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Transformation Strand: What were humanities big turning points? 4.1 Describe the spread of humans from Africa to the rest of the world.Learning OutcomeSuggested ObjectivesThe Big Bang theory is used to explain the creation of the universe and all the planets, galaxies, and stars within itSpecific ContentOptional Teaching Learning StrategiesOptional Resources4.1 Describe the spread of humans from Africa to the rest of the world.Identify the probable dates for the arrival of Homo Sapiens in other parts the world.Create a timeline illustrating the probable dates for arrival of Homo Sapiens in other parts of the worldSketch a map showing migration routes out of Africa The Big Bang theory is used to explain the creation of the universe and all the planets, galaxies, and stars within itThe Out of Africa Theory explains human migration out of Africa, through to Asia and Europe and then the Americas. Homo sapiens first appeared in Africa about 200,000 years ago but they remained there until about 60,000 years ago. Scientists are really not sure exactly how or when the earliest humans spread across the rest of the world, but probable dates for the arrival of Homo Sapiens in other parts of the world are:Australia - 50,000 years agoEurope - 40,000 years agoChina - 35,000 years agoThe Americas - 15,000 years ago.It is probable that there were early humans in Belize not long after their first arrival in the Americas. However, some of the Caribbean islands may not have had human inhabitants until 2500 years ago - or even more recently than that.A land bridge (Beringia) connected the Old World to the New, by joining Asia to the Americas. In crossing it, the hunters had made the final great leap of the human journey to populate the world. By 15,000 years ago they had penetrated the land south of the ice, and within 1,000 years they had made it all the way to the tip of South America.The first Homo sapiens appeared in Africa roughly 400,000 years ago. This is strongly supported by genetic and fossil data. About 100,000 years ago, they moved north out of Africa into the Middle East, eventually pushing into Europe and Asia. Homo sapiens coexisted with earlier hominids such as Neanderthals, . With their greater intelligence and organization, Homo sapiens out-competed other pre-human species for resources, enjoyed greater reproductive success and eventually replaced themUsing Google Earth, have students find the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait on the Red Sea. Explain to students that crossing this strait was pivotal in our early human ancestors populating the rest of the world. Pose question: Where do you currently reside? Where are your parents, grandparents and great grandparents from? Students will be given 3 differently colored dots to stick in the areas where they, their parents and grandparents come from. Discuss the distribution of dots to determine where majority of students and their parents come from. Relate this to settlement patterns as was discussed in Unit 1. Explain to students that we all ended up in Belize due to migration. Make connection with world migratory patterns. Provide students with a blank map of the world and have them sketch at least 3 migratory patterns shown on the video or have students work in groups and assign each group a year eg30,000 years ago for students to recap what the video stated happened at that time then create a human timeline. Discuss which areas were populated first versus which were populated last and why. Briefly elicit from students what mode of transportation was used and why. Provide students with another blank map to annotate the map stating when Australia, Europe, China and the Americas were populated and to also draw in arrows showing the migratory route. Students can walk around asking other students to add to their work. Randomly call on students to annotate a blank projected map of the world. Have students conduct a research on who ‘The Real Eve’ is centered around: Where was she found? What was found? How old is she? Why is her discovery significant? Generate class discussion on the findings from the students’ research. World migratory patterns: map annotating human dispersals worldwide: Of Africa Theory: Image of Migration Out of Africa: Transformation Strand: What were humanities big turning points? LO 4.2 Explain how, when and why humans first arrived in, and then spread through, the Americas.Learning OutcomeSuggested ObjectivesSpecific ContentOptional Teaching Learning StrategiesOptional ResourcesLO 4.2 Explain how, when and why humans first arrived in, and then spread through, the Americas.Explain how and why humans first arrived in, and then spread through, the Americas.From the very start, human beings have moved on in search of better living conditions: food, space and relative safety. As the population increased, one group would remain and the other would move on to unclaimed territory.Our human ancestors were able to move out of Africa because of their mental capabilities (language to communicate ideas and solve problems) and physical capabilities (bipedialism to walk long distances; dexterity to make new tools for protection, farming and hunting) capabilities that allowed them to survive as they populated, adapted to and altered their physical environment. This also facilitated modern human out-competition of their hominid relatives who existed at that time as well (Neanderthals, homo erectus,)The first humans probably arrived in the Americas between 15,000 and 20,000 years ago. Most researchers believe they arrived from present day Siberia, in Russia at a time when Alaska was connected to Asia by a land bridge called Beringia (Beringia became exposed due to lower sea levels). The journey from Asia to America using this route only became possible