Stone Age to Iron Age activity 2: make a beaker pot
Overview
Children explore prehistoric art and design using examples from Folkestone and the wider world.
They then create and decorate their own Bronze Age pot.
Learning objectives
Increased knowledge and understanding of prehistoric art and design from the Stone Age to the Iron Age.
Increased knowledge and understanding of Bronze Age pottery, death and burial, archaeology, flint tools and weapons.
Research skills.
Design technology skills.
Curriculum links
KS1-2 History (Stone Age).
KS1-2 Art and Design (Prehistoric art, make and decorate a Beaker pot)
Show the class the photo of the Beaker pot in Learn with Objects Stone Age to Iron Age 12: Bronze Age vessel.
Tell them it was unearthed near Folkestone.
Ask the following questions to see if they can come up with some ideas about what it is.
- What material is it made from?
- How was it made?
- How did they make the pattern round the outside?
- What do you think it was used for?
- Is it complete?
- Is it all original?
- What about the slightly darker piece in the middle?
- How do you think it got broken?
- Who do you think discovered it?
- How do you think it was stuck back together?
- Can you tell which are the original pieces?
- When do you think it was made?
Through this discussion, introduce the children to the subject of the Bronze Age, and that Bronze Age communities were living in the Folkestone area, before the town was built. We know about their lives from the evidence they left behind.
The children research the Learn with Objects Stone Age to Bronze Age topic, and other websites, to find out more about prehistoric art and design. What other examples of prehistoric art can they find?
Below are links to some other resources you can use with your class.
Here’s some great background information on prehistoric art in Britain including decorated Beaker pottery.
https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/story-of-england/prehistory/arts-and-invention/
Here’s a video showing how a Beaker pot was made.
Make a Bronze Age Beaker pot
Here’s some top tips from the Young Archaeologists Club on how to make your own Bronze Age Beaker pot using self-hardening clay.
https://www.yac-uk.org/news/bronze-age-beaker-pottery
Learn with Objects links
Use Stone Age to Iron Age 12: Bronze Age vessel