Educator Resources: Spitzer Hall of Human Origins 

Part of Hall of Human Origins.

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The Spitzer Hall of Human Origins presents key and cutting-edge evidence – fossils, genetic data, and artifacts – that scientists use to assemble the evolutionary story of our taxonomic family, the hominids. This comprehensive guide will help you explore the exhