New
New
Year 3
Skara Brae and life in the Neolithic Era
I can explain why archaeologists think humans began to farm in Britain during the Neolithic Era.
New
New
Year 3
Skara Brae and life in the Neolithic Era
I can explain why archaeologists think humans began to farm in Britain during the Neolithic Era.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- The Neolithic Era saw lots of changes for early humans in Britain.
- Animal bones found during excavations suggest that this is when humans began to domesticate animals such as cattle.
- This was the first time that people started deliberately planting and harvesting crops.
- Excavations at Skara Brae have unearthed barley seeds, suggesting cultivation.
- New technologies developed: this is the first period from which archaeologists find pottery, including at Skara Brae.
Keywords
Neolithic Era - the Neolithic Era is also known as the New Stone Age and is the third and final part of the Stone Age
Domesticated - a domesticated plant or animal is under human control
Pottery - items made out of clay are called pottery
Common misconception
That all Neolithic houses were built from stone.
Explain that many Neolithic house in Britain were built from wood and daub. Houses at Skara Brae were built from stone as no wood was available.
Look at images of Neolithic pots. Support children to use air drying clay to make their own thumb pots and decorate with patterns.
Teacher tip
Equipment
Some clay to make pots.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on
Open Government Licence version 3.0
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).Starter quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.
Which Stone Age Era began approximately 12 000 years ago?
Paleolithic Era
Neolithic Era
Q2.
Which Stone Age Era is sometimes called the Middle Stone Age?
Paleolithic Era
Neolithic Era
Q3.
How did Mesolithic humans find food?
They were farmers who planted and harvested crops.
They were shoppers who went to the bakers, butchers and grocers.
Q4.
The Stone Age is divided into parts.
Q5.
Nomadic means...
someone who settles in one place to live
someone who plants and harvests crops for food
someone who farms animals such as sheep, cows and pigs
Q6.
The time period before written records were kept is called ...
Exit quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.
Match each era to its alternative name
Early Stone Age
Middle Stone Age
New Stone Age
Q2.
In which part of the Stone Age do archaeologists believe humans began farming?
Early Stone Age
Middle Stone Age
Q3.
What is pottery?
items made from glass
items made from metal
items made from wood
Q4.
Which animals do archaeologists believe Neolithic humans domesticated?
elephants
hippos
Q5.
What do archaeologists believe seeds discovered at Skara Brae are evidence of?
Neolithic humans were hunter-gatherers.
Neolithic humans hunted wild animals.
Q6.
What shape do archaeologists believe Neolithic homes were?
rectangular
hexagonal
octagonal
Additional material
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