Human Origins. Description. Objectives. 90 Minute Life Science Lesson Gallery Program Grades: 9-12 TEACHER GUIDE

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Sophie Benson
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1 TEACHER GUIDE Human Origins 90 Minute Life Science Lessn Gallery Prgram Grades: 9-12 Human Origins Descriptin All living rganisms n the Earth evlved, humans ntwithstanding. Discver what adaptatins make us human and learn abut the hminin ancestrs frm which we came. The hminin family tree is mre extensive than riginally realized, and cntinually branching with new discveries. Fllw the develpment f mdern humans using infrmatin gleaned frm fssils as ld as 4.5 millin years ag as well as clues frm living primates tday. Objectives Understand that the diversity f species is develped thrugh gradual prcesses. Distinguish between the different primate grups: lemurs, Old and New Wrld mnkeys; apes and hminins (humans and human ancestrs). Describe hw science and technlgy have been used t identify varius lines f evidence fr human evlutin e.g. mlecular: DNA, skeletal: cmparative anatmy, embrylgy and behaviral. Recgnize differences between varius hminin ancestrs: Ardipitheus ramidus; Australpithecus afarensis (Lucy); A. bisei; A. garhi; Hm habilis; H. erectus; H. sapiens neandertalensis; and mdern H. sapiens. Cmparisns will fcus n brain size, diet and tl use. Cnstruct a picture f human migratin ut f Africa and int ther parts f the wrld, and discuss cnditins which allwed this phenmenn t happen.

2 Ohi s Learning Standards Grade 8: Life Science - Species and Reprductin Diversity f species ccurs thrugh gradual prcesses ver many generatins. Fssil recrds prvide evidence that changes have ccurred in number and types f species. High Schl: Bilgy - Evlutin Mechanisms Diversity f Life Befre Yur Museum Visit If this will be yur first trip t the Museum with yur students, yu may want t review the fllwing: What is a Museum? What is ur purpse fr visiting The Cleveland Museum f Natural Histry? Hw shuld we handle bjects at the Museum? Intrduce the vcabulary and additinal resurces prvided belw. Vc abulary adaptatin - an anatmical structure, physilgical prcess r behaviral trait that facilitates an individual s survival in a given envirnment bipedal - walking n tw feet DNA - Dexyribnucleic Acid, special prtein cde - building blcks in all living cells evlutin - any cumulative change in the characteristics f ppulatins f living things frm generatin t generatin; change ver time exaptatin an adaptatin that riginally evlved fr ne purpse but was later used fr anther (e.g. the bnes in the lbe-finned fish allwed them t mve thrugh shallw water r emergent vegetatin, but were then prven t be useful fr limited mvement ver land.) femur - the thighbne framen magnum (f ray men mag nem) - the large pening at the base f the skull thrugh which the spinal crd passes frugivre (fr ji vr) - an animal that primarily eats fruit hminid - the grup cnsisting f all mdern and extinct great apes (that is, mdern humans, chimpanzees, grillas and rangutans plus all their immediate ancestrs) hminin - the grup cnsisting f mdern humans, extinct human ancestrs and all ur ancestrs (including members f the genera Hm, Australpithecus, Paranthrpus and Ardipithecus) after the split frm the chimpanzees, 5 t 6 millin years ag

3 melanin a dark brwn pigment fund in the bdy, especially in the skin and hair. Prduced by special skin cells that are sensitive t sunlight, melanin prtects the bdy by absrbing ultravilet radiatin frm the sun. lfactry lbe - the part f the brain that prcesses infrmatin abut smell pelvis - the hip bnes primates - the rder f mammals which includes lemurs, mnkeys, apes and humans sagittal crest - a thin ridge f bne n tp the skull which anchrs the tempral r jaw muscles scavenger - feeds n carrin (dead animal flesh) r rganic refuse (e.g. rtting vegetatin) sterescpic visin - the ability t use bth eyes t view the same visual field, resulting in depth perceptin traits - distinguishing characteristics r qualities Extensin Activities 1. Read abut scientists at wrk. Use the attached article guide frm Science Over Everything. The guide will direct yu t a blg entry describing CMNH curatr, Dr. Denise Su's, research n fssils in Eastern Africa. 2. One f the features that distinguish primates frm ther mammals is an ppsable thumb n a five-digit hand. T illustrate the imprtance f this feature, have students tape their thumbs t their palms and then try perfrming varius activities: writing their names, tying and untying a knt, tying their shes, using a frk and knife t eat, etc. Try ther challenges. 3. T highlight the imprtance f sterescpic visin and the relatinship it has t depth perceptin, ask students t sit at their desks, and draw a dt n a piece f paper. Then ask them t sit still with their eyes clsed fr 2-3 minutes. Afterwards, ask students t pen ne eye and try t tuch the dt. Chances are they will miss because they are viewing the field with nly ne eye, and they cannt judge distances crrectly. Discuss with students the imprtance f depth perceptin t ur early ancestrs wh lived in trees (traveling, catching insects fr fd). 4. Lk at a wrld map, and mark in the lcatins f fssil human ancestrs, including early Hm sapiens. Put the age f the fssil next t the dt. What des this say abut the gegraphic rigins f humans? In what climate znes did these early ancestrs evlve? Are any patterns evident fr the later migratins f humans acrss the cntinents? Online Resurces fr Teachers and Students Click the link belw t find additinal nline resurces. These websites are recmmended by ur Museum Educatrs and prvide additinal cntent infrmatin. CMNH Educatrs regularly review these links fr quality. Web addresses ften change s please ntify us if any links have issues. Please nte that aside frm ur wn Museum website, the Museum is nt affiliated with and des nt endrse these nline resuces.

