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UNIT TOPIC: Human Beginnings-> Prehistory-1000 B.C.
Scott Wilson
Three Rivers Middle School
Cleves, OHIO
NAME:
_______________________________________
Approximate # of days unit will last: 10-15 (2-3 weeks)
Objectives (what are we learning in this unit?): Describe how
prehistoric people lived, the development of agriculture and other
technological achievements, the growth of civilizations, explain the
achievements of early river valley civilizations in Egypt, the Fertile
Crescent, and South Asia. Discuss, the lasting contributions of
ancient Middle Eastern Peoples, including the development of monotheism
TOTAL POINTS AVAILABLE: 100
A: 100-93 -> C-layers/ 1 B-layer/ 1
A-layer
B: 92-86
-> C-layers/1 B-layer
C: 85-77
-> C-layers
D: 76-70
-> C-layers
“C” layer assignments
(Maximum 85 pts)
Lecture
**2. Listen to the lectures. Take notes. oral
defense 6 pts for all lectures
_____ 1-1 ______
1-2 ________ 1-3
Reading
**3. All chapter readings/guided reading activities . Oral
Defense(questions will come from guided readings 10 points
Guided reading 1.1 (20-25)
_____
Guided reading 1.2 (26-31) _____
Guided reading 1.3 (32-36) ____
Worksheets
***4. Complete the worksheet packet
Brainstorms
5. Brainstorm a list of conditions that would have made it
as easy as possible for early people to survive
Using your textbook, locate areas of the
world where these conditions exist
6. List what you think are the five most basic tools needed for
human survival. Provide 2 reasons for this
Vocabulary
7. Complete the “Crossword puzzle” for the following words. Learn
them. Oral defense .
Pg 20-> prehistory, hominid, anthropologist, paleontologist,
archaeologist, artifact,
radiocarbon dating, nomad, culture, technology
Pg 25-> domesticate, deity
Pg 32-> civilization, economy, artisan, cultural diffusion, myth
WHOLE CLASS ACTIVITIES
8. “Neanderthal Dance/Mime” Oral Defense
9. In a group, bring to class one or more musical selections your
group thinks would provide suitable
background music for a visit to a cave in
which prehistoric paintings have been found.
ROLE PLAY
10. Pair up with a student in class. Role play an interview
with an archaeologist at one of the following sites:
Neander Valley, Lascaux, Vallon-Pont-d’Arc, Jericho, Catal Huyuk.
To prepare for the interview, you should read the archaeology entry in
a good encyclopedia
**Mr. W. has several encyclopedia
entries printed for your viewing pleasure J
You should write specific questions you would
like to ask the archaeologist you are interviewing.
Take turn being the interviewer and interviewee. When
all interviews have taken place, summarize what you have learned from
them.
DISCUSSIONS
11. Participate in the whole-class discussion why the evidence of
food, tools, and weapons at burial sites suggests to scientists a
prehistoric belief in the afterlife
12. Participate in the whole-class discussion how people’s
attitudes toward their environment might have changed as they began to
raise crops and domesticate animals
13. Participate in the “roundtable” discussion about creation
myths from various civilizations, such as the story of Marduk in this
section. Prepare by finding out as much as you can about a
“creation myth.” The myths will be discussed thematically in
class. Focus your part in this discussion on the myths’
similarities and differences. Also be able to speculate about the
nature and beliefs of the different civilizations (if it will help,
bring excerpts of your myth to class to read aloud in class!).
Your choices of myths will be from the followingà
Greek theogony, Scandinavia’s Ymir (or Imir), Ghana’s Nyame, China’s
cosmic egg
ART
14. Research and report on the cave paintings of French, Spanish,
or African sites such as Vallon-Pont-d’Arc in France or the Altamira
Cave in Spain. Include an illustration in your report.
15. Use the information in the text as a guide to building a
model of a Neolithic village such as the one discovered at Catal Huyuk
16. Create comic strips illustrating their conception of
Neolithic people’s lives. Answer these questions on the back of
your comic strip:
What is the basis for the
information presented in your comic strip?
