On the 3rd and 8th of April the students from Grade 5 and Grade 6 went on a Virtual Field Trip to Krapina, Croatia.
The pupils found out facts and interesting information about the region around Krapina, visited the Virtual Krapina Neanderthal Museum and watched a film about Neanderthals in Europe.
It seems they had a nice day. Here are some comments from the students:
- 900 fossil bones of Neanderthals who lived 125,000 years ago were uncovered in Krapina
- The Neanderthals wore skin from animals not only for warmth but also for disguise. To survive, Neanderthals changed girls between groups for breeding, sometimes they would even kidnap them
- Almost all fossils have a serious injury
- Neanderthals’ DNA is similar to the one of modern humans
- I learned how Neanderthals lived in their habitat. I learned how they evolved from the museum video. I learned what they looked like and what was their appearance
- I have learned a lot! First of all, they were the first species to adapt to the cold climate, they had very big cavities, had extra vitamins and more. They had to consume up to 4000 calories per day! As well as they thought that 42 was an old age to die but nowadays it is considered young. They left a lot of evidence behind
- I have learnt that women were also skilled hunters, they were smart and knew how to control fire
- I learned that the Neanderthals were one of the most adapted for survival in the harsh climate. They were good at hunting and were hunting for food. Their spears were heavy and hard to throw, so they had to come close. They were one of the first people to start using fire. I also learned that they became extinct because homo sapiens came from Africa, and because they were better adapted (not physically though) they had a better chance of survival. They also had a bigger brain and better weapons
- They are good at hunting and hunt a lot. People found evidence of their bones. It was hard for them with the weather but they used animal skin so they got warm. They lived also during the ice age. They lived with groups or altogether. Some men would go hunting while women were making woolly coats with animal skins for them or making fire. Sometimes babies would die from cold or other problems. They were more evolved so they had better tools but not as good as nowadays. They had sharp rocks that were used for simple things or maybe even to make fire, while spears and sharp tools were used for hunting. They were really good at communication but sadly were not the smartest, but they lived for a long time. They were a little smaller than modern humans but could be stronger
- Caves were the ideal place to shelter from the midday sun in the equatorial regions. The stable temperatures of caves provided a cool habitat in summers and a warm, dry shelter in the winter. Approximately 100,000 years ago, some Neanderthal humans dwelt in caves in Europe and western Asia
Leopoldina Poli Hočevar Eve