Educatr Resurce Center (ERC) The Educatr Resurce Center ffers educatr wrkshps, thematic teaching kits, animal diramas, and mre fr lan t area teachers.

4 Educatr Resurce Center (ERC) The Educatr Resurce Center ffers educatr wrkshps, thematic teaching kits, animal diramas, and mre fr lan t area teachers. Cntact the ERC at fr infrmatin n individual r schl membership. Visit the Museum s ERC website fr mre infrmatin n wrkshps Hurs Mnday, 2 t 5 PM Wednesday, 2 t 6 PM Friday, 2 t 5 PM Saturday, 9 AM t 1 PM Clsed Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday Materials fr Lan If yu re interested in additinal resurces be sure t check ut the fllwing ERC materials r brwse ERC materials nline at : Related ERC kits fr this tpic include: Lucy, Human, Chimp: Includes casts f pelvis, femur, skull, and mandible frm Lucy, a chimpanzee and a mdern human. Hminid Skull Cllectin: Skull casts f Hm habilus, Hm erectus, Australpithercus bisei, Australpithecus aethipicus, and mre. Includes calipers fr measuring the casts and resurces n evlutin.

Article Guide: Paleenvirnment f Eden What was the Wrld f Early Human Ancestrs Really Like? http://sciencevereverything.

5 Article Guide: Paleenvirnment f Eden What was the Wrld f Early Human Ancestrs Really Like? Part 1: Directins: Read the entire article Paleenvirnment f Eden What was the Wrld f Early Human Ancestrs Really Like? t yurself Bx vcabulary wrds r wrds that yu have nt seen befre Underline in the text where the fcus questins are addressed Answer each fcus questin Fcus questins 1. Why is Eastern Africa s imprtant t scientists like Dr. Su? 2. What kind f lgistical challenges des Dr. Su and her research team face while wrking in the field? 3. What kind f envirnment did early humans live in? Part 2: Directins: Read each understanding questin Think abut what yu wuld need t knw t answer that questin Read the article a secnd time with a partner. Answer each understanding questin

6 Understanding questins 1. Identify tw types f fssils which wuld be useful t recnstructing the paleenvirnment f hminids. Then explain what each fssil culd tell yu abut the paleenvirnment. 2. Why wuld having a diverse diet f plants, seeds, fruits, insects, and meat be an evlutinary advantage? Why wuld this be particularly helpful t ancient humans? Part 3: Directins: Read the article a final time as a class. Discuss as a large grup hw yu wuld address the extensin questin Write a respnse t the extensin questin Extensin Questin Imagine yu are graduate student wrking in the field fr Dr. Su. Over the curse f the field seasn, yu find a several fssils, catalgued in the chart belw. Fssil Type Species Egg Arbreal snake Pllen Ancient tree Tth A. afarensis Tail bne Lemur What kind f envirnment d yu think d yu think ur ancestrs lived in? Hw did they live and what culd they have eaten? Supprt yur claim with evidence frm the chart and explain yur reasning.

Success Criteria: Extend your thinking:

Success Criteria: Extend your thinking: Discussin Directr Yur jb is t invlve thers in cnversatin abut the text by getting them t think and talk abut the BIG IDEAS in the chapter/ sectin they have just read. Cmpse 5 questins that yu want t discuss