D.+Bulletin+Board

This board is first constructed by creating a time line that would go from the time of Australeopithecus all the way to Homo Sapians and even beyond. Also included is a map displaying Early Human Migrations and several activities students can interact with to understand hominids further. There are 4 major activities associated with the interactive bulletin board. It will be used as an enrichment teaching tool to the lessons given in class. As students get done with their work early, they will be able to work on the board.

__Bulletin Board Activities __

​***Movement throught the Ages:** The students move along the timeline with their footprints from Australeopithecus to Homo Habilis to Homo Erectus and finally to Homo Sapian once they have completed their last activity. Each group is represented with one footprint, so the students cannot move until every person in their group has completed that activity It does not matter what order they complete the activities in, as long as they do all four in completion. Each Hominid is represented one timeline and are highlighted with a red dot so that students know where to go next.



***Activity One: Farming** This is a fun and very hands-on activity where students get the opportunity to gain knowledge of the development of agriculture in early societies through the demonstration of how different factors affect plant growth. They will be introduced to the idea that environmental factors greatly influence the outcome of plant growth. The various conditions will include varying soils, light amounts as well as water amounts. The students will keep a journal of their observations and predictions and at the end of the two weeks allotted, they will share their findings with the class.

***Activity 2: Archeological Dig** In this activity, students will given the opportunity to experience analyzing artifacts found in an archaeological dig, and to construct a hypothetical scenario about the culture or community based on the evidence found. Students will be able to use tools to dig and learn how to reference their findings to the text. The students will be given an opportunity to present what they discovered to the class orally.

This is a creative writing activity where students choose from various writing prompts to demonstrate their knowledge of early man. The students can go up to the board and choose from several writing prompts where they can either creat their own story based off knowledge they already have, or can go further and do research about what they will be writing about. The prompts are as follows: ** 1) Write your own story about a day in Homo Erectus or Cro-Magnon prehistoric times. The story must be at least 3 paragraphs long. Write as if you are telling about your own life over the course of one day. **
 * Activity 3: Early Man Writing Prompts**
 * 2) Pretend you have traveled back in time approximately 35,000 years. Write a letter to a family member or friend who lives today. Describe to this person what kind of experiences you are having. Be as factual as possible, but be creative and use good descriptive words, including sounds, sights, smells, etc. **
 * 3) Write a short report on how fires were made and controlled by early man. Include illustrations. **
 * 4) Write a descriptive story on the daily life of the hominid group. Describe the characteristics of the community, including tools used, shelter, diet, and the use of fire. Start with sunrise. **
 * 5) Two men have just dragged a hunted deer into the campsite. What happens next?Describe in chronological order the steps the community would take. Think about roles within the community, communication, food, tools, use of fire etc... Write out your solution in paragraph form and include in your exhibit. **
 * 6) The food supply has suddenly diminished in the area. The community has not eaten in days. Two males from the community are out hunting when they see some vultures circling over what probably is a dead carcass a few miles away. How will the men and hominid group react to the situation? Think about food supply, migration, and communication. **
 * 7) The group has been having trouble generating fire. Suddenly, a brush fire breaks out and poses a big threat to the hominid group. How will the hominid group react? Explain. **

This is a collaborative activity where students are going to work together to create a classroom newspaper. Each group will be responsible for writing a newspaper article about Archaeology, Hunters and Gathers, Nomad Migration, or Farming, Animals, or Civilizations. They will also be able to work together to peer edit and give each other feedback on their publication. In the end, they will have created a cooperative writing assignment that they can share not only with their peers, but with other classes and their family members.
 * *Activity 4: “News Before Our Times” **


 * *For full directions to any of the activities, please see the "C. Lesson Plans" link. **