about 19,000 years ago. There is evidence that, once humans were in the Americas, they travelled rapidly by boat along the West coast, arriving at a site called Monte Verde in Chile about 14,000 years ago.Humans first arrived in Mesoamerica at least 11,500 years ago. These were hunters who were probably following herds of big animals such as bison and giant armadillos.Have students discuss the quotation from George Abungu on the importance of Africa to humankind. Elicit from students what characteristics Use KWL Chart and have students state what they know about why people migrate from one location to the next and how. Explain to students the objective of the lesson which is to determine how and why humans first arrived in and then spread through the Americas. Have students visit the site and have them click on the 3 location icons in the Americas to explain how and why humans first arrived in the Americas to complete the last column of the KWL Chart. Using a survey instrument developed by the teacher, have students go into their communities to determine the reasons for its establishment. Survey should discuss the factors that caused the person to leave their country of origin, the factors that made that particular location favourable eg socio-political and environmental factors As a class, create a tally spreadsheet to discuss the results of the survey. Relate the findings to why the first early humans came to settle in the Americas. What similarities and what differences are there in terms of how and why they came to Americas?Have students complete the activity ‘Weh yuh gwen’ activity, complete it for assignment and then present their findings to the class. Have students refer to the links provided. Excellent Videos of the Out of Africa Migration that explores the ‘how’ and ‘why’: of Africa Theory: Answering the how and why: : George Abungu, of the National Museums of KenyaTransformation Strand: What were humanities big turning points? LO 4.3 Evaluate the evidence for the date of the first arrival of humans in the Americas.Learning OutcomeSuggested ObjectivesSpecific ContentOptional Teaching Learning StrategiesOptional ResourcesLO 4.3 Evaluate the evidence for the date of the first arrival of humans in the Americas.Evaluate the evidence for the date of the first arrival of humans in the Americas.There were definitely humans in the Americas 15000 years ago. These people built fire pits and left behind burned bones and tools that can be dated. However, some researchers claim that there were people in the Americas at least 20,000 years ago. If this is the case, then they may have arrived by boat from Asia or Europe.Over the past few years, scientists have discovered how to use genetics to trace the ancient origins of modern humans. They have used this information to prove that every person alive today can trace their ancestry back to Africa. As evidence of the first Native Americans, you can find fire pits, burned bones and work stones that have been turned into scrapers and hammers and spear points. A Clovis point is a type of stone tool that has been found in many parts of North America. At least ten thousand Clovis points have been discovered. One found in Texas may be 13,500 years old! The people that made the Clovis tools probably survived by searching for plants, hunting small animals and catching fish. For many years, archaeologists thought that the people that made the Clovis points were the first people in the Americas. However, more recent finds in Chile and Oregon State in the USA, among others, indicate that there were people in the Americas a few thousand years before them. Humans did not reach the Caribbean islands until around 5000 years ago. They probably traveled from the Yucatan Peninsula to Cuba and Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic). Knives made from chert rocks that are similar to ones from Belize have been found in Cuba. The first peoples to occupy Belize were the Paleo-Indians who hunted large animals such as woolly mammoths, mastodons and giant sloths.Use the memory jogger review to review and/or reintroduce/ students to the concepts previously taught. Have students visit website to read the article on BBC ‘The First People Who Populated the Americas’. Stimulate guided discussion on the article to extract information on the evidence used to indicate the first peopling of the Americas. After watching the Youtube video on the website on the evidence for the date of the first peopling of the Americas, have students write a news article ‘Belize Breaking Archaeology News’ on the discoveries at Monte Verde. In their news article students are to state what was found, where it was found and the significance of the find in rebutting the theory that the first peoples of the Americas came via the Bering Strait. Students can include images of the artefacts in their article. Have students conduct research to find an image of ‘chert’or to go into their community to find examples of the rock. Invite guest speaker from the Institute of Archaeology to explain why chert was the ideal material to use and the difference between different projectile points found throughout the country (eg Lowe, Ya’ache, Sawmill, Allspice).Have a mini-exhibit entitled ‘They were here!’