Evolution - Physical advances and human achievements - Science - Year 10

Teacher instructions

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

10 minutes - Tune in: Brainstorm 'human evolution'

20 minutes - Find out: Investigate milestones of human evolution

30 minutes - Take action: Create a phylogenetic tree of human origins

Tune in: Brainstorm 'human evolution'

Step 1.

Brainstorm what the term ‘human evolution’ brings to mind.

Guide the brainstorm to the point that evolution doesn’t only refer to physical advances; it can also refer to achievements that mark progress in areas such as survival, social organisation, use of tools/technologies, control of the environment, and record keeping.

Find out: Investigate milestones of human evolution

Step 1.

Students act as museum curators to research one of the milestones in human evolution:

Our animal ancestors
Out of Africa: Earth's first hominids
Life during the Ice Age
The early hunter-gatherers
The first Australians
Learning to farm: domestication of plants and the rise of agriculture
Humans settle down: early village life
The development of writing
The birth of civilization
Global population growth throughout time and future population/overpopulation
The impact of humans on animal evolution
The Industrial Revolution
Evolution or devolution? The future for humans
Planet Earth and beyond (Biosphere II or terraforming Mars)
Choose your own (check with the teacher)

The Student Worksheet contains a number of resources which will support students in researching their milestone.

Remind students of the Search strategies for Googling if they are undertaking research online.

Take action: Museum display

Step 1.

Students create a display using images, videos, podcasts and "artifacts” (they don't need actual artifacts, they could create them using paper mache or modeling clay replicas).

Step 2.

Once students' displays are complete, they will assess the display of another group using the rubric below:

When displays are complete, invite other classes to take student-guided tours of your museum. Other classes should ask museum curators questions and offer feedback and suggestions on their museum.

Reflection

When displays are complete, invite other classes to take student-guided tours of your museum. Other classes should ask museum curators questions and offer feedback and suggestions on their museum.

Ask students to complete the Reflection Questions on the Student Worksheet.

Museum of Human Evolution and Achievements

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Summary

Learning intentions:

Students will...

Success criteria

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