Early  Humans  A  15  day  unit  for  6th  graders  

   

Trinh  Le        

Introduction: Framework Connection: When studying the discoveries in East Africa, by Donald Johanson, Tim White, and the Leakey Family, of early humankinds, students should come to understand that ancestors of present-day humans lived in these regions 4.5 million years ago. They should also understand the interaction between the environment and the developing lifestyles of prehistoric peoples as they moved from hunter-gatherers to food producers. History-Social Science Standard: 6.1 Students describe what is known through archaeological studies of the early physical and cultural development of humankind from the Paleolithic era to the agricultural revolution. History-Social Science Analysis Skill(s): Chronological and Spatial Thinking

1. Students place key events and people of the historical era in chronological sequence and within a spatial context; they interpret timelines.

2. Students correctly apply terms related to time, including past, present, future, decade, century, and generation.

3. Students explain how the present is connected to the past, identifying both similarities and differences between the tow, and how some things change over time and some things stay the same.

Reading/Language Arts Content Standards:

1. Reading o 2.4 Clarify an understanding of texts by creating outlines, logical notes, summaries,

or reports. --- As the students read about the discovery of Lucy in Donald Johanson’s book, “Lucy’s Child,” they will take notes and summarize what they’ve read in order to help them prepare for the paragraph they have to write on the test.

2. Writing o 1.1 Choose the form of writing (e.g., personal letter, letter to the editor, review,

poem, report, narrative) that best suits the intended purpose. --- After reading an excerpt in Johanson’s book, “Lucy’s Child,” students will learn that Johanson’s discovery led him to return to Olduvai Gorge, a dusty ravine in Tanzania first put on the paleoanthropological map by Louis and Mary Leakey, to search for more fossils. Many of Johanson’s colleagues warned him that the Leakeys had already found everything there was to be found at Olduvai’s trove, but he that did not stop him. Based on the facts and notes they’ve taken from the book, each student will imagine that he/she is Donald Johanson and will write a letter to the Leakeys sharing Johanson’s exciting discovery of Lucy, and how it has motivated him to return to the Olduvai Gorge.

3. Written & Oral English Language Conventions o 1.1 Use simple, compound, and compound-complex sentences; use effective

coordination and subordination of ideas to express complete thoughts. --- In the letter written from Johanson to the Leakeys (and the paragraph they have to write for the test), students are encouraged to use a variety of sentence structures.

o 1.3 use colons after the salutation in business letters, semicolons to connect independent clauses, and commas when linking two clauses with a conjunction in compound sentences. --- Students are expected to display correct comma usage in their writing. If they decide to make

o 1.4 Use correct capitalization. --- Points will be deducted for capitalization errors. By sixth grade, they should already know this.

4. Listening & Speaking Australopithecus, Homo Habilus, Homo Erectus, Homo Sapiens, and Homo Sapiens Sapiens o 2.3 Deliver oral responses to literature: a. Develop an interpretation exhibiting careful

reading, understanding, and insight; b. Organize the selected interpretation around several clear ideas, premises or images; c. Develop and justify the selected interpretation through sustained use of examples and textual evidence. --- After writing their letters, students will read about the discoveries of the Leakey family (pg. 20-23) from the book, “The Leakey Family.” Again, they will take notes and write down important information. Students will then get into groups of four and pretend they are the Leakeys. Each group will receive a randomly picked letter from Donald Johanson (written by another student). After reading the letter, each group is to respond to the letter as the Leakeys and orally present their response to the class.

ISTE Standard: 3. Technology productivity tools → Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity. → Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, preparing publications, and producing other creative works. 5. Technology research tools → Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources. → Students use technology tools to process data and report results. → Students evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriateness to specific tasks.

