Island School Humanities
  • Home
  • MYP 1
    • 1. The Universe & Earth >
      • 1. Where did our Universe and Earth come from? >
        • 1. What is the Universe?
        • 2. How Big, Far, Hot, and Old is the Universe?
        • 3. What are Ultimate Questions?
      • 2. What are origin stories?
      • 3. What is the Christian origin story?
      • 4. How did the scientific origin story develop?
      • 5. How do theories become accepted? >
        • 1. Charles Darwin and Evolution
        • 2. Alfred Wegener and Plate Tectonics
      • 6. Can religion and science co-exist?
      • 7. Assessment: Personal beliefs on creation
      • 8. Reflection: Changing Beliefs
    • 2. Natural Systems >
      • 1. How did early humans adapt to natural systems?
      • 2. How did farming help early human societies?
      • 3. What are natural systems?
      • 4. How do tropical rainforest systems work?
      • 5. How does farming affect natural systems in rainforests?
      • 6-7. Assessment: How can rainforests be used in a sustainable way?
      • 8. Reflection: The future of natural systems
    • 3. Ancient Civilisations >
      • 1. What are Ancient Civilisations?
      • 2. How and why do civilisations rise and fall?
      • 3. How successful were the Greeks?
      • 4. How successful were the Chinese?
      • 5. How successful were the Aztecs?
      • 6-7. Assessment: Ancient Civilisations Presentation
      • 8. Reflection: What is the legacy of Ancient Civilisations?
    • 4. Conflict and Crusade >
      • 1. What are the core beliefs of Christianity?
      • 2. What are the core beliefs of Islam?
      • 3. What do world religions teach about conflict?
      • 4. Was religion the main cause of the crusades?
      • 5. What did Muslims think about the Crusades?
      • 6-7. Assessment: Does religion cause conflict?
      • 8. Reflection: Can religion help end conflict?
    • 5. Island Learning - What's MY Hong Kong? >
      • 1. What is the cultural identity of Hong Kong?
      • 2. What is tourism?
      • 3. Where is tourism in Hong Kong located?
      • 4 - 6. Designing Graphics
      • 7-8. Assessment 1: Tourist Attractions in Sha Tin
      • 9-10. Assessment 2: Planning the Fieldtrip
      • 11. Assessment 2: Creating the Brochure
      • 12-14. Developing Design Skills
      • 15. Assessment 2: Designing the Icons
      • 16. Reflection: What have we learnt about HK?
    • Further Reading
  • MYP 2
    • 1. Significance & Symbolism >
      • 1. What and where was the Renaissance?
      • 2. What influenced artists in the Renaissance?
      • 3. Who was the ultimate Renaissance 'artist'?
      • 4. How does culture express time and place?
      • 5-7. Assessment: Artists, Culture & Expression
      • 8. Reflection: How is my own culture expressed?
    • 2. Trade & Exchange >
      • 1. Why do people explore?
      • 2. What is the impact of exploration?
      • 3. How was trade unequal in the past?
      • 4. How does trade and exchange work today?
      • 5. Is the global trade of chocolate fair?
      • 6-7. Assessment: How does fair trade reduce inequalities?
      • 8. Reflection: How can I make trade fairer?
    • 3. Diversity & Change >
      • 1. What is cultural diversity?
      • 2. How did beliefs differ in pre-Colonial Hong Kong?
      • 3. How did the British change Hong Kong's culture?
      • 4. What can we learn about culture from the local area?
      • 5. How does globalisation influence culture today?
      • 6-7. Assessment: How cultural diverse are Hong Kong neighborhoods?
      • 8. Reflection: Should we preserve cultural diversity?
    • 4. Sustainability & Society >
      • 1. Why is urbanisation a problem?
      • 2. How can we research solutions?
      • 3. What have we found out about our issue?
      • 4. How could Hong Kong be more sustainable?
      • 5. What is our solution to the issue?
      • 6-7. Assessment: How can we share our learning?
      • 8. Reflection: Can Hong Kong change?
  • Futures
    • Elements >
      • Big History Project
      • Freakonomics
      • History: Film, Food and Fashion
      • Law
      • Mundo Geographico
      • Philosophy at the Movies
      • Run Your Own Business
      • Social Psychology
      • Urban Survival
    • Entrance >
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      • Economics
      • Geography
      • History
      • Religious Studies
    • Escape
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    • Business & Management
    • Economics
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    • Geography
    • Global Politics
    • History
    • Philosophy
    • Psychology
  • ECA
    • Model United Nations
    • TED-Ed Club >
      • Part 1 - Discover >
        • 1. Tell us who you are
        • 2. Discover great ideas
        • 3. Learn the art of feedback
        • 4. Identify your ideas
      • Part 2 - Develop >
        • 5. Build your throughline
        • 6. Plan your talk arc
        • 7. Research and support your idea
        • 8. Write your script
        • 9. Make it visual
        • 10. Say your talk out loud
      • Part 3 - Share >
        • 11. Practice, Edit, Practice
        • 12. Present your final rehearsal
        • 13. Record the talk
  • More
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    • Links >
      • Island School Business and Economics
      • Island School Global Politics
      • Island School History
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1. How did our ancestors evolve?

