Lesson 2

Hunters & Gatherers

How did people survive without farming? 

Hunter-gatherer communities relied on detailed knowledge of wild plants, animals, seasons, and local environments. Hunting, gathering, tools, fire, and cooperation show the different ways people met their needs before farming became widespread.

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KEY IDEAS
  • Hunter-gatherers found food by hunting and gathering instead of growing their own.
  • Groups moved from place to place to follow food through the seasons.
  • Early tools and fire helped people survive and do things their bodies alone couldn't.
  • Different hunter-gatherer groups adapted differently depending on where they lived.
  • Cooperation and teamwork were essential to survival.

SUGGESTED PICTURE BOOK
This Wolf was Different by Katie Slivensky 

PROJECT
Students will sort "wild animals" versus "domesticated animals"

VOCABULARY
  • Hunter-gatherer – a person who finds food by hunting animals and gathering wild plants
  • Nomadic – moving from place to place instead of staying in one location
  • Shelter – a place that protects people from weather and danger
  • Tools – objects people make to help them do work, like cutting or digging
  • Survival – staying alive by meeting basic needs like food, water, and safety
  • Migration – moving from one place to another, often following seasons or food

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
  • What's one challenge hunter-gatherers faced?
  • Why do you think fire was so important?
  • What tool do you think would have been most useful to have, and why?
Digging Deeper
  • If you could only eat food you found outside today, what would you look for?
  • What would be the hardest part about moving to a new place every few weeks?

Timeline
  • c. 300,000 BCE: Early Homo sapiens emerge in Africa, living by hunting and gathering.
  • c. 50,000 BCE: Humans spread across most continents, adapting tools and shelter to new climates.
  • c. 17,000 BCE: Cave art, like paintings at Lascaux, shows hunter-gatherer belief and storytelling.
  • c. 10,000 BCE: Some groups begin settling near reliable food sources, setting the stage for farming.