Significance of the Topic: Rationale: The study of early humankinds and the development of human societies is an important unit because it develops students’ awareness of prehistoric peoples, which will give them a sense of where we (humans) came from, and how far we’ve come to be where we are today. Historical Context: A caveman is a popular stylized characterization of what early humans or hominids may have looked and behaved like. The term is sometimes used to refer to Neanderthals or to Homo sapiens of the Palaeolithic era, although popular descriptions of cavemen are usually highly inaccurate. Humans are members of the genus Homo. Modern people are Homo sapiens; however, we are not the only species of humans who have ever lived. There are striking similarities in appearance between the human genus Homo and our distant ancestors, the genus Australopithecus. The differences between australopithecines and early humans are most noticeable in the head. Humans developed significantly larger brains and relatively smaller faces. In addition, humans became ever more proficient in developing cultural technologies to aid in their survival, while the australopithecines did not. Early transitional humans lived in East Africa. It was in Africa that the oldest fossils of the early ancestors of humankind were found. Early transitional human fossils were first discovered in 1960 by Louis and Mary Leakey at Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania. The Leakeys named them Homo habilis (Latin for "handy or skilled human") because they apparently made stone tools. Similar fossils were found at East Lake Turkana in Kenya by Richard Leakey's team of fieldworkers that began searching there in 1969. These latter specimens were named Homo rudolfensis after Lake Rudolf. Early transitional humans had brains that on average were about 30% larger than those of the australopithecines. As the early human cranium, or brain case, began to enlarge in response to increased brain size, the mouth became smaller. In comparison to the australopithecines, the early humans had smaller teeth, especially the molars and premolars. This suggests that they were eating somewhat softer foods. However, the body size of Homo habilis was not significantly larger than the early hominids that preceded them. The modern human body size began to appear with the next species in our evolution--Homo erectus. By nearly 2 million years ago, some of the early transitional humans had evolved into a new, fully human species in Africa. Most paleoanthropologists refer to them as Homo erectus. The erectus discoveries have been found widespread in Africa, Asia, and Europe. The earliest Homo erectus were contemporaries of the late Homo habilis in East Africa for several hundred thousand years. This suggests that the immediate ancestor of Homo erectus was an early Homo habilis or possibly another yet to be discovered species of early humans. Homo erectus was a very successful human species, lasting at least 1.5 million years, though their numbers apparently remained relatively low. Some of them eventually evolved into our species, Homo sapiens. In 1974, Donald Johanson collaborated with Tim White and made a discovery that changed our understanding of human origins forever. In Ethiopia, Johanson and White found the fossilized remains of a female Australopithecus hominid the world came to know as Lucy. Until then,

paleoanthropologists had had to content themselves with the most fragmentary remnants of our pre-human ancestors. Over 40 percent of the Lucy skeleton had been preserved, enough to provide the anthropological world with some startling insights. The previously accepted account of human evolution had proposed that a strain of primates with larger brains evolved, became capable of making tools, and began walking upright to free up their hands. But, from all appearances, Lucy and the other hominids whose remains were found at the site, were walking upright, although their brains were barely larger than those of the chimpanzee. No stone tools, not even fragments, have survived at the stratum where Lucy and her contemporaries were found. From this, it may be inferred that our ancestors walked upright for another reason. They may have used their hands to carry food gathered for their offspring, and engaged in more elaborate cooperative behavior than one finds among creatures who walk on all fours. The discoveries of The Leakey Family, Donald Johanson, and Tim White contributed greatly to our understanding of early humans and how we have evolved from our distant ancestors, Australopithecus, to the wise Homo Sapiens we are today. Student Outcomes:

1. Students will write a paragraph identifying the discoveries of Donald Johanson, Tim White, and the Leakey Family.

2. Students will define what a Neanderthal is. 3. Students can look at a picture of Lucy, and identify who she is, and explain why her

discovery was important. 4. Students will identify the locations of early human communities on a map and describe

how humans adapted to a variety of environments. 5. Students will list two differences between the Old Stone Age (Paleolithic) and the Middle

Stone Age (Mesolithic), and two differences between the Middle Stone age and the New Stone Age (Neolithic)

6. Students will understand the terms Australopithecus, Homo Habilus, Homo Erectus, Homo Sapiens, and Homo Sapiens Sapiens by matching each term to the given description of each hominid.

7. Students will create a human family tree/timeline to trace the evolution of humankind from 4 million years ago to present day.

Essential Questions:

1. How long ago did early man live? 2. Who were the Neanderthals? 3. What are hominids? 4. Who is Lucy? 5. What discoveries did Donald Johanson, Tim White, and the Leakey Family make and

why are these discoveries important? 6. How did the prehistoric peoples merge from hunter-gatherers to food producers? 7. What types of tools did the early humans make and use? 8. How did early humans transmit and accumulate knowledge?

Primary Sources:

1. Pictures of early human remains/skeletons. 2. Pictures of Lucy’s remains.

3. Pictures of early human cave art. 4. Skull replicas of early hominids and modern man

(http://www.fossilsasart.com/hominid_skulls_repl.asp) 5. Pictures/Replicas of the tools that early humans used.

