the students using the materials and artifacts wisely to make logical predictions? Are they at least able to discriminate between things like computers and stone tools?
- Can the students roughly give an order of the time periods after the activity and discussion?
- Can the students name some specific facts about each of the ages?
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