Activity 1 - Who were Early Humans?


Activity Tasks
  1. ​Take a look at the five images of our human ancestors on this worksheet. Arrange the images in chronological order, from our earliest ancestor to our own species - Homo Sapiens.
  2. Next, make a list of all the ways in which we (Homo Sapiens) are different from older human species. 
  3. What do you wonder about early humans? What questions do you have? Make a list of questions that you would like to know about early humans in the box.

Activity 2 - How did Humans Evolve?


Activity Tasks
  1. Individually or as a whole class (ask your teacher!), carefully read this article about human evolution.
  2. Make a note of 2-3 words which are either new to you, or are challenging words. Write them down in your books along with your own definition of what they mean.
  3. Quickly scan through the article again, making a note of the dates when each human species emerged. Use this to make a very simple timeline in your books.

Activity 3 - Researching Human Species


Activity Tasks
  1. In groups (your teacher will put you into groups), you will each research a different human species. Choose between: Australopithecines; Homo Habilis; Homo Erectus; Neanderthals; or Homo Sapiens.
  2. You have 10-15 minutes to research as much as you can about your species, organising your findings on this mind map. You need to find information about:
    1. When did they live?
    2. Where did they live?
    3. Who did they evolve from?
    4. How did they survive?
    5. What did they look like? (physical characteristics)
    6. What did they invent/discover/achieve?
  3. Discuss - Which invention, discovery, or advance by a hominid group was the most significant in history? 
Picture

Activity 4 - The Great Human Migration


Activity Tasks
  1. Individually or as a whole class (ask your teacher!), carefully read this article about human migrations. 
  2. Use this blank world map to create a map of the Great Human Migration. You need to:
    1. Label these parts: Africa, Europe, Iberian Peninsula, Turkey, Middle East, India, Asia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Australia, North America, South America, Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean.
    2. Use the information from the reading to draw: migration routes, water crossings, mountains, and areas where other human species lived.​

Activity 5 - How did our Ancestors Evolve?


Activity Tasks
  1. Just a minute! - With a partner, you have 1 minute to try and talk about everything you've learnt about "How did our ancestors evolve?" - without hesitating, repeating, or deviating!
  2. What do you wonder? - On a post-it-note, write down any questions that you still have about this topic, or anything that still bothers you and would like to find out more about. Share your ideas with the class.
  3. Can you remember? - Can you name all five human species studied today? Can you put them in order?
Picture

previous lesson - how do natural systems work?
next lesson - how do we know about early humans?