SDAIE Statement: The use of pictures and replicas will help my ELL and Special Needs students gain a better understanding through hands-on learning. I would also have these students match the skull replicas/pictures with the year they came from (400 years ago, 300 years ago, 200 years ago, etc) instead of the proper name of each (Australopithecus, Homo Habilus, etc.)

---Beginning the Topic--- Student Outcomes: At the end of this lesson, students will be able to trace the evolution of humankind from about 3.5 million years ago until present day. They will be able to distinguish the similarities and differences between the different types hominids (Australopithecus, Homo Habilis, Homo Erectus, Homo Sapiens, and Homo Sapien Sapiens) by creating a chart that will list at least two physical characteristics of each type of hominid. In addition, students will be able to write a paragraph identifying what Donald Johanson, Tim White, and the Leakey Family discovered and why these discoveries were important. They will be able to recognize a picture of the remains of Lucy and list at least five characteristics about her. They will also be able to define the following terms: archeology, anthropology, Neanderthal, hominids, fossils, artifacts, and evolution. Focus Question: How far back can we trace our existence as human beings? Content: (Standard 6.1)- Students describe what is known through archaeological studies of the early physical and cultural development of humankind from the Paleolithic era to the agricultural revolution. Materials:

1. Overhead Projector 2. Overhead Picture of The Flintstones 3. Human Evolution Hand-Out 4. Hominid Chart

Teaching Sequence:

A. Introducing the Topic: Show the students a picture of the Flintstones. Ask, “How many of you watch or used to watch the Flintstones?” (Show of hands). “Then it’s time for a Flintstones Whiz Quiz. Ask the students to name all of the characters. Who remembers what city the Flintstones lived in? What Age did they live in? (Prompt them if necessary: The Stone Age (Paleolithic)? The Middle Age (Mesolithic)? The New Stone Age (Neolithic)?)” Explain to them that the Stone Age began about 2.5 million years ago and was a period of human technological development characterized by the use of stone as the principal raw material for tools. “So if the Flintstones lived 2.5 million years ago, do you think that dinosaurs like Dino lived 2.5 million years ago as well? Well, there’s one sure thing that’s not accurate about the Flintstones. Dinosaurs actually died out about 65 million years ago, not 2.5. Somebody do the math; what’s the difference between the time that the dinosaurs lived and the Stone Age?” (3.5 million years). “Then did early man such as Fred and Barney live at the same time as dinosaurs? How far back can we trace our existence as human beings? Today we are going to learn about us as a species (the human species) and how we have evolved into what we are today.”

B. Input: Pass out the Human Evolution sheet along with a blank piece of paper. Divide the students into groups of four or five. Tell them to take a look at the pictures. Explain what a hominid is, and go over the correct pronunciation of each type (Australopithecus, Homo Habilis, Homo Erectus, Homo Sapiens, and Homo Sapien Sapiens). Have the students repeat each word aloud. Tell them to take the blank piece of paper and fold it in half. On one side, they will write down the similarities they see, and on the other side, they will write down the differences. Encourage them to discuss and share their observations. Then pass out the Hominid Chart. Have a class discussion about the similarities and differences and fill in the chart together.

C. Closure: Tell them that within the next two weeks, they will become mini-archaeologists,

studying past human life and culture by the recovery and examination of remaining material evidence, such as graves, buildings, tools, and pottery. They will also learn about the important discoveries of Donald Johanson, Tim White, and the Leakey family who were all archeologists that discovered human remains from millions and millions of years ago.

Appendix:

A. Student Materials: 1. Flintstones Picture 2. Human Evolution Hand-Out 3. Hominid Chart

B. Resources: 1. http://www.csun.edu/~cds77916/ANTH%20M01syllabus_files/Representing%20Hu

man%20Evolution_files/image026.jpg 2. http://www.rwrinnovations.com/productpages/flintstones.jpg

