Author:
Connecticut Department of Education, Irene Parisi, Doug Casey
Subject:
Arts and Humanities, U.S. History, World History
Material Type:
Lesson Plan
Level:
High School
Grade:
9, 10, 11, 12
Provider:
CT State Department of Education
Tags:
Language:
English
Media Formats:
Text/HTML

Lesson 1.1: African Origins

Lesson 1.1: African Origins

Overview

(Historical context/background knowledge for teachers https://bit.ly/2Ud0fxy.  This may be pre-recorded and archived in lesson repository or a speaker may be invited to class.  Teachers should be creative in differentiated delivery from multiple sources and perspectives.)  

Big Ideas Topics to be Addressed, including Key Concepts and Terms 

  • Africa is the birthplace of all humanity and civilization 

  • Yoruba, Nigeria, Ga, Ghana, Wolof, Senegal 

  • Patrilineal, Matrilineal Societies.  

  • Discovery of Lucy in Hader, Ethiopia affirms that mankind originated in Africa and therefore we are all Africans 

  • Africa’s ancient civilization have documented many firsts in technology, literature and structural    

  • Developments (i.e. pyramids, books, numerical systems) 

  • Anthropology- The study of human, cultures and their evolution 

  • Archeology- the study of human history and prehistory through excavations, artifact analysis and physical remains. 

Materials/Resources/Speaker

Recommended Learning Activities, including UDL Principles/Scaffolded Supports and Asynchronous and Synchronous Learning Opportunities

Day 1 

Initiation: Ask students to describe Africa in 3 words, make a wordle online, have students look at the themes and connect to the Unit of study.    Introduce key vocabulary from Famed Lucy Article: hominids, bipedal primates, potassium argon dating, radiometric dating. 

 

Activity: Students to read Famed “Lucy” Fossils Discovered in Ethiopia, 40 Years Ago Lucy's Story | Institute of Human Origins 

Discuss the perspective and perhaps motives of the writer through their choice of title, images, words and phrases.  Discuss the implications of the discovery on a social-political level.  Provide graphic organizers for note-taking. 

In small groups, students will begin planning a presentation of how humanity began using evidence of primary and secondary sources.  They will watch a video:  Mitochondrial Eve and Homo Sapiens in Africa’s Great Rift Valley and discuss where other earlier human fossil remains were found. 

Using the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History website https://humanorigins.si.edu/ as an additional resource, groups can choose a more focused topic as part of research for presentations. 

Closing: Groups should be advised they will have 15 minutes at the opening of next class to prepare 5 minute claim/counterclaim presentations. 

Day 2  

Evidence of Learning: Provide students with 15 minutes at the beginning of class to finalize presentations. In small groups, students will have 5 minutes to present their claim/counterclaim of how humanity began using evidence (e.g., maps, primary and secondary sources). 

Home Links/Reflections to Affirm Identity

Discuss your findings about African origins with a family member.  What is their viewpoint?  How is this the same/different than your families’ cultural and/or religious beliefs? 

 

Options for Content Continuity Across History Courses and Interdisciplinary Integration

Arts 

Science