Hominid Debate Lesson
Student Notes
Syllabus Dot Points covered in this lesson
9.8.3 Debate continues on the relationship between hominid species

9.8.3.2.1 – Examine at least two alternative views of human evolutionary
relationships using the same fossil evidence, including:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o

Ardipithecus ramidus (Australopithecus ramidus)
Australopithecus afarensis
Paranthropus robustus (Australopithecus robustus)
Paranthropus boisei (Australopithecus boisei)
Australopithecus africanus
Homo habilis
Homo ergaster
Homo erectus
Homo heidelbergensis
Homo neanderthalensis
Homo sapiens
9.8.3.3.2 – Use secondary information and use available evidence to
to asess the contribution of one of the following to our increased
understanding of human evolution:
o
o
o
o
o
o
the Leakey family
Johanson
Broom
Tobias
Dart
Goodall
Lesson Outline
Students will work in groups in order to act out a scenario detailing the
contribution of a prominent person (i.e. members of the Leakey family, Donald
Johanson, Robert Broom, Philip Tobias, Raymond Dart or Jane Goodall) to
the field of human evolutionary science. This will be done by conducting a
‘This is your life’ scenario in which one student acts as a presenter of a
biographical television program which details key points in the prominent
scientists life. Another student will act as the prominent scientist whilst other
students will act as the key hominids (or animals in case of Goodall) related to
the scientists work (e.g. hominid species identified by the person or fossils
found relating to the hominids). Students acting as related hominids will
advise the audience of their key features and of their relationship to the
prominent scientist.
The information required to present the role-play scenario will come from a
web quest using recommended websites (see below) and also from available
printed material (e.g. school text books). If computers are not available then
the printing of material from the websites to give to students is recommended.
Students will use a printed scaffold page to guide them in their research and
presentation (see below).
Recommended Websites for Web Quest
All Scenarios
http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/homs/specimen.html#aethiopicus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_hominina_fossils
Leakey Family
http://hsc.csu.edu.au/biology/options/human_story/2939/Bio983_18Mar0
4.html#one
http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/homs/lleakey.html
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/information/biography/klmno/leakey_lou
is.html
http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/homs/mleakey.html
http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/homs/rleakey.html
http://www.leakeyfoundation.org/foundation/f1_1.jsp
Donald Johanson
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/information/biography/fghij/johanson_d
onald.html
http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/homs/djohanson.html
http://www.asu.edu/clas/iho/people/johanson.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Johanson
http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/joh1bio-1
Robert Broom
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/information/biography/abcde/broom_ro
bert.html
http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/homs/rbroom.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Broom
Phillip Tobias
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/information/biography/pqrst/tobias_phill
ip.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phillip_Tobias
http://www.rssa.uct.ac.za/newslets/2005oct.pdf#search=%22phillip%20valentine%20tobias%22
Raymond Dart
http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/homs/rdart.html
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/information/biography/abcde/dart_raym
ond.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_Dart
Jane Goodall
http://www.janegoodall.org/jane/default.asp
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/information/biography/fghij/goodall_jan
e.html
http://www.leakeyfoundation.org/discoveries/d2_1.jsp (scroll to 1960 primate behaviour)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Goodall
General Role Play Information
Scenario
Students are the cast of a ‘This is your life’ biographical television program in
which a presenter helps detail the life of a prominent scientist. Major
discoveries of the scientist are highlighted by ‘guests’ who represent the
species of hominid or animal discovered or researched by the scientist. At the
end of the scenario audience members (fellow students and teacher) are
invited to ask questions.
Cast
 Presenter
 Prominent Scientist
 Guests
Role
Presenter
Introduces the scientist and provides background information to the audience
including:
 birth date and death (if applicable)
 place of birth
 educational background (attainment of degrees, location of study e.g.
oxford university England)
Also introduces guests to the audience using their species name.
Prominent Scientist
Discusses their characters major contributions to the field of human
evolutionary science including:
 major research or archaeological discoveries (including time and
location)
 personal theories related to the field (if applicable)
Guest
Explains the detail of major discoveries or research made by the scientist
which relates directly to them including:
 personal species name
 how long ago the species lived
 detail of discovery (e.g. ‘Louis found my skull’ or ‘Jane observed my
behaviour’)
 place and time of discovery/research
 significance of discovery/research
NB: The role of two guests could potentially be covered by one person. Props
and/or simple costumes can be used to differentiate between hominids (if
available).
Cast for Individual Scenarios
NB:
As the Leakey family are treated as a single entity in the syllabus they must
also be acted out together (i.e. Louis, Mary, Richard and Meave). Two
Leakeys can be covered by the one person.
Guests are limited to species who are in the syllabus with the exception of the
common chimpanzee in the case of Goodall (as she has no key fossil
discoveries or research).
“Leakey Family, this is your life!”
Cast members = 5 to 9
Presenter
 As themselves
Prominent Scientists
 Louis Leakey
 Mary Leakey
 Richard Leakey
 Meave Leakey
Guests
 Australopithecus boisei
 Homo habilis
 Australopithecus afarensis
 Homo erectus
“Donald Johanson, this is your life!”
Cast Members = 3 to 4
Presenter
 As themselves
Prominent Scientist
 Donald Johanson
Guests
 Homo habilis
 Australopithecus afarensis
“Robert Broom, this is your life!”
Cast Members = 4 to 5
Presenter
 As themselves
Prominent Scientist
 Robert Broom
Guests
 Homo erectus
 Australopithecus (Paranthropus) robustus
 Australopithecus africanus
“Phillip Tobias, this is your life!”
Cast Members = 3 to 4
Presenter
 As themselves
Prominent Scientist
 Phillip Tobias
Guests
 Homo habilis
 Australopithecus africanus
“Raymond Dart, this is your life!”
Cast Members = 3
Presenter
 As themselves
Prominent Scientist
 Raymond Dart
Guests
 Australopithecus africanus
“Jane Goodall, this is your life!”
Cast Members = 3
Presenter
 As themselves
Prominent Scientist
 Jane Goodall
Guests
 Pan troglodytes (Common Chimpanzee)