India Component: Children Workshop

The first of a series of workshops for children and teachers was initiated with primary school students and teachers from the Mrs. Ellen Sharma Memorial Nursery and Primary School, Mylapore, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. A total of 44 children and 8 teachers participated in the workshop entitled “Let’s Explore the Stone Age”. An introductory audio-visual talk summarised the story of human evolution and prehistory, with children handling stone tools and fossil replicas gaining an introductory perspective on this topic. Subsequently, they excavated two mock-trenches uncovering fossils, bones and stone tools thereby gaining an understanding of the process of archaeological research ranging from the field to the lab. They then learn all about fossils and made a fossil impression of a shell, following which they learn about how to make a cast of impressions. This was an item that they took home with them. Subsequently, they were introduced to rock art and thought about themes, made their own colours and executed rock art projects to express their thoughts. Dr Akhilesh then demonstrated stone tool knapping knocking off flakes from a core. Children then were given protective gloves and flakes and experimented on using them on wood pieces. Lastly, a discussion was followed by an art session, where children expressed what they enjoyed in the form of art. Certificates were distributed in the school, by Dr. Kumar Akhilesh.