📜 History in Year 3

In Year 3, our history learning takes us on an exciting journey through prehistory in Britain and one of the world’s most fascinating ancient civilisations: Ancient Egypt.

We develop key historical skills by asking questions, using evidence, making comparisons, and building an understanding of how the past has shaped the world we live in today. Our enquiry-based approach encourages children to think like historians, exploring both the big picture and the everyday lives of people in the past.

Autumn Term – Stone Age to Iron Age

Enquiry Question: How did life change in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age?

Children will explore how early humans survived as hunter-gatherers before settling into farming communities, and how new materials and technologies transformed life over thousands of years. We investigate homes, tools, food, art, and ceremonies, as well as significant archaeological discoveries (such as Skara Brae and Stonehenge) to understand how life evolved.

National Curriculum Link:

• Changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age.

Key Vocabulary:

• Hunter-gatherer, settlement, archaeology, Neolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age, artefact, Skara Brae, Stonehenge, ceremony, technology.

Key Knowledge:

• People lived in simple huts during the Stone Age.

• Stone, bronze, and iron were used to make tools and weapons.

• Farming changed the way people lived, leading to permanent settlements.

• Evidence (such as cave art, monuments, and artefacts) tells us about beliefs and daily life.

Spring/Summer Term – Ancient Egypt

Enquiry Question: What was life like in Ancient Egypt and how do we know?

Children will discover the achievements of one of the earliest civilisations. We explore the River Nile’s importance, Egyptian writing, farming, religion, and daily life, as well as famous pharaohs and the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb. By examining artefacts, monuments, and written records, children will learn how historians piece together the past.

National Curriculum Link:

• The achievements of the earliest civilisations: an overview of where and when the first civilisations appeared, and a depth study of Ancient Egypt.

Key Vocabulary:

• Pharaoh, pyramid, mummification, hieroglyphics, tomb, artefact, civilisation, Nile, afterlife, archaeology, Tutankhamun.

Key Knowledge:

• The River Nile was essential for farming, transport, and survival.

• Pharaohs were powerful rulers, often buried in elaborate tombs.

• Ancient Egyptians believed in an afterlife and developed mummification.

• Archaeological discoveries, such as Tutankhamun’s tomb, help us understand Egyptian beliefs and daily life.