Prehistoric Habitat Boxes

For this lesson, fourth and fifth graders learned an interdisciplinary topic that connects art and science. Through studying geological timelines in evolutionary history, students were able to begin to explore how humans came to be. From the smallest single-celled organisms to modern humans today, our students picked historical creatures to replicate and construct habitats for, creating a better understanding of our history as humans on Earth. The three-dimensional sculpting of these historical animals facilitates muscle memory, which increases information retention and enhances fine motor skills.

Students viewed an introductory slideshow with information on the Paleozoic Era (570 million-245 million years ago), Mesozoic Era (245-66 million years ago), and Cenozoic Era (66 million years ago - Today). Each of their organisms is from one of these three eras.