Understanding Prehistory

National Curriculum Links

History Key Stage 2:
- Pupils should be taught to:
  - Know and understand significant aspects of the history of the wider world: the nature of ancient civilisations and non-European societies (such as the Stone Age to the Iron Age in Britain).
  - Develop chronologically secure knowledge of British, local and world history.
Focus for Year 3:
- Changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age (Introduction to prehistory).
- Develop use of historical vocabulary to communicate, including: dates, period, era, and chronology.

Lesson Overview

Duration: 59 minutes
Class size: 28 students
Topic: What is Prehistory?
Lesson Aims:

To understand what 'prehistory' means and how it differs from recorded history.
To explore key characteristics of prehistoric times, focusing on Britain’s Stone Age period.
To develop chronological awareness by placing prehistory on a timeline.
To foster curiosity using engaging multimedia resources.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to:

Define prehistory and explain how it differs from history that has written records.
Identify key features of the Stone Age as the start of prehistory in Britain.
Place prehistory in the correct chronological order relative to other time periods.
Use historical vocabulary such as “prehistoric”, “era”, “chronology”, and “tribe” accurately.

Resources

Interactive PowerPoint slides (detailed and colourful) with images sourced from National Geographic Kids, Britannia Kids, and credible archaeological sources.
Printed timeline strips for each student.
Whiteboard and markers.
‘Prehistory’ keyword flashcards.
Large world timeline poster for classroom display.
Video clip (3-4 mins) from National Geographic Kids – a short introduction to Stone Age life.
A replica Stone Age tool (plastic or 3D image) to pass around.

Lesson Breakdown

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

Engage: Display a large image on the slide of Stonehenge and ask: “What do you think this is? When was it built?”
Explain that this helps us learn about prehistory, a time before people started writing things down.
Show the definition of prehistory on the slide (simple and clear).
Use a timeline slide showing:
- Prehistory (Stone Age) → Ancient Rome → Tudor period → Today.
Activity: Pupils hold timeline strips and put themselves in order around the room.
Link to NC: Developing chronological understanding (KS2 History).

2. Exploration (15 minutes)

PowerPoint Slides:
- Slide 1: What is prehistory?
- Slide 2: Why don’t we have written records? (Explain use of oral traditions and archaeology).
- Slide 3: How do we learn about prehistoric people? (Introduce key archaeological tools like fossils, cave paintings, tools).
- Slide 4: Focus on Britain’s Stone Age, using images from Britannia Kids showing daily life: hunting, fire making, making tools.
Show Video: Short National Geographic Kids clip about the Stone Age lasting 3-4 minutes.
Discussion: What surprised you about how people lived a very long time ago?

3. Activity – Prehistory Detective (20 minutes)

Pupils work in pairs to examine a set of images / artefacts printed on cards (images of cave paintings, Stone Age tools, settlement sketches).
Task: Use clues to decide if the artefact or image belongs to prehistoric times or from a later period.
Pupils use keyword flashcards to help label each card (e.g., “Stone Age”, “prehistoric”, “tool”, “hunter-gatherer”).
Teacher circulates and prompts discussion with questions like:
- “Why do you think this belongs to the Stone Age?”
- “What does this artefact tell us about how people lived?”
Link to National Curriculum: Understanding how people’s lives have changed over time.

4. Consolidation and Assessment (10 minutes)

Whole-class quiz (interactive): Use slides with questions such as:
- What does 'prehistory' mean?
- Name one way we learn about prehistoric people.
- Which period comes first: Stone Age or Tudor?
Ask pupils to write one new thing they learned today on a small post-it note to stick on the “Learning Wall.”
Review misconceptions and key points verbally.

5. Plenary (4 minutes)

Return the Stone Age tool replica/3D image around the class.
Pupils share one word to describe what they now know about prehistory.
Teacher summarises lesson and reminds pupils that prehistory is the start of the timeline of human life in Britain – setting the foundation for future history topics.

Extension/Homework Idea

Create a simple “Prehistory fact file” booklet with pictures and sentences about what life was like in the Stone Age – encouraging research using National Geographic Kids and classroom materials.

Differentiation

Support: Sentence starters for the detective activity for lower ability pupils.
Challenge: Encourage more able pupils to hypothesise why prehistoric people changed from hunter-gatherers to farmers (linking to future lessons).
Visual and auditory materials help engage different learning styles.

Teacher Notes

Ensure the PowerPoint slides are visually engaging—use bright colours, large fonts, and lots of images.
Prior to the lesson, prepare the timeline strips from longest to shortest eras for the GCSE timeline activity.
Keep discussions interactive with open questions to maintain pupil engagement.
Reinforce use of historical vocabulary throughout to build confidence in history language.

This carefully crafted lesson combines chronological skills, vocabulary development, interactive learning, and multimedia resources aligned strictly with the National Curriculum for England. It encourages students to explore prehistory in a dynamic and memorable way suitable for Year 3 learners.

Teaching Instructions