Sparking Change Worksheet
Grade 5 Social Studies • Text: "Fire and Language"
Sparking Change: Early Humans & Fire
Large-Print Edition
Name:
Date:
Class:
Word Bank for Topics 1 & 2 Use each word once in the boxes below
better poisons nutrients chewing shrank brains
1
Cooking & Diet
Text Clues: Paragraph 2
Flavor:
Cooking wild plants and game made food taste significantly .
Plant Safety:
Heat removed dangerous and harmful found in raw plants.
Digestion & Health:
Cooked food helped human bodies absorb key more easily.
2
Health & The Human Body
Text Clues: Paragraph 2
Softer Food:
Soft, cooked meals required much less energy and heavy .
Body Changes:
Over thousands of years, human teeth, jaws, and guts in size.
Extra Energy:
Extra calories and easier digestion helped human grow larger.
Early Humans Investigation Packet • Fill-in Activity PAGE 1 OF 3
Sparking Change: Early Humans & Fire
Name:
Word Bank for Topics 3 & 4 Use each word once in the boxes below
predators sunset security warmth words stories
3
Safety, Light & Night
Text Clues: Paragraph 5
Night Protection:
Bright flames and hot embers scared off dangerous night .
More Waking Hours:
Humans were no longer forced to sleep as soon as the arrived.
Comfort & Peace of Mind:
Warm firelight reduced fear in dark caves and provided .
4
Socializing & Language
Text Clues: Paragraph 3
Gathering Together:
Hunting bands sat around the hearth fire to cook and share .
Developing Speech:
Sitting together gave early people a reason to talk and craft .
Sharing Culture:
Firelight helped people pass down traditions, skills, and .
Early Humans Investigation Packet • Fill-in Activity PAGE 2 OF 3
Sparking Change: Climate, Inventions & CER
Name:
Word Bank for Topics 5 & 6 5 words for 5 blanks
colder forests blades pots metal
5
Adapting to Climate
Para 5
Cold Climates:
Warmth let humans move into regions.
Clearing Land:
Fires cleared thick for planting.
6
New Inventions
Para 6
Stone Tools:
Heat helped shape rocks into .
Clay Pottery:
Baked clay created hard for cooking.
Metals:
Smelting was used to shape tools.
Synthesize: Claim, Evidence & Reasoning (CER)
4 Points Total
Question: Which change caused by fire had the greatest impact on early humans' daily lives?
1. CLAIM (1 pt): State which change was most impactful.
Sentence Starter: "I claim that the most important change was..."
2. EVIDENCE (2 pts): Give two distinct facts from the text.
Sentence Starter: "According to the text, fire..."
3. REASONING (1 pt): Explain *why* this changed their daily lives.
Sentence Starter: "This mattered most because..."
Quick-Check:
Clear Claim (1 pt) Two Text Facts (2 pts) Explains Why (1 pt)
Early Humans Investigation Packet • Synthesis & CER PAGE 3 OF 3