Is it based on your reading in
this section?
Is it completely imaginary?
Does it reflect the popular media
as represented by television (The Flintstones) or the
Movies (History of the World-
Part 1?)
GAMES
17. “What’s my meaning” gameà This will be played
during one class period. (This is a game where the class is
divided into two teams and each team will take turns giving a term from
the chapter for the other team to define or explain.
Drawings/Designs/Writings(things
involving creativity)
18. Imagine that you and a friend are stranded on a large
uninhabited island. You have no tools except a pocket
knife. There are many species of small animals, a stream of fresh
water, a sandy beach, and a dense forest. You must survive until
rescued, perhaps a month later. Write a journal account of your
first seven days OR prepare and act out a 10 minute “play” of
your first seven days (all lines must be memorized during the
performance; this may be done on videotape)
19. Newspaper articleà Class will be organized into
small groups. Each group will brainstorm ideas about how life in
an early city differed from life in a small Neolithic village.
Your group will write an article for a newspaper about the
differences. You may supplement text content with any research
you obtain. 1-2 persons in the group will research/write the
article, another will create the headline, and another create an
illustration to accompany the article. One group member will
orally present the article to the entire class.
20. Write four topic sentences that express main ideas about the
first civilizations
Research
21. Read outside source(s) about the origin and development of
writing. Report orally on the information you obtain
22. Obtain (check with Taylor High School for this) a course catalog of
a university. Report to Mr. W. on some of the courses offered by
the anthropology department.
23. Using section 2 of chapter 1, describe the progression in
food-procurement methods discussed in this section. In addition,
list the innovations that helped in this progression.
24. Research one topic about the Bronze Age and write a short report on
it. Topics may include specific tools, hunting practices, ritual
art objects, jewelry, food preparation, and so on.
25. Research cuneiform writing. In your research, find out how
different pictograms evolved into abstract symbols and how people of
modern times learned to decode and read cuneiform inscriptions
“B” layer assignments (Choose
one only)
26. In a group of no more than 4, take the role of producers who
must plan a documentary on early people. Prepare a proposal for
three thirty minute segments , including where and when filming will
take place, who will narrate, what types of people will be interviewed,
what information will be presented, and the manner in which it will be
presented (interview, graph, photo, and so on). You may present
your proposal in either written or oral form (keep in mind the audience
will be potential financial backers for the project)
27. Imagine that you and a friend are stranded on a large
uninhabited island. You have no tools except a pocket
knife. There are many species of small animals, a stream of fresh
water, a sandy beach, and a dense forest. You must survive until
rescued, perhaps a month later. Write a journal account of your
first seven days (must have 1 paragraph for each day) OR prepare
and act out a 10 minute “play” of your first seven days (all lines must
be memorized during the performance; this may be done on videotape)
A Layer Assignment (choose 1
only)
(For a chance at full credit on “A” layer assignmentsà You
MUST submit the following )
1. Answer to the question (if a question is asked)
2. video presentation (2-5 minutes minimum)
3. 2 articles you research (actual articles need to be submitted/
NOT the websites)
4. A summary for each article
*each
summary needs 2 paragraphs
paragraph #1: 8-10 sentences summarizing the article
paragraph #2: 6-10 sentences stating your opinion of the article
(did you like/dislike it/agree/disagree with it? critically evaluate
the topic in
this paragraph)
28. The Roman statesman and orator Cicero said the
following: “To be ignorant of what happened before you were born
is to ever be a child.”
Is it important to have an understanding of past historical events and
their significance?
Research and answer this question.
a. In your answer, explain the meaning of Cicero’s
words, explore the meaning and
importance of history, discussing its relevance in today’s world
b. Each article you research should pertain to an
important historical event
29. Is “Lucy” an actual 3.2 million year old hominoid
skeleton or a fake? Research and answer this
question.
Parents Signature (5 pts
towards “C” layer) _______________________