. Groups of students can each be assigned one of sites identified on the map. Students will: state how old the point is, identify which of the 4 types of projectile points it is, find an image showing the type of projectile point found, state what it was used for and recreate the point using clay/putty/playdough etcEvidence on first arrival: article for students to read on the evidence found on who peopled the Americas from BBC. on evidence for date of the first arrival of humans in the Americas: article on projectile points found in Belize; their use and features. Points found in Belize: Transformation Strand: What were humanities big turning points? LO 4.4 ?Describe the origins and early development of agriculture in the Americas.Learning OutcomeSuggested ObjectivesSpecific ContentOptional Teaching Learning StrategiesOptional ResourcesLO 4.4 Describe the origins and early development of agriculture in the Americas.Describe what the ‘neolithic revolution’ isDescribe the factors that allowed for the development of agriculture in the AmericasDescribe the process of domesticating plants With the end of the last ice age, approximately 11,000 years ago, climatic conditions fundamentally changed in many regions of the world. Temperatures increased and altered precipitation patterns brought seasonal conditions that favored annual plants like wild cereals. In Mexico, squash cultivation began around 10,000 years ago, but corn (maize) had to wait for natural genetic mutations from its wild ancestor, teosinte. While maize-like plants derived from teosinte appear to have been cultivated at least 9,000 years ago, the first directly dated corn cob dates only to around 5,500 years ago. Though the transition from wild harvesting was gradual, the switch from a nomadic to a settled way of life is marked by the appearance of early Neolithic villages with homes equipped with grinding stones for processing grain. The Neolithic revolution (New Stone Age) was the first agricultural revolution. It was a gradual change from nomadic hunting and gathering communities and bands to agriculture and settlement. This period is described as a "revolution" because it changed the way of life of communities which made the change.10,000 years ago squash cultivated in Central America9,000 years ago corn cultivated in North America7,000 years ago potatoes cultivated in South America4,400 years ago Caral, Peru, begins to grow into a city3,600 years ago cacao (chocolate) cultivated in Central AmericaHave students take a nature walk to identify all the edible plants in the schoolyard. Elicit from students how they can determine if the plants are edible. Generate class discussion on the techniques students would use and the technique actually used by the ancients. Then walk around to identify different animals on campus and elicit from students which are edible and would be best to raise as livestock. Have students return to class and respond to the ‘Important Thing About . . . ’ summarizing activity.Have students watch video on the Advantages and Disadvantages of Nomadic and Sedentary Lifestyles. Do jigsaw activity whereby each student will be given a question to answer as they watch the video. After watching the video, students with the same question will come together as a group to answer the question. Each student will then leave that group, where they were all answering the same question, to form a group of members who have all the other questions asked, instead of only the one question they were assigned. Have students visit website to complete a booklet entitled ‘Foods of the Americas!’ or some other captivating title. Students will have an image of the parent crop and the modern day crop, a map showing the location of where it was domesticated and identify a local traditional dish that uses the crop as a base. Class can have a food exhibit as well whereby they bring or prepare a variety of dishes using the identified crop (eg corn) and then explain how it evolved from its parent crop to today, where it was domesticated, who domesticated it and when it was domesticated. Origins of Agriculture: and Disadvantages: Nomadic vs Sedentary Lifestyles: Strand: What were humanities big turning points? LO 4.5 Explain how the development of agriculture, access to water and the need for security influenced the emergence of the first cities in the Americas.LO 4.6 Create a case study of an archaic settlement of the Americas.Learning OutcomeSuggested ObjectivesSpecific ContentOptional Teaching Learning StrategiesOptional ResourcesLO 4.5 Explain how the development of agriculture, access to water and the need for security influenced the emergence of the first cities in the Americas.LO 4.6 Create a case study of an archaic settlement of the Americas.Explain how the development of agriculture, access to water and the need for security influenced the emergence of the first cities in the AmericasCreate a case study of an archaic settlement of the AmericasEventually, humans found they could control the growth and breeding of certain plants and animals. This discovery led to farming and herding animals, activities that transformed Earth’s natural landscapes—first locally, then globally. This is because as humans invested more time in producing food, they settled down. Villages became towns, and towns became cities. With more food available, the human population began to increase dramatically.Archaic cultures in the Americas:OlmecIncaMayaAztecToltec Have students watch video on the Advantages and Disadvantages of Nomadic and Sedentary from the History Channel to discuss how food security, access to water and need for security led to the emergence of cities. Have students create a comic strip illustrating this cause and effect connection. Divide students into groups and have them research on any one of the Archaic cultures of the Americas. Students can provide a map pinpointing their location, describe their achievements, explain techniques they used for farming, defence and water security. Use information from the research for students to create stations. Have students move from station to station with a worksheet to explore the information their fellow students have researched. Cost and benefits of Agriculture: Advantages and Disadvantages: Nomadic vs Sedentary Lifestyles: Period in Belize: Pre-colombian and Archaic settlements: ................
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