Grade 5 Social Studies students participated in an Early Civilization Simulation where they had to try to survive by themselves, then in a society to meet their basic needs of water, food and shelter.

1. HENSHELWOOD’S SOCIAL STUDIES
CLASS
by PETA HENSHELWOOD

2. 1st civilization Activity
Students Trying to Survive Independently –

3.  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.
 Station 1: Water: The students had to use a spoon to carry water from the River
(a large tub) to a cup on their desk.
 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 (invisible
seeds) 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.
EXPLANATION OF SIMULATION

6. 
DID THEY ALL
SURVIVE?
ASK YOUR CHILD, WHY WAS SURVIVING INDEPENDENTLY
SO DIFFICULT?

7. Day 2 - 1st Civilization Activity
Students Trying to Survive as a Group
HENSHELWOOD SOCIAL STUDIES CLASS

8. 
 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 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.
DAY 2 – WORKING TOGETHER AS
A CIVILIZATION

12. 
DID THEY ALL
SURVIVE?
ASK YOUR CHILD, WHY LIVING IN A GROUP CIVILIZATION
MADE SURVIVING MUCH EASIER?