ves Students will understand the following: 1. Landmark achievements of human BEINGS throughout human HISTORY can be considered part of the ongoing story of human evolution.Materials For this lesson, you will need: • Computer with Internet access• Research materials on human evolutionProcedures 1. Ask students what the phrase human evolution brings to MIND. Bring out in discussion that evolution can refer not only to physical advances but also to achievements that mark progress in areas such as survival, social organization, use of tools, control of the environment, and record keeping.2. Invite students to write imaginative short stories using ONE of the following settings:Nomads crossing to North AmericaEarly Native Americans adapting to the lack of large gameEarly agricultureEarly villagers in the Fertile CrescentResidents of Ebla, SyriaScientists living in Biosphere IIThe first future colonists on Mars3. Students should begin by researching their settings, addressing the following issues: survival, social organization, use of tools, control of the environment, and record keeping.4. Next, have students write drafts of their stories, focusing on at least one of the issues students ADDRESSED in their research. Although stories will be fictional, writers should incorporate accurate factual information based on their research.5. Ask students to read their classmates' stories so that they may help each other revise and polish.6. Once students have produced their final drafts, encourage them to share their stories with classmates.Back to TopAdaptations Have students write research papers rather than stories.Back to TopDiscussion Questions 1. Discuss how human populations spread throughout North and South America.2. Discuss how the relatively brief ice age that occurred 11,000 years ago may have led to the development of agriculture.3. Debate the impact of the domestication of plants on human evolution.4. Describe how the development of agriculture changed human cultures and led to the birth of civilizations.5. Imagine developing a plan that would affect the world's population—but not for another 100,000 years. That's the problem facing researchers who want to terraform Mars. Explain what this plan involves. Why will it take so long? Explain how researchers can account for the long time span of the project in their plan.6. Discuss what we have learned from the Biosphere II experiment. Debate whether the government should support such projects.Back to TopEvaluation You can evaluate students on their stories using the following three-point rubric: Three points: focuses on one of the issues researched; incorporates accurate factual material; written in a lively and engaging style; free of errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics Two points: focuses on one of the issues researched; incorporates some factual material; writing neither lively nor engaging; some errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics One point: fails to focus on one of the issues researched; incorporates no factual material or contains inaccurate material; writing neither lively nor engaging; numerous errors in grammar, usage, and mechanicsBack to TopExtensions