GiS fifth and sixth graders spent the month of January learning about early humankind and the development of human societies. They first learned the difference between history and prehistory as well as the differences between primary and secondary sources. Then they learned where humans belong in the primate family tree, how early hominids evolved physically and behaviorally, and how early humans developed tools and language, started to formed simple communities, and migrated. Finally, they studied the transition from hunting and foraging to farming and its consequences as well as the development of societies.

The students were also introduced to prehistoric cave paintings and were invited to make their very own paint from scratch (we chose to make tempera paint as using egg yolk as a binder for the pigments is easier than using animal fat or bone marrow for example as used during prehistory). Take a look at the pictures below to learn how they proceeded, and if you find what you see interesting, you should definitely try to make your own paint as it was a very enjoyable experience for us. Enjoy!