The wheel was also invented during this time, along with irrigation. Writing began to develop in some Bronze Age communities.
Teach your children about the Bronze Age using our handy topic guide!
Teaching Ideas
- Show the children this Bronze Age mace head found near Stonehenge in Wiltshire. Click on “Teaching Ideas” to the right for a learning sequence exploring the artefact and its significance.
- Read the information about Bronze Age life on this BBC page, and make a comparison of life in the Bronze Age to life today.
- Introduce the archaeology of the Bronze Age using these terrific resources from Historic England. There are PowerPoints and teaching activities about the finds from Must Farm in Cambridgeshire, England.
- Make your own Bronze Age tools or musical instruments with everyday materials using the ideas in this blog post.
- Create a fact file about Bronze using information from this infographic.
Resources
- Our Early Human History Pack includes lots of information and resources about the Bronze Age.
- Use our Bronze Age Banners and Letters on your display board.
- Download an image bank of Bronze Age artefacts from the British Museum’s website.
Bronze Age Facts
- Different parts of the world entered the Bronze Age at different times, as the technology became known. It is likely that the people of Sumer (in the area of modern-day Iraq) began using bronze around 3300 BCE, while Britain and China did not use it until much later.
- Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin.
- Bronze is made by melting tin and copper together. Adding the tin makes the copper harder and more durable.
- Moulds of sand or clay were filled with molten bronze, which cooled and hardened.
- Metal weapons such as spears, daggers and swords were all first used during the Bronze Age.
Videos
KS2 Prehistory – The Bronze Age
This video is a great introduction to the Bronze Age from the Museum of London.
Running time: 4:13
Smelting at Great Orme Mines 2021
Find out about Bronze Age smelting techniques used to make an axe.
Running time: 2:32
Life in a Bronze Age settlement
Learn about everyday life in the Bronze Age.
Running time: 2:46
The Bronze Age I The Importance of Bronze
This video explains the properties and uses of bronze.
Running time: 2:24
Books
The Boy with the Bronze Axe
Kali and Brockan are grateful for help from the stranger with the sharp axe, but how will the people of Skara Brae react?
Bronze Age
This book is perfect for children to read independently.
Discovery of a Bronze Age Village
This levelled non-fiction book introduces children to the archaeology of the Bronze Age.
Time-Traveller’s Guide to the Bronze Age
Confident readers will enjoy this reference book.
Stone Age to Iron Age
This book covers the prehistory of Britain and places the Bronze Age in context.
Links
- Visit the Google Arts and Culture Bronze Age project.
- Browse or search the thousands of Bronze Age artefacts on the British Museum website.
- Learn how Bronze was made on this DKfindout! page.
Are you teaching your children about other topics? Explore our full collection of guides!
