How did the first farmers live?

They lived in caves and moved away each winter

They moved to a new camp every few days

They lived in one place all year in strong stone houses

Instead of only hunting and gathering, how did the first farmers get their food?

They went fishing in boats every day

They swapped shells for food with other villages

They kept animals and grew barley

Why was there a fire in the middle of the stone house?

To make the stone walls dry and hard

To send smoke signals to other farms

A Stone House of the First Farmers

Age 8 · History

Open to everyone until Thursday, October 29

To keep it, print it while it is open.

Over 5,000 years ago, early farmers stopped moving around and built strong houses out of stone, like the ones at Skara Brae. They kept cattle, sheep and pigs and grew barley to make food.

In the picture

The hearth: a fire in the middle of the house for warmth, light and cooking
The box bed: a stone bed filled with heather and soft furs
The stone dresser: shelves for clay pots and barley
The stone door: it leads out to the cattle and sheep on the farm

Examples

Bread and porridge today are still made from grains, just like the barley these farmers grew.
Farms today still keep cows, sheep and pigs for milk, wool and meat.

Key takeaways

The first farmers lived in one place all year in strong stone houses.
They kept animals and grew barley instead of only hunting and gathering.

Quiz: A Stone House of the First Farmers (Age 8)

1
How did the first farmers live?
- They lived in caves and moved away each winter
- They moved to a new camp every few days
- They lived in one place all year in strong stone houses
2
Instead of only hunting and gathering, how did the first farmers get their food?
- They went fishing in boats every day
- They swapped shells for food with other villages
- They kept animals and grew barley
3
Why was there a fire in the middle of the stone house?
- To make the stone walls dry and hard
- To send smoke signals to other farms
- For warmth, light and cooking

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History, Age 8