MYP - Y7-8

Y7 - MYP 1
Y8 - MYP 2
Further Reading

Futures - Y9-11

Elements
Entrance
Explorations

IBDP - Y12-13

History / Global Politics / Philosophy
Economics / Business Management / Psychology
Geography / Environmental Systems and Societies
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  • Home
  • MYP 1
    • 1. The Universe & Earth >
      • 1. Where did our Universe and Earth come from? >
        • 1. What is the Universe?
        • 2. How Big, Far, Hot, and Old is the Universe?
        • 3. What are Ultimate Questions?
      • 2. What are origin stories?
      • 3. What is the Christian origin story?
      • 4. How did the scientific origin story develop?
      • 5. How do theories become accepted? >
        • 1. Charles Darwin and Evolution
        • 2. Alfred Wegener and Plate Tectonics
      • 6. Can religion and science co-exist?
      • 7. Assessment: Personal beliefs on creation
      • 8. Reflection: Changing Beliefs
    • 2. Natural Systems >
      • 1. How did early humans adapt to natural systems?
      • 2. How did farming help early human societies?
      • 3. What are natural systems?
      • 4. How do tropical rainforest systems work?
      • 5. How does farming affect natural systems in rainforests?
      • 6-7. Assessment: How can rainforests be used in a sustainable way?
      • 8. Reflection: The future of natural systems
    • 3. Ancient Civilisations >
      • 1. What are Ancient Civilisations?
      • 2. How and why do civilisations rise and fall?
      • 3. How successful were the Greeks?
      • 4. How successful were the Chinese?
      • 5. How successful were the Aztecs?
      • 6-7. Assessment: Ancient Civilisations Presentation
      • 8. Reflection: What is the legacy of Ancient Civilisations?
    • 4. Conflict and Crusade >
      • 1. What are the core beliefs of Christianity?
      • 2. What are the core beliefs of Islam?
      • 3. What do world religions teach about conflict?
      • 4. Was religion the main cause of the crusades?
      • 5. What did Muslims think about the Crusades?
      • 6-7. Assessment: Does religion cause conflict?
      • 8. Reflection: Can religion help end conflict?
    • 5. Island Learning - What's MY Hong Kong? >
      • 1. What is the cultural identity of Hong Kong?
      • 2. What is tourism?
      • 3. Where is tourism in Hong Kong located?
      • 4 - 6. Designing Graphics
      • 7-8. Assessment 1: Tourist Attractions in Sha Tin
      • 9-10. Assessment 2: Planning the Fieldtrip
      • 11. Assessment 2: Creating the Brochure
      • 12-14. Developing Design Skills
      • 15. Assessment 2: Designing the Icons
      • 16. Reflection: What have we learnt about HK?
    • Further Reading
  • MYP 2
    • 1. Significance & Symbolism >
      • 1. What and where was the Renaissance?
      • 2. What influenced artists in the Renaissance?
      • 3. Who was the ultimate Renaissance 'artist'?
      • 4. How does culture express time and place?
      • 5-7. Assessment: Artists, Culture & Expression
      • 8. Reflection: How is my own culture expressed?
    • 2. Trade & Exchange >
      • 1. Why do people explore?
      • 2. What is the impact of exploration?
      • 3. How was trade unequal in the past?
      • 4. How does trade and exchange work today?
      • 5. Is the global trade of chocolate fair?
      • 6-7. Assessment: How does fair trade reduce inequalities?
      • 8. Reflection: How can I make trade fairer?
    • 3. Diversity & Change >
      • 1. What is cultural diversity?
      • 2. How did beliefs differ in pre-Colonial Hong Kong?
      • 3. How did the British change Hong Kong's culture?
      • 4. What can we learn about culture from the local area?
      • 5. How does globalisation influence culture today?
      • 6-7. Assessment: How cultural diverse are Hong Kong neighborhoods?
      • 8. Reflection: Should we preserve cultural diversity?
    • 4. Sustainability & Society >
      • 1. Why is urbanisation a problem?
      • 2. How can we research solutions?
      • 3. What have we found out about our issue?
      • 4. How could Hong Kong be more sustainable?
      • 5. What is our solution to the issue?
      • 6-7. Assessment: How can we share our learning?
      • 8. Reflection: Can Hong Kong change?
  • Futures
    • Elements >
      • Big History Project
      • Freakonomics
      • History: Film, Food and Fashion
      • Law
      • Mundo Geographico
      • Philosophy at the Movies
      • Run Your Own Business
      • Social Psychology
      • Urban Survival
    • Entrance >
      • Business
      • Economics
      • Geography
      • History
      • Religious Studies
    • Escape
    • Explorations
  • IBDP
    • Business & Management
    • Economics
    • Environmental Systems and Societies
    • Geography
    • Global Politics
    • History
    • Philosophy
    • Psychology
  • ECA
    • Model United Nations
    • TED-Ed Club >
      • Part 1 - Discover >
        • 1. Tell us who you are
        • 2. Discover great ideas
        • 3. Learn the art of feedback
        • 4. Identify your ideas
      • Part 2 - Develop >
        • 5. Build your throughline
        • 6. Plan your talk arc
        • 7. Research and support your idea
        • 8. Write your script
        • 9. Make it visual
        • 10. Say your talk out loud
      • Part 3 - Share >
        • 11. Practice, Edit, Practice
        • 12. Present your final rehearsal
        • 13. Record the talk
  • More
    • About
    • I&S Blog
    • Links >
      • Island School Business and Economics
      • Island School Global Politics
      • Island School History
      • Island School PRS