BIG HISTORY PROJECT / LESSON 6.

3 ACTIVITY TEACHING
TEACHER MATERIALS
HUMAN MIGRATION PATTERNS
Preparation
• Read “The Great Human Migration” on the Smithsonian Magazine website
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-great-human-migration-13561/

Purpose
In this activity, students will use a variety of skills to complete the tasks, including close reading and comprehension abilities, researching, and mapping.
The reading part of this activity requires students to read for both information (clues) and for understanding in order to complete the mapping section.
Creating the map will give students a visual representation of when and where early humans moved after leaving Africa.

Process
Have students read the Smithsonian article, “The Great Human Migration.” As students read, they should note or highlight every piece of information or
clue given about human migration out of Africa. Break students into small groups to begin mapping the migration patterns of early humans using the
Human Migrations Patterns Worksheet. As students may not have the necessary knowledge of world geography for this activity, they should begin by
labeling the following parts of the map: Africa, Europe, the Iberian Peninsula, the Middle East, Israel, Turkey, the Arabian Peninsula, Croatia, India, Asia,
Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Australia, North America, South America, the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, and the Indian Ocean.

Members of each small group should compare the clues they discovered in the article to decide which pieces of information are important to the story
of human migration. Using the symbols provided in the map legend, have students draw the course of human migration as told in the article. They should
draw migration routes, water crossings, mountains, and evidence of human habitation, including Homo sapiens and Neanderthal areas of settlement. Lastly,
in order to put all of this within a chronological time frame, students can label the migration routes with the approximate date ranges for when humans
moved into these areas.

1. As they read, they should take notes or highlight every piece of information or clue given about human migration out of Africa.
Possible information/evidence gleaned from the article:
• Neanderthals prevalent in Europe and Asia
• Pockets of Homo erectus in Far East
• Arrival in Asia between 80,000 and 60,000 years ago
• Settled Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Australia 45,000 years ago
• Entered Europe 40,000 years ago
• Neanderthals forced into mountains of Croatia, Iberian Peninsula
• Original exodus involved anywhere from 1,000 to 50,000 people—sometime more recently than 80,000 years ago
• Modern humans reached the New World at least 15,000 years ago via the Bering Land Bridge

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BIG HISTORY PROJECT / LESSON 6.3 ACTIVITY TEACHING
TEACHER MATERIALS
HUMAN MIGRATION PATTERNS
2. After gathering all clues, break the class into groups to begin mapping the migration patterns of early humans.

3. Students begin their small group work by labeling the following parts of the map:
• Africa • Arabian Peninsula • Australia
• Europe • Croatia • North America
• Iberian Peninsula • India • South America
• Middle East • Asia • Mediterranean Sea
• Israel • Indonesia • Red Sea
• Turkey • Papua New Guinea • Indian Ocean

4. As a group, they will compare all of their individual notes and clues they collected while reading the article to decide which pieces of information are
important to the story of human migration.

5. They will use the symbols provided in the map legend to draw the course of human migration as told in the article. On their map, they should note
evidence of:
• Migration routes
• Water crossings
• Mountains
• Evidence of human habitation, including Homo sapiens and Neanderthal areas of settlement

6. Students will label the migration routes with the approximate date ranges for when humans moved into these areas.
Links for the images used in the map legend:
• Canoe
http://www.clker.com/clipart-canoe-acsess-black.html
• Mountains
http://9pixs.com/popular-items-for-mountain-clip-art-on-etsy-2014/
• Human
http://www.clker.com/clipart-gray-stick-figure-1.html

7. What changes to the environment—including changes to animal species—might have taken place as a result of increased human migration and
habitation?

Sample answer: Student answers will vary but may include that the environment was changed after humans arrived in a new area. These changes could
include the clearing and intentional burning of forests and the hunting of certain large-game species, sometimes to extinction.

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BIG HISTORY PROJECT / LESSON 6.3 ACTIVITY TEACHING
TEACHER MATERIALS
HUMAN MIGRATION PATTERNS

Mediterranean Sea

(15,000 yrs ago)

NORTH AMERICA

EUROPE (Neanderthals) ASIA

Croatia
(80-60,000 yrs ago)
Iberian Peninsula Turkey
(40,000 yrs ago) Israel
(Neanderthal stronghold)
MIDDLE EAST
INDIA
AFRICA
Papua New Guinea

Arabian Peninsula (45,000 yrs ago)

SOUTH AMERICA
Legend
Red Sea Indian Ocean
Migration routes
Indonesia AUSTRALIA
Human Habitation

Mountain Ranges

Water Crossing Blombos Cave

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BIG HISTORY PROJECT / LESSON 6.3 ACTIVITY STUDENT MATERIALS
HUMAN MIGRATION PATTERNS
Preparation
• Read “The Great Human Migration” on the Smithsonian Magazine website http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-great-human-migration-13561/

Purpose
In this activity, you will use a variety of skills to complete the tasks, including close reading and comprehension abilities, researching, and mapping. The reading part of
this activity requires you to read for both information (clues) and for understanding, in order to complete the mapping section. Creating the map will give you a visual
representation of when and where early humans moved after leaving Africa.

Process
First, read the Smithsonian article, “The Great Human Migration.” As you read, note or highlight every piece of information or clue given about human migration out of
Africa. Your teacher will then assign you to a small group to begin mapping the migration patterns of early humans, using the Human Migrations Patterns Worksheet.
Begin by labeling the following parts of the map: Africa, Europe, the Iberian Peninsula, the Middle East, Israel, Turkey, the Arabian Peninsula, Croatia, India, Asia,
Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Australia, North America, South America, the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, and the Indian Ocean.
Compare the clues you discovered in the article with those found by your group members to decide which pieces of information are important to the story of human
migration. Using the symbols provided in the map legend, draw the course of human migration as told in the article. You should draw migration routes, water crossings,
mountains, and evidence of human habitation including Homo sapiens and Neanderthal areas of settlement. Lastly, in order to put all of this into a chronological time
frame, label the migration routes with the approximate date ranges for when humans moved into these areas.
1. As you read, take notes or highlight every piece of information or clue given about human migration out of Africa.
2. After gathering all clues, break into groups to begin mapping the migration patterns of early humans.
3. Begin by labeling the following parts of the map:
• Africa • Arabian Peninsula • Australia
• Europe • Croatia • North America
• Iberian Peninsula • India • South America
• Middle East • Asia • Mediterranean Sea
• Israel • Indonesia • Red Sea
• Turkey • Papua New Guinea • Indian Ocean
4. As a group, compare all of your individual notes and clues you collected while reading the article to decide which pieces of information are important to the story of
human migration.
5. Use the symbols provided in the map legend to draw the course of human migration as told in the article. On your map note evidence of:
• Migration routes
• Water crossings
• Mountains
• Evidence of human habitation, including Homo sapiens and Neanderthal areas of settlement
6. Label the migration routes with the approximate date ranges for when humans moved into these areas.
7. What changes to the environment—including changes to animal species—might have taken place as a result of increased human migration and habitation?
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BIG HISTORY PROJECT / LESSON 6.3 ACTIVITY STUDENT MATERIALS
HUMAN MIGRATION PATTERNS Name: Date:

Legend

Migration routes

Human Habitation

Mountain Ranges

Water Crossing

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