Exploring History Through Art

We’ve been diving into early history with Curiosity Chronicles, and one of the topics that sparked our curiosity was prehistoric cave paintings. To bring this lesson to life, I set up a hands-on experience by creating a "cave wall" where my kids could explore the art of early humans. This project was inspired by our history curriculum and provided a fun, immersive way to connect with the past! Here's what you'll need to create your hands on project:

Materials Needed:

• Large pieces of cardboard (saved from packages)
• Masking tape (to protect walls)
• Brown packing paper (saved from packages)
  
• Printed images of real cave paintings
• Red rock, charcoal*, oil pastels (or any earthy-toned drawing materials)

* if you have a fire pit or have access to one, I would just grab charcoal from there like we did. however it can break easily in the littlest hands, which can be frustrating. 

Setting Up the Cave Wall

1. Create Texture with Cardboard
   To give the wall a more authentic, rugged look, I used pieces of cardboard to create ridges and depth. I taped these to the wall with masking tape to avoid damage.

2. Layer the Packing Paper
   Next, I covered the entire setup with brown packing paper, crinkling and layering it to mimic the uneven surface of a cave wall.

3. Add Inspiration
   To help spark creativity, I printed out images of real cave paintings and placed them into the picture frames above the setup and around the materials. This gave the kids a reference point to inspire their drawings.

4. Exploring Prehistoric Tools
   Instead of traditional crayons or markers, I provided red rock (for ochre-like pigment), charcoal from our fire pit, and oil pastels. This allowed them to experiment with natural materials, just like early humans might have done. (aside from the oil pastels of course)

Creating the Cave Paintings

We have already been learning about this time in history, but we watched a virtual tour of The Caves of Lascaux which is an amazing tool. We also read the book "Discovering in the Caves" by Mark Dubowski. This is technically an early reader however, it had beautiful inspiring illustrations and told the story of discovering the caves in an age appropriate way. 

Then the kids got to work, using their hands and the materials provided to make marks, symbols, and drawings. They created animals, handprints, and abstract shapes, all while learning about the significance of prehistoric art.

Why This Activity Worked So Well

• Hands-on Learning: Kids engage with history in a tangible, immersive way.
• Art & Creativity: They explore drawing techniques using different tools.
• Sensory Experience: The textures of paper, charcoal, and rocks add a rich sensory element.

This was such a fun and meaningful activity that combined history, art, and storytelling. If you try it, I’d love to hear how it goes!

Kendra 

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