Australopith Adaptations

Groups: Number Groups

Goals:

    • To review critical information about chimpanzees, modern humans (anatomically modern Homo sapiens) and the australopiths

    • To consider the ways australopiths are most like chimpanzees, and the ways they are most like modern humans

    • To consider the ways australopiths are unique, neither like modern humans nor chimpanzees

Procedure

    1. Within your group, compare hair length. Divide into roles as follows:

        1. Member of group with the shortest hair: recorder The recorder will take notes on the group's discussion. If anything needs to be turned in, the recorder will do so.

        2. Second-shortest hair: time-keeper The time-keeper makes sure the group stays focused on the activity and completes the steps on time.

        3. Third-shortest hair: presenter The presenter will speak for the group during the whole class discussion.

        4. Member of group with the longest hair: leader The leader makes sure every voice is heard, and helps encourage the group to stay on-task

    2. The recorder should write each person's full name on the worksheet I will hand out.

    3. On the worksheet, you are asked to write information about niche dimensions for chimpanzees, australopiths, and modern humans. Answer the questions for one species at a time, fully describing the niche dimensions for one before moving on to the next. You may take the species in any order.

    4. Spend ten minutes discussing the following questions, writing your answers on the back of the worksheet:

        1. What aspects of the australopith adaptation are most like chimpanzees?

        2. What aspects of the australopith adaptation are most like modern humans?

        3. What aspects of the australopith adaptation are unique to them (not shared with chimpanzees or modern humans)?

    1. We will have a full class discussion. Presenters should be prepared to talk about their group's discussion.

Take-home Messages

    • Australopiths were, in most ways, much more like apes than like modern humans.

    • Australopiths were not chimpanzees, however. They were unique in their adaptation.

    • Evolution and adaptation are complex, not linear.

Reflection

Take five minutes to reflect on this activity. Did this activity help you to logically contrast the adaptations of the different groups of species? What do you think is the most important trait that defines the australopiths?