by Ms. Henshelwood – 25 – 19th August 2011

This week the students explored the factors that contributed to the formation of the first civilization. Students were transported back 11,000 years ago and had to undergo two different simulation experiences – (1) independently then (1) within a group society. Through the simulated activities students were expected to find food, shelter and water to experience firsthand the hardship of independent existence, then the relative ease of societal living.

For station 1: Water: The students had to use a spoon to carry water from the River (a large blue tub) to a cup on their desk.

For station 2: Shelter: The students used construction paper, modeling clay and toothpicks to model a shelter that would protect them from the elements.

Station 3: Food (farming) or (hunting):

Farming: To farm, students needed to answer various farming questions, have them marked, if all answers were correct, they were each given a seed (cheerio) to plant outside in the garden. The students earned all 20 food units if they planted a seed.

Hunting: Students had to find 20 units of food to survive. Slips of paper with food units printed on them were hidden around the room and the students had to ‘hunt’ for them until they had 20 food units.

Only a few students managed to successfully survive in the harsh conditions of the budding civilization.

For the second simulation, the students engaged in the same experience with a few amendments.

Station 1 Water: Students selected 1 or 2 people in their civilization to be inventors. They would then construct a paper Pottery Wheel, which would have made a bowl in ancient times, they therefore were given a plastic bowl to use for carrying water from the river to fill the cups on their desks.

Station 2 Shelter: Only 1 student needed to build a shelter that would house all members in their civilization.

Station 3 Food: Only 1 students had to complete the Farming Question Sheet, then submit for marking. If all answers were correct, all group members were credited with a seed (cheerio) to plant and received 20 food units each.

All members of each civilization successfully survived!

The students had a fantastic time engaging in these simulation experiences and learned a lot about Ancient civilizations.