--- Developing the Topic ---

______________________________________________________________________________ Lesson 1: Mysteries of Mankind Materials:

• National Geographic Video: “Mysteries of Mankind” • Hominid Chart

Student Outcome(s): By the end of this lesson, students will be able identify the time, location, tools, and body features of different types of hominids (Australopithecus, Homo Habilis, Homo Erectus, Homo Sapiens, and Homo Sapiens Sapiens) by completing a Hominid Chart. Focus Question: What are the differences between the different types of early humans/ hominids? Introducing the Topic: Tell the students to take out their Hominid Chart. “So far, we only have one column done - Body Features).” Quickly review by having student volunteers go over the body features for each hominid aloud. “Today we will be watching a video that will give you enough information to complete your chart.” Instructional Input: Write down and go over a “While You’re Watching” list on the board so that the students know what they should look for while they watch the video. The list includes: 1. Look and listen for any information that can be added to your chart, 2. Take notes on the section about the Leakey Family, 3. Take notes on the section about the discovery of Lucy. Guided Practice: After the video, separate the students into five groups. Have them compare their charts and share information. Assign each group a specific hominid (ex. Team 1 is assigned Australopithecus, Team 2 has Homo Habilis, Team 3 has Homo Erectus,...etc.). Each group then shares their information about their assigned hominid with the entire class. Closure: “Do we all agree that our charts are complete?” Encourage students to share any additional chart information they may have. Explain to them that the chart is an important part of this unit because they will be referring it again for other assignments. Classroom Management Plan: Pause the video when necessary to recap and/or maintain students’ attention. Announce when important parts are coming up. Ex. “Pay attention to this part about the Leakeys.”

Accommodations for EL & Special Needs Students: Students are strategically grouped into teams according to their levels of learning. EL & Special Needs students are placed with other students who can help them succeed. ______________________________________________________________________________ Lesson 2: Wanted Poster: Materials:

• Computers with Internet Access • Hominid Chart

Student Outcome(s):

• By the end of this lesson, students will be able to research the World Wide Web to find topical images for this assignment as well as others.

• By the end of this lesson, students will be able to utilize available tabs/tools in Microsoft Word (Edit, Format, Insert, etc) to create a Wanted Poster.

Focus Question: What information is on a Wanted Poster? Introducing the Topic: “Remember how I told everyone that your Hominid Chart is an important part of this unit? I also told you that you will be using it for other assignments as well, right? Well, today you will be using your Hominid Chart and the Internet to help you create a Wanted Poster for one of the five hominids we’ve studied in class.” Instructional Input: In the computer lab, ask the students to log on to the internet. Tell them to search for samples of Wanted Posters. Then ask, “What information about a wanted person is usually included on their poster?” Together, come up with a list of features that make effective posters. Explain to them that their poster should consist of all of the features listed in class. Guided Practice: At random, assign one of the five hominids studied in class to each student. Tell them to start by finding images of their hominid on the internet. Have them choose one or two pictures that will best represent their “suspect.” Show them how to copy, paste, and edit their image(s) onto a word doc. Tell them to use their Hominid Chart to help them write a description of the suspect. Closure: Once the students are finished, have them print out two copies of their poster. One will be left in class, and the other will be taken home. Tell the students to go home and review their poster and prepare to present it to the class tomorrow.

Classroom Management Plan: Pace the computer lab to make sure the students are on stay on track. Answer any questions the students may have. Accommodations for EL & Special Needs Students: Place EL & Special Needs Students in the front of the classroom and next to technologically advanced students to ensure that help is easily accessed. ______________________________________________________________________________ Lesson 3: Wanted Poster Presentations Materials:

• Completed Wanted Posters • Scotch Tape

Student Outcome(s): By the end of this lesson, students will be able to use at least three standards of “good” oral presentation skills (Speak loudly & clearly, Make eye contact, Avoid nonsense words (ex. “um”), Pause at punctuation marks, Don’t read, etc) as they present their Wanted Posters. Focus Question: What are the elements of a “good” oral presentation? Introducing the Topic: Ask the students, “Who in here has seen the show ‘America’s Most Wanted’?” Have a discussion with the class about the show. Tell them that today they will pretend to be John Walsh (host of America’s Most Wanted) and present their Wanted Poster to the class. Instructional Input: Before the students present, ask them, “What are the elements of a “good” oral presentation?” Write down the elements they list and add any other ones on the board. Tell them that when they are presenting, they need to consider these elements. If they are listening in the audience, they need to write down two things that they liked about the presentation, and one thing that needs improvement. Guided Practice: Each student is randomly called on to present. Remind the presenters to consider the elements of “good oral speaking skills.” Remind the audience members to listen carefully and write down their responses. After each presentation, reinforce the elements by sharing my response and asking some students to share as well. Closure:

After everyone presents, have the students hang their posters on a designated wall. From left to right, start with Australopithecus and end with Homo Sapiens Sapiens. Allow the students to come up to the wall, observe the posters, and give everybody (including themselves) a round of applause. Classroom Management Plan: Having the students write down their responses is my way of keeping everyone’s attention. Accommodations for EL & Special Needs Students: I will ask these students questions during their presentation to help them deliver necessary information. Ex. “Ok Trevor, I see you did your poster on Australopithecus. Tell me, what year did Australopithecus live?” ______________________________________________________________________________ Lesson 4: The Leakey Family Materials:

• Excerpts & pictures from the book “The Leakey Family” • Student notes from “Mysteries of Mankind” video.

