Welcome to. . .

The Origins of Man WebQuest

by Tom Daccord -- thomas_daccord@nobles.edu

OBJECTIVE

To gain knowledge and understanding of basic evolution theory, and the evolutionary record, and to apply such in the form of an analytical essay on the search for the "missing link."

TASK

In this web-based activity you play the role of an esteemed paleoanthropologist who is to give the keynote address at the annual conference of the American Paleoanthropologists Association. The theme of this year's conference is:

The Search for the "Missing Link": Are We Any Closer To Discovering Our True Ancestor?

In your written speech to the Association and invited guests you must:

1. Briefly explain evolutionary theory.
2. Provide an overview of the basic evolutionary record and some of the major discoveries of hominds.
3. State clearly whether you feel that the discoveries of the last few years have furthered or negated progress towards the discovery of a "missing link" between apes and humans.
4. Explain your reasoning with relevant supporting detail.

Your speech should be between five and nine paragraphs long and double-spaced. You should use Arial or Times New Roman font, size 10 or 12.
Keep in mind that your address is essentially a formal one and should not contain slang. However, you may use contractions and the word "I". Finally, no title page is required.


Rough Draft for all sections is due Monday, September 23.
The due date for all sections is Wednesday, September 25 at 3 pm.

WEB RESOURCES

Best of History Web Sites
Evolution (PBS)
National Public Radio (online)
The Smithsonian Institution Human Origins Program

TEXT RESOURCES

The World's History by Howard Spodek
"Father of Us All?" Time(July 2002)
"The First Pioneer" National Geographic(August 2002)

STEPS

1. Introduction to Darwin and Evolution Theory
The goal of the first step is to help you learn about Charles Darwin and his evolution theory:
a. Go to "Teachers & Students" section at Evolution (PBS). Click on "Videos for Students."
Watch "Who was Charles Darwin?" in Quicktime.
Note: What was Darwin's "simple" idea? Why was Darwin hesistant to publish his findings?
b. Watch "Did Humans Evolve?"
Note: Did man descend from chimps? What does DNA sequencing tell us?

2. The Evolutionary Record
The goal of the second step is to help you learn about the evolutionary record of humans:
a. Go to the "Humans" section of Evolution (PBS). Click on the "Origins of Mankind." (If the page is blank, click on "Low Bandwidth Version" in the upper left corner.)
Read about key members of members of the Hominid Family Tree that are represented on the linked chart
Another source that can help you is The Smithsonian Institution Human Origins Program. From the home page, go to the "Hall of Ancestors" and then the "Human Family Tree."

3. Impact of the Toumai Discovery
The goal of the third step is to help you learn about the impact of the recent discovery of the Toumai skull on theories regarding the origins of humans:
a. Read "Father of Us All" and "The First Pioneer."
Note the physical characteristics of Toumai and why they seem to fly in the face of conventional thinking on the origins of humans.
b. Listen to NPR reports on the recent discovery of "Toumai" -- an eight million year old hominid found in Chad -- at National Public Radio.
Listen to "Toumai the Human Ancestor" and "Reaction from Lucy's Discoverer." Note: What does Johanson think is the significance of the Toumai find?