Digging for Fossils: Studying Fossils as Evidence for Human Evolution

This activity is designed for students to:
1. learn general characteristics of human, chimpanzee and hominid fossils;
2. simulate the work of a paleontologist
3. learn about some of the major hominid fossil discoveries that have been made.
This activity requires observation, recording of data, data analysis, critical thinking, and oral presentation.
The key concepts of this activity are:
1. humans have evolved
2. humans share a common ancestor with chimpanzees
3. fossils are important evidence for the evolution of humans
Vocabulary for this activity includes: hominid, paleontologist, fossils, radiometric dating, half-life and DNA

This lab activity is designed for high school Biology students (grades 9-12), working in small groups of 2-3. It requires 2, 50 minute class periods to complete both parts. Ideally, students will complete the activity during a unit on evolution, and will have a working knowledge of evolution, natural selection, fossils, and radiometric dating.

This activity should be introduced after students have begun their study of evolution, and preferably after introduction of the concept that humans have evolved. The background should be read together as a class and students should then be sent to their assigned lab tables with their assigned partner(s) to begin part one, which requires a set of paper fossils. Fossils for part one can be sitting in an envelope or buried (ahead of time) in a small container of sand. If using sand, students should be given tweezers to use as tools for digging out/uncovering the paper fossils. After completing steps 1 and 2, students should request a fossil identification sheet from their teacher and complete steps 3 and 4 and the analysis questions. When finished, students should continue on to part 2. If part 2 is completed on day 2, the paper fossils could be buried in containers of sand. If students are ready to continue to part 2 on day 1, fossils can be handed out in envelopes. After completing part 2, students should be gathered together and the teacher can either have groups formally present their finding to the class, or lead an informal discussion about what discoveries were made and what conclusions can be made about their discoveries. This activity was adapted from Studying Fossils, by Don Pollock for the 1995 Woodrow Wilson Biology Institute. It can be found on the Access Excellence Activities Exchange
http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEPC/WWC/1995/diggingfossils.html

Digging For Fossils Identification Sheet (Microsoft Word 39kB Apr11 11)

When teaching this activity I put 2 groups of 2 students at each of my lab tables. Each table is labeled with a sign detailing a real fossil find and has a small container of sand (with paper fossils buried in it) and a tweezers. I tell students to be careful when excavating the fossils and that if they are not (ie fossils rip or are lost), they will have points deducted from the assignment. At the end of each period, I ask students to re-bury the fossils and rock for the next hour. One fossil from each set is labeled with a star, and that is the one that should be placed on the bottom of the container and used for step 1 in part 1. The rocks used for step 4 in part 1 are small rocks found outside the have been painted. To keep the concept of radiometric dating simple, I paint simple fractions (¼, ½, 1/16, 1/8, or 1/3) on the rock (and actually paint the fraction on it too) to simulate that much Potassium 40 remaining inside the rock. Currently, I have all students view the same sets of fossils, but I would like to use different sets of paper fossils at each lab station (especially) for part 2, so students feel like they are really looking at a new, unique fossil discovery. I have looked for pictures of fossils on-line, but have not had luck finding them. After completing this activity, students in my class complete a study of various hominid skulls. This activity can be found at: http://www.indiana.edu/~ensiweb/lessons/hom.cran.html
To make this activity a little more inquiry-based, I added step 2 in part one where students list observations and sort the fossils into human and chimp piles before they are given the identification sheet. I also made the suggestion that in part 2, different sets of fossils be used at each lab station, so student groups are studying different fossils. I also added step 3 in part 2 where students share/present their discovery from part 2. In the past, they have just done a written description of their discovery.

Assessment of this activity can include class discussion/checking of answers after completion of part one, completion of lab worksheet and the written and/or oral presentation to the class after completion of part 2.

9-12.IV.E.1 and 9-12.IV.B.3