Student Outcome(s): By the end of this lesson, students will be able write a paragraph about the Leakey Family’s two most important discoveries and explain why these discoveries are so important. Focus Question: What are the Leakey Family’s two most important discoveries? Introducing the Topic: Show the students a portrait of the Leakey Family. Ask them, “Does anybody recognize these people?” Give them a hint: They were mentioned in the video. Tell them to take out their notes from the video. Do you remember anything about the Leakeys? Have the students share their notes aloud. “Today, we are going to talk about the most famous fossil finders in the world- the Leakey Family.” Instructional Input: Pass out the excerpt from the book “The Leakey Family.” Ask student volunteers to read it aloud. Start up a discussion about the discovery of the Turkana Boy and “Handy Man.” Have the students pull out a piece of paper and fold it in half vertically. On one side, they will record facts about the Turkana Boy. On the other side, they will record facts about “Handy Man.” Guided Practice: Once we finish our discussion and have gone over all the important details about the two discoveries, tell the students to use their notes to write a paragraph that answers the following

question: “What are the Leakey Family’s two most important discoveries? Describe the discoveries and explain why they are so important?” Closure: When the students are done, ask a few volunteers to read their paragraphs aloud. Wrap up the lesson by summing up the main points. Classroom Management Plan: Pace the classroom during the lesson to make sure everyone is focused and on point. Answer any questions that students may have. Accommodations for EL & Special Needs Students: Students who finish early are asked to help their EL & Special Needs peers. ______________________________________________________________________________ Lesson 5: The Discovery of Lucy Materials:

• Excerpt & pictures from the book,“Lucy’s Child” • Student notes form “Mysteries of Mankind”

Student Outcome(s): By the end of this lesson, students will be able to identify a picture of the remains of Lucy and write a paragraph explaining how she was discovered by Donald Johanson and Tim White. Focus Question: What did Donald Johanson and Tim White discover in Ethiopia? Introducing the Topic: Show the students a picture of the remains of Lucy. Ask them, “Based on what you see, what type of hominid do you think this is and why?” Allow the students guess and explain. Then reveal that those fossilized remains are of a female Australopithecus hominid known as Lucy, who was also mentioned in the video, “Mysteries of Mankind.” Instructional Input: Tell the students to take out their Hominid Chart. Ask them to name the features of Australopithecus and compare those to the features of Lucy. Pass out the excerpt about Lucy’s discovery by Donald Johanson and Tim White and read it aloud. Tell them that they will need to use the excerpt and their notes from the video to write a paragraph similar to the paragraph they wrote about the Leakey discoveries. Guided Practice: Allow 15 minutes for the students to write a paragraph answering the question, “Who discovered Lucy and why was her discovery important?” Tell them that their paragraph should include at

least three physical features about Lucy. They should explain who discovered her and where and when she was discovered. After the students are done writing their paragraphs, have them get into pairs and do peer sharing. Closure: Wrap up the lesson by asking volunteers to read their paragraphs out loud and summarizing main points. Classroom Management Plan: Walk around the classroom and make sure the students are staying on track. Remind them what they need to include in their paragraphs. Accommodations for EL & Special Needs Students: Peer sharing is a good way for EL & Special Needs students to learn from those they feel more comfortable around – their peers. ______________________________________________________________________________ Lesson 6: Letter to the Leakey Family Materials:

• Students’ Paragraph about Lucy’s discovery. • Excerpt from “Lucy’s Child”

