Objectives

• review human evolution and migration from Africa; and
• make presentations showing different paths of human migration.

Materials

• Computer with Internet access

Procedures

1. Review information about the human evolution and migration featured in the video. " Eve Explained" provides an online summary with background information; visit the Web sit http://fontenouille.free.fr/origins-life/eve.htm Below are questions to help lead the discussion.

    

   • Who is the Real Eve? (a woman from whom all modern humans may be descended)
   • Where and when did she live? (Africa about 150,000 years ago)
   • What is the scientific basis that a Real Eve existed? (genetic tracking through mitochondrial DNA; new knowledge of climate and geographical changes)
   • What is mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)? (the unique DNA found in the mitochondria of living cells)
   • How is mitochondrial DNA passed through generations? (Humans inherit it from their mothers.)
   • How many years ago did the first hominids appear? (3.5 million)
   • When did this group of hominids migrate out of Africa? ( 80,000 years ago) What was their migration route? (across the Red Sea into what is now Yemen)
   • What were the primary causes of the migration of hominid groups? (climate and geography, such as polar caps, deserts, and volcanic eruptions)
   • When did modern-day humans first migrate into what is now Europe? (50,000 years ago)
   • What hominids had been living in this region for hundreds of thousands of years? (Neanderthals)
   • What caused humans to evolve into different races with unique characteristics? (adaptations to different climates)

    

2. Divide the class into seven groups. Assign each group a different time period of human migration (below). Tell students they will make a brief class presentation highlighting information about the time period.

    

   • 150,000 years ago
   • 80,000 years ago
   • 74,000 years ago
   • 70,000 years ago
   • 50,000 years ago
   • 20,000 years ago
   • 16,000 years ago

    

3. Instruct each group to visit the interactive "Human Migration" map online (http://www.bradshawfoundation.com/stephenoppenheimer/.) Each presentation should answer the following questions:

    

   • Where did humans migrate to and from during this time period?
   • What evidence proves that humans lived in that region during this time period?
   • What do we know about the way these people lived? What is the evidence?
   • How did climate changes influence these people?

    

4. Have the groups present their findings, using a world map to show the migration paths during each period of time.

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Evaluation

• Three points: Students were highly engaged in class discussions; demonstrated a clear understanding of the concepts of human migration, mitochondrial DNA, and the Real Eve; gave a clear and thorough class presentation that answered all the assigned questions.
• Two points: Students participated in class discussions; demonstrated an adequate understanding the concepts of human migration, mitochondrial DNA, and the Real Eve; gave a complete class presentation that answered most of the assigned questions.
• One point: Students participated minimally in class discussions; demonstrated an incomplete understanding the concepts of human migration, mitochondrial DNA, and the Real Eve; gave an incomplete class presentation that answered few or none of the assigned questions.

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Vocabulary

hominid
Definition: The family of erect bipedal primate mammals that includes modern humans (the species Homo sapiens) and Neanderthals and other related extinct species
Context: Homo sapiens is the only surviving hominid species.

migrate
Definition: To move from one region or climate to another
Context: Many scientists believe that our human ancestors migrated from Africa across the Red Sea.

mitochondria
Definition: Tiny structures in all human cells that have their own DNA called mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)
Context: By studying mitochondria and mtDNA, some scientists believe that all humans may be descended from a single woman who lived in East Africa about 150,000 years ago.

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Standards

• Life Science: Populations and ecosystems; Diversity and adaptations of organisms; Molecular basis of heredity; Biological evolution

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Credits

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