Individual Lesson View
How and When did People Originally Come to the Americas?
From: James W. Loewen's Book Teaching What Really Happened,
Chapter 6
Grade Level: (HS), (College)
Remote Ready: With Modifications
Time: 1-2 Class Periods
Length of Reading: Pages
There were no humans in the Americas up until about 16,000ish years ago (although estimates vary widely). When and how humans migrated to North America, depends upon who you ask. In his book, Loewen recommends the following. Put students in groups of 2-3. Have each group conduct internet research on a particular field of study and how experts in that field explain the migration of people to North America. Then have students put their findings into their own words and present. Those fields of study interested in the migration, according to Loewen, are:
History (including oral history and ethnohistory)
Cultural Anthropology (the study of human societies and cultures)
Physical Anthropology (the study of physiological and biological characteristics and how they developed)
Archaeology (the study of prehistory and history via the excavation and study of artifacts and remains)
Glottochronology (the study of languages and how they change)
Epidemiology (medical discipline studying diseases)
Human Genetics (chromosomes, traits, and that jazz)
Botany (the study of plants. How did cotton and Sweet potatoes come to the Americas?)
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Grade Level: (MS), (HS), (College)
- We put these in parentheses because there is no specified age group for the activity.
- However, we think it would be excellent for high school (HS), and college students.
Remote Ready: With Modifications
- It’s much easier for small groups or pairs to coordinate a phone call or video conference meeting than for the entire class to sync their schedules. Have these small groups post answers, a synopsis, or a video of their discussion to your LMS.
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This activity requires students to do research
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This activity calls for working in pairs, a group, and/or having a class discussion
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