Student Outcome(s): By the end of this lesson, students will be able to connect Donald Johanson’s discovery of Lucy with the Leakey Family discoveries by writing a letter explaining how Johanson’s discovery has motivated him to return to the Olduvai Gorge to search for more early human fossil remains. Focus Question: What connection does Donald Johanson have with the Leakey Family? Introducing the Topic: Ask the students, “Who discovered the fossil remains of the Australopithecus hominid known as Lucy? Can anybody make any connections between Donald Johanson and the Leakey Family?” Write the connections that they come up with on the board. Explain to them that today, they are going to role play and pretend that they are Donald Johanson writing a letter to the Leakey Family about his discovery of Lucy. Instructional Input: Pass out the excerpt from “Lucy’s Child.” Read it aloud to the class. After reading the excerpt, students will learn that Johanson’s discovery led him to return to Olduvai Gorge, a dusty ravine in Tanzania first put on the discovery map by Louis and Mary Leakey, to search for more fossils. Many of Johanson’s colleagues warned him that the Leakeys had already found everything there was to be found at Olduvai’s trove, but he that did not stop him. Based on the facts and notes

from the book, tell the students to imagine that they are Donald Johanson. As Donald Johanson, write a letter to the Leakeys sharing your exciting discovery of Lucy, and how it has motivated you to return to Olduvai Gorge. Guided Practice: Remind the students about the format of a friendly letter. It should include consists of five parts: heading, greeting, body, complimentary close, and signature. (Post script is optional). Allow 25 minutes for the students to write the letter. Give them envelopes, have them create fake addresses, then stuff it and seal it. Closure: Collect the letters and say, “Good job everyone. I will send these letters out today, and the Leakeys should receive them by tomorrow.” (Have them wonder if I’m really going to send it out). Classroom Management Plan: Walk around and help the students think of things to include in the letter. Students who finish early are encouraged to help students who are struggling or read a book silently. Accommodations for EL & Special Needs Students: Frequently check up on EL & Special needs students to give them ideas for the assignment. Ask students who finish early to help their peers. ______________________________________________________________________________ Lesson 7: Leakey’s Response Materials:

• Student letters from Donald Johanson to the Leakeys Student Outcome(s): By the end of this lesson, students will be able to connect the Leakey Family experiences to Johanson’s discovery of Lucy by writing a response to Johanson’s letter (written by the students the day before). Focus Question: How do you think the Leakeys reacted or would react to Johanson’s discovery of Lucy? Introducing the Topic: Tell the students, “I sent out those letters you wrote to the Leakeys yesterday, and I just found out that the Leakeys received them. Actually, you’re the Leakeys. At least you’re going to pretend that you are.” Explain that they will be writing another letter today. This time, a response letter. Instructional Input:

Tell the students that they will pretend that they are the Leakeys, and they will respond to Johanson’s letter using facts that they’ve gathered about Johanson and the Leakeys from previous lessons. Guided Practice: Pass out a Johanson letter to each student. Tell them to open it and read it. When they are done reading it, tell them to write a response to Johanson from the Leakeys. Allow 20 minutes to complete the response letter. Then have the students share their letters with their tables. As a table, they will gather ideas and come up with one letter from the entire the group (15-20 minutes). Closure: Choose one representative from each table to read their group’s letter aloud. Ask the class to share what they liked about their peers’ letter and to give any suggestions in terms of what could have been added or included in the letter. After all the groups have read, summarize the main ideas to reinforce the facts. Classroom Management Plan: Assign a role for each member in the group (Leaders, Recorders, Timers, Reporters, etc) to ensure that everyone helps each other stay on track. Walk around to make sure that students don’t fall off subject. Accommodations for EL & Special Needs Students: EL & Special Needs students will be placed in groups with at least one advanced student in the group to ensure success. I will also come around and ask if help is needed. ______________________________________________________________________________ Lesson 8: Technology Lesson Materials:

• Copies of the “Oldest Human Remains Found” newspaper article. Student Outcome:

• By the end of this lesson, students will be able to use the World Wide Web to research and gather topic information for this assignment as well as future ones.

• By the end of this lesson, students will be able to utilize available tabs/tools in Microsoft Word (Edit, Format, Insert, etc) to create a newspaper article that will highlight the importance of early human discoveries by Donald Johanson, Tim White, and the Leakey Family in the form of a newspaper article. Research information from the internet and pictures will be included in their article.

Focus Question: What discoveries did Donald Johanson, Tim White, and the Leakey Family make and why are these discoveries important? Introducing the Topic:

