Early Humans and Environmental Change

Roberts·

Early Humans

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At a Glance

SubjectEarly Humans

This learning resource focuses on the interactions between early humans and their environment. It outlines explicit goals and success criteria, encouraging students to define key terms, list ways humans interacted with nature, and explain how they transformed the land. Vocabulary terms relevant to environmental changes, such as resource, adaptation, modification, agriculture, domestication, and sustainability, are provided along with simplified definitions for better understanding. The resource includes activities like circling ways early humans changed landscapes through controlled fire and tool-making, as well as creating a concept map of resource usage. It contrasts the impacts of nomadic vs. settled lifestyles through guided comparisons, encouraging students to reflect on the environmental implications of both approaches. Additionally, students engage in independent writing to explore how specific activities, such as irrigation and forest clearing, reshaped the ancient world.