Curated OER
Hominid Series
Students are introduced to the human stages of evolution. They complete a series of lessons on identifying the cranial structure for various hominids, understanding the timeline involved in human evolution and investigating ancient...
Curated OER
Global Awareness
Students read about how scientists are arriving at current theories of human origin and migration through mitochondrial DNA analysis. They then piece together a map showing the data from mitochondrial DNA analysis to plot the migration...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Zebrafish and Skin Color
You may not know if that zebrafish in your fish tank is a model citizen—but it is definitely a model organism! What can we learn about ourselves from a tiny zebrafish? Discover more about the polygenic trait of skin color through a...
DocsTeach
Evaluating a Needlework Sampler as Historical Evidence
Needlework isn't just for home decor; it can also help record family history. Academics analyze a needlework sampler to understand how they were used to record marriages and births. The activity includes a series of written questions,...
Curated OER
Evidence of Evolution by Natural Selection - Testable Hypotheses
The factors that affect selection and evolution are investigated here. Information about some common ancestry examples are given but with no real scientific evidence. This presentation is very obvious in making biased claims about...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Understanding Variation
Does where we live influence how our bodies express genetic traits? Explore variation in human skin color with an activity that incorporate video and hands-on learning. Individuals model the relationship between phenotypes and genotypes,...
Curated OER
All in the Family: Calculating Cousins
Students view pictures of distant "cousins" to humans. They place them in order by their distance from humans. Students receive a packet of six pages featuring graphics and a cousins summary page. They work in groups to complete 5 cousin...
Serendip
How Eyes Evolved – Analyzing the Evidence
Octopodes existed for hundreds of thousands of years before humans, yet our eyes share many similarities. Scholars analyze the evidence to determine if the evolution of eyes best fits a homology or analogy model. They discuss the issue...
TED-Ed
How Languages Evolve
Do all languages have a common ancestor? Although no one yet knows the answer to that big question, the narrator of this short, animated video explains how linguists use migration patterns, geological features, and word clues to...
Curated OER
Scientists and Inventors
Students explore human discovery by reading historical stories in class. For this inventors lesson, students define the terms scientist, invention, inventor and discovery before discussing the many differences between them. Students read...
Curated OER
Comparing mtDNA Sequences to Learn about Human Variation
This computer-based instructional activity will enable students to test their notions of "racial" similarity and difference by comparing mtDNA sequences as the students do in the first episode of RACE - The Power of an Illusion.
Curated OER
Masking: Honoring Animals, Ancestors, and Gods
Students analyze the role of masks in African culture. In this African masks lesson, students read about the importance and meaning of imagery of African masks. Students observe animals in local ecosystems and create a mask combining the...
Curated OER
Evidence of Evolution by Natural Selection: Testable Hypotheses #2
These slides will activate prior knowledge with real-life examples of natural selection. The predictions and outcomes for those examples are explained. Your students will like the information about the relevant chromosome tests that can...
Curated OER
Building Bodies
Young scholars identify key anatomical similarities and differences between great apes and humans. They infer likely anatomical features in ancient human ancestors and list principal anatomical changes in primates necessary for...
Curated OER
Africa Puzzle
In this geography worksheet, students complete a crossword puzzle about Africa. They identify the capitals of various countries located in Africa, the most fertile area, the largest desert, and the longest river. There are 19 questions...
Curated OER
Comparison of Human and Chimpanzee Chromosomes
Students actively engage in the careful analysis of chromosome banding patterns and identify examples of inversion in homologous chromosomes.
Curated OER
How Does Ancestry Affect Folklore?
Young scholars break into groups of 4 or 5 and choose an option to demonstrate a different cultural perspective in a fairy tale or other folklore that they are familiar. Possible choices are: PowerPoint presentation, video, digital...
Curated OER
Lesson: Tlatelolco: Mexican Student Massacre 1968
The Massacre of Tlatelolco is the focus of a discussion-based lesson plan. Civil-minded learners consider the nature of student movements that have ended in violence based on over-reaction and government oppression. They discuss the...
Curated OER
The Illusion of Race
This is mostly an exploration of race through an interactive website, class readings, and discussion. Individuals take an online quiz about race, they answer questions on a worksheet by visiting another website, and discover that race is...
Curated OER
Making the Connection With Quilts
Fourth graders explore history of Underground Railroad in Indiana and discover how slaves were assisted on their journey using codes displayed in different quilt blocks. Students examine connection quilts have to ancestry and family...
Curated OER
Committing to Respect: Lessons for Students to Address Bias
Here's a guide designed to build safe, respectful learning environments, and to build understanding of the value of diversity through lessons packed with activities for specific grade levels.
Curated OER
The Gullah People of the Sea Islands
Eighth graders examine the lives of the Gullah-Geechee people. In this unique cultures instructional activity, 8th graders explore music, language, and slavery of the Gullah-Geechee people from the southern low-country in the United...
Curated OER
The Origins of Man
Students learn about new technologies being used to update what is known about human evolution and migration. They then compare the new theories to the traditional knowledge.
Curated OER
Vertebrate Skeletons
In this biology instructional activity, students examine the human skeleton and then classify animal bones according to their similar function.