Pass out the “Oldest Human Remains Found” newspaper article. Ask student volunteers to read each paragraph aloud in class. Tell them that this is only part of the article, and the rest can be found on the internet, which they will be using to research more information. Instructional Input: In the computer lab, tell the students to log on to the internet. Write the web address for the newspaper article on the board and have the students pull it up. Read the rest of the article together aloud. Tell them that they will be using the internet to gather enough information to write their own newspaper article. Guided Practice: Write the remaining internet sources on the board and tell them to visit these sites to gather information. Allow 20 minutes to collect data. Once they are done, tell them to open up a word doc. Show them how to change fonts and insert headers, tables, borders and pictures on the smart board. Check for understanding, “Does everybody understand?” Tell the students to use their research to write and newspaper article based on the focus question, “What discoveries did Donald Johanson, Tim White, and the Leakey Family make and why are these discoveries important?” Allow 45 minutes to finish the article. Circle the lab to monitor progress and answer any questions. Closure: Once the students are finished, have them print out two copies of their newsletter. One will be left in class, and the other will be taken home. Tell the students to go home and review their newsletter and prepare to present it to the class tomorrow (just like we did with the Wanted Poster). Classroom Management Plan: Pace the computer lab to make sure the students are on stay on track. Answer any questions the students may have. Accommodations for EL & Special Needs Students: Place EL & Special Needs Students in the front of the classroom and next to technologically advanced students to ensure that help is easily accessed. ______________________________________________________________________________ Lesson 9: Newsletter Presentations Materials:

• Completed Newsletters • Scotch Tape

Student Outcome(s): By the end of this lesson, students will be able to use at least four standards of “good” oral presentation skills (Speak loudly & clearly, Make eye contact, Avoid nonsense words (ex. “um”), Pause at punctuation marks, Don’t read, etc) as they present their Newsletters.

Focus Question: What are the elements of a “good” oral presentation? Introducing the Topic: Remind the students of their presentations on the Wanted Posters. Tell them that this assignment is very similar. “This time, instead of pretending that you are John Walsh from ‘America’s Most Wanted,’ pretend you’re a news reporter and your article is the latest breaking news.” Instructional Input: Review: “What are the elements of a “good” oral presentation?” Write down the elements and add any other ones on the board. Tell them that when they are presenting, they need to consider these elements. If they are listening in the audience, they need to write down two things that they liked about the presentation, and one thing that needs improvement. Guided Practice: Each student is randomly called on to present. Remind the presenters to consider the elements of “good oral speaking skills.” Remind the audience members to listen carefully and write down their responses. After each presentation, reinforce the elements by sharing my response and asking some students to share as well. Closure: After everyone presents, have the students hang their newsletters on the wall. Allow the students to come up to the wall, observe the posters, and give everybody (including themselves) a round of applause. Classroom Management Plan: Having the students write down their responses during each presentation is my way of keeping everyone’s attention. Accommodations for EL & Special Needs Students: I will ask these students questions during their presentation to help them deliver necessary information. Ex. “Ok Trevor, I see you did your poster on Australopithecus. Tell me, what year did Australopithecus live?” ______________________________________________________________________________

Culminating the Topic

Standard Assessed: 6.1 Students describe what is known through archaeological studies of the early physical and cultural development of humankind from the Paleolithic era to the agricultural revolution. Student Outcome(s) Being Assessed:

1. By the end of the lesson, students will be able to will be able to write a paragraph identifying the importance of the discoveries of Donald Johanson, Tim White, and the Leakey Family.

2. By the end of the lesson, students will be able to recognize a picture of the remains of Lucy and list at least five characteristics about her.

3. By the end of the lesson, students will be able to create a chart that lists at least two traits/physical characteristics about the different types of early humans

4. By the end of the lesson, students will be able to write a short definition for each of the following terms: archeology, anthropology, Neanderthal, hominids, fossils, artifacts, and evolution.

Assessment: In-Class Exam: Students will be given five pictures of skeletal remains (Each picture will be labeled: A,B,C,D,E). Of the five, they will be asked to identify two according to the following prompt:

1. Which picture contains the remains of an Australopithecus hominid (Lucy)? 2. Which picture contains the remains of early transitional humans (Homo Habilis)? Once they identify the two pictures, they will write a paragraph describing the discoveries of the two different hominids (Australopithecus & Homo Habilis). Things to include in the paragraph would be: 1. Who? –Who discovered the remains of the Australopithecus hominid (Lucy)? 2. Who discovered the remains of the Homo Habilis hominid? 3. What? – Describe what was found (Give 2 specific characteristics about each hominid). 4. Where? – Where were the remains found? 5. When? – When were they found? 6. Why? – Why was each discovery important? 7. *Bonus: Use your vocabulary words in the context of your paragraph. (Word bank is

given). Assessment Rubric for Grading: The test is worth 60 points. The number of possible points per question will be written on the test:

1. Which picture contains the remains of an Australopithecus hominid (Lucy)? (5 pts) 2. Which picture contains the remains of an early transitional human (Homo Habilis)?

