🧩 THE BIG CHANGE: SPLIT-SCREEN DRAWING

Directions

Read the Paleolithic vs. Neolithic reading carefully. Then create one complete picture of life BEFORE and one complete picture of life AFTER the Neolithic Revolution.

BEFORE — Paleolithic

On the left side, draw a scene that shows what life was like during the Paleolithic Era.

Use information from the reading to show:

• People

• Food

• Shelter

• Tools

• Group size

• Resources

AFTER — Neolithic

On the right side, draw a scene that shows what life was like during the Neolithic Era.

Show how life changed because of farming and permanent settlements.

✏️ Your Goal

Use the information you read to create your own visual.

Your drawing should:

• Include details from the reading

• Show clear differences between BEFORE and AFTER

• Include labels to identify important details

• Show more than just one person or object

💡 THINK LIKE A HISTORIAN

• What would I see if I could step into a Paleolithic community?

• What would I see if I could step into a Neolithic community?

Your drawings should SHOW the BIG CHANGE.

Readings:

🌾 Food Supply

Paleolithic — Before

Paleolithic people were hunter-gatherers. They hunted animals such as deer and gathered wild plants, fruits, nuts, and berries. They had to search for food wherever it was available. Sometimes food was plentiful, but at other times it was difficult to find enough.

Neolithic — After

During the Neolithic Era, people learned to produce their own food. Early farmers planted seeds and learned to cultivate, or grow, useful plants such as wheat, barley, rice, and corn. People also domesticated, or tamed and raised, animals such as sheep, dogs, cats, and cattle.

Animals could provide meat and milk and could also help people carry heavy loads. Growing plants and raising animals together is called agriculture.

Farming gave people a more reliable food supply. Farmers could sometimes grow more food than they immediately needed. This extra food was called a food surplus. Extra food could be saved and stored for later.

🧵 Occupation / Jobs

Paleolithic — Before

Most Paleolithic people spent much of their time finding food. People hunted animals, gathered plants, made tools, prepared food, and cared for their families. Everyone needed to help the group survive.

Neolithic — After

Farming created a food surplus. When farmers produced more food than their families needed right away, some people did not have to spend all of their time growing food.

People could develop specialized jobs, which means they focused on a particular skill or type of work. Some people became weavers who made cloth from wool or plant fibers. Others became potters, builders, toolmakers, or miners.

At Çatal Höyük, people spun and wove natural fibers such as wool and linen into cloth. Other people worked with flint and obsidian to make sharp tools, jewelry, and mirrors. Builders decorated homes and created special rooms called shrines.

🏘️ Population / Settlement

Paleolithic — Before

Paleolithic people usually lived in small groups. Groups might have about 20–60 people. They moved from place to place when they needed to find new sources of food, water, or shelter.

Neolithic — After

Farming created a food surplus. When farmers produced more food than their families needed right away, some people did not have to spend all of their time growing food.

People could develop specialized jobs, which means they focused on a particular skill or type of work. Some people became weavers who made cloth from wool or plant fibers. Others became potters, builders, toolmakers, or miners.

At Çatal Höyük, people spun and wove natural fibers such as wool and linen into cloth. Other people worked with flint and obsidian to make sharp tools, jewelry, and mirrors. Builders decorated homes and created special rooms called shrines.

🏠 Shelter

Paleolithic — Before

Paleolithic people used shelters that could be moved or found in nature. Some lived in caves, while others built simple tents or lean-tos from wood, animal skins, and other materials. Their shelters were often temporary because groups moved from place to place.

Neolithic — After

Neolithic people began building permanent homes because they were staying in one place. Houses could be made from mud bricks, stone, or wood. Some homes had several rooms for different activities. People could have special places for cooking, sleeping, storing food, and making tools. Some houses had flat roofs that people could use as extra living or working space.

At places such as Çatal Höyük, houses were built very close together. Some homes were entered from the roof instead of through a door on the ground. Ladders could be used to reach the entrance.

🪨 Technology

Paleolithic — Before

Paleolithic people made tools from materials such as stone, bone, and wood. They used tools for hunting, cutting, scraping, and preparing food. They also used animal skins to make clothing and other useful items.

Neolithic — After

Neolithic people developed new and improved tools. They made sharper blades from flint and obsidian. They also learned to polish stone, creating strong axes that could be used to cut down trees and clear land for farming. People began making pottery from clay. Pots could be used to cook food and store grain, water, and other supplies.

People also learned to make woven cloth from plant fibers or animal wool. In some places, people began using small amounts of copper and gold to make tools, jewelry, and other objects.

🐚 Trade / Resources

Paleolithic — Before

Paleolithic groups mostly used materials they could find nearby. People sometimes exchanged items with other groups, but they usually depended on the resources around them.

Neolithic — After

Permanent villages and new skills helped trade grow. People could make extra goods and exchange them for things they did not have nearby. For example, people traded for obsidian, a volcanic rock that could be made into very sharp tools. Some communities also traded for seashells, which could be used to make jewelry.

Trade did more than move objects from one place to another. People also shared ideas, skills, technology, and new ways of doing things. Trade helped connect communities that were far apart.