Early Humans Newspaper Activity

The discovery of the Lascaux Cave Paintings in France gave social scientists an important view into the lives of prehistoric people. This was front page news in 1940 during a time when much of Europe was consumed by World War II. The story of the discovery itself by four teenagers is fascinating for students as are their contributions to our understanding of early humans. In this activity, students will create a newspaper that retells this discovery or any other related to early humans. They can use the 5 Ws as a guide. Teachers can have students answer questions like: Who made the discovery? Where and When did it occur? What did they find? Why is it important?

Suggested Early Human Discoveries

1. Hiram Bingham’s discovery of Machu Picchu in 1911
2. Howard Carter’s discovery of King Tut’s tomb in 1922
3. Mary Leakey’s discovery of Homo habilis in 1960
4. Donald Johnson’s discovery of “Lucy” in 1974

Due Date:

Objective: Retell the story of the discovery of the Lascaux Cave Paintings or another major archeological discovery.

Student Instructions:

1. Using school resources, conduct research on the discovery of the Lascaux Cave paintings by 4 teenagers in France in1940.
2. Using the Newspaper Template, write about the 5Ws (Who, What, When, Where and Why) of the story.
3. Add appropriate scenes, characters and items to illustrate the story.

Requirements: 1-2 sentences explaining the 5Ws: Who made the discovery? Where and When did it occur? What did they find? Why is it important?