(5pts) 3. Who? –Who discovered the remains of the Australopithecus hominid, Lucy? (10pts) 4. Who discovered the remains of the Homo Habilis hominid? (10pts) 5. What? – What did these hominids look like? (Give 2 characteristics) (10pts) 6. Where? – Where were the remains found? (5pts) 7. When? – When were they found? (5pts) 8. Why? – Why was each discovery important? (10pts) 9. *Bonus: Use the given vocabulary words in the context of your paragraph. (1pt per

word) Criteria for Grading: Each question is graded slightly differently:

1. Which picture contains the remains of an Australopithecus (Lucy)? Since the pictures are very distinct, students receive 5 pts for a correct response

and zero for an incorrect response. 2. Which picture contains the remains of an early transitional human (Homo Habilus)?

Students receive 5 pts for a correct response and zero for an incorrect response. 3. Who discovered the remains of the Australopithecus hominid, Lucy?

Students receive 10 pts if they name Donald Johanson & Tim White, 5 points if they only name one of the two discoverers, and zero points if they get it completely wrong.

4. Who discovered the remains of the Homo Habilis hominid? Students receive 10 points if they name Louis and Mary Leakey (or the Leakey

Family), 5 points if they only mention one Louis or Mary alone, 2.5 points if they mentioned a husband and wife or family, and zero for an incorrect response).

5. Describe what the discoverers found? (List 2 characteristics of each hominid). Students receive 2.5pts for each correct characteristic given (covered on the chart

we created in class). 6. Where were the remains found?

Students receive 5pts if they wrote Ethiopia for Lucy and Tanzania for Homo Habilis, 2.5 pts if they mentioned Africa, and zero points if they answered incorrectly.

7. When were they found? Students receive 5pts for each correct date (1974 for Lucy & 1960 for Homo

Habilis), 2.5 pts for one correct date, and zero for no correct dates. 8. Why was each discovery important?

Students receive 10 points for giving two important outcomes of each discovery, 5 points for 1 important outcome, and zero points for not answering the question.

9. Bonus: Use the given vocabulary words in the context of your paragraph. Students receive 1 point for every vocabulary word used correctly, and zero if the

word is used incorrectly or not used at all.

Bibliography

Gallant, R. (2000) Early Humans. New York: Benchmark Books. ISBN 0-7614-0960-2 This book traces the beginning of mankind and provides wonderful pictures of fossils and early human remains, including Lucy’s. Johanson, D. (1989) Lucy’s Child. New York: Early Man Publishing. ISBN 0-688-06492-2. This is book links Johanson’s discovery of Lucy to the Leakeys’ discoveries. I will be specifically using the excerpt from the inside cover, for it is a helpful summary of Johanson’s finding of Lucy. Mysteries of Mankind (1997) National Geographic Vidoe. VHS. A 60 minute video about human evolution: Who are we, and where did we come from? This show took me on an eerie trail of ash-entombed footprints as I saw the razor-sharp tools and fossilized skeletons of our acient ancestors, dated at a million years and more. Willis, D. (1992) The Leakey Family. New York: Facts on File Publishing. ISBN 0-8160-2605-X. This book touches on the legacy of the Leakey family. Chapter ten of the book, titled “The Leakey Legacy” is the chapter of focus because it highlights their discoveries.

Internet Resources: http://www.leakey.com/ This site provides great information about the Leakey Family and their discoveries. It gives good overviews as well as detailed biographies about each family member. http://members.aol.com/bkdonnclass/EarlyMan.html This website provides a “Cheat Sheet” that will allow students to find similarities and differences between the different types of hominids. This can be used to help them as they fill out their own charts. http://members.tripod.com/jaydambrosio/earlyhumans.html This website is a cyber museum that allows students to get a closer and better look at detailed pictures of skeletal remains of different types of hominids, including Lucy. http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/homs/djohanson.html This website provides information about Donald Johanson & Tim White’s discovery of Lucy. http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2005-02/2005-02-17-voa51.cfm This website has a newspaper article called “Oldest Human Remains Found,” which identifies the remains of the oldest known modern humans. It also briefly touches on the Leakeys. http://www.csun.edu/~cds77916/ANTH%20M01syllabus_files/Representing%20Human%20Evolution_files/image026.jpg This is where I got much of my background information for my historical context. http://www.rwrinnovations.com/productpages/flintstones.jpg This is where I got the flintstones picture.