Teacher's Guide for CALLIOPE: African Origins of Hominids

Teacher's guide prepared by: our staff.
Read the dictionary definition of "hominid" to the class. Ask if any students have visited the section on hominid fossils of a Natural History Museum - what were their impressions? Bring books to class that explain how old the earth is and how scientists are working to develop better methods of dating finds, whether they be rocks, plant matter, or bones. Explain to students that new scientific information is constantly being gathered, and that scientists and historians use this new information to help them answer questions they have about the past.

Vocabulary-building
Ask students to define the words hominids, human, primates, fossil, predatory, knuckle-walkers, bipeds, Anamensis, Afarensis, carnivore, mandible, ethnoarchaeologists.

Cover the captions for the skulls on pages 10-11. Show the skulls to the class and ask each student to make a list of specific differences and similarities between the skulls. Next, read the caption to the students, noting each facial characteristic. Then have students use the text of the "Who's Who" article to date, approximately, each skull. With the dates in place, ask students to review their initial observation and then draw their conclusions as to the development that occurred from the A. afarensis to the Homo erectus.

Questions for discussion
How do fossils help us understand the past?

After reading the article on page 16-19, what have students learned about the eating practices of the hominids who lived at Olduvai Gorge?

Writing workout
Assumption: The scientists writing for this issue will accept a budding scientist on his/her team next summer. Ask students to choose the one they'd like to work with and have them write a letter listing their reasons for wanting the assignment, and why they feel they should be selected.

Science connection
Individually or in small groups, ask students to research and explain to the class the various dating techniques (carbon 14, fluorine, DNA, K/Ar).

Only 40 percent of "Lucy" was found. Looking at the images on pages 21 and 22, identify the sections that have been reconstructed.

Explain what the footprints at Laetoli can tell us that fossil remains cannot.

After reading the articles on pages 4-5 and 49, ask students why they think there are so many differences of opinion.

Encourage students to do some internet research using one of the the sites on page 47. This could be a homework project, or a small group assignment, with each group then reporting interesting information found on their chosen site to the class, perhaps in the form of posters which can be hung on walls. Ask students to identify their website and, if possible, the credentials of the individuals posting information.

For additional lesson plans/activities on the topic (that do not involve the CALLIOPE^® issue) please visit any of the following:

• http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/990816monday.html
• http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/990427tuesday.html
• http://score.rims.k12.ca.us/activity/archaeology/index.html

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Updated: 11/21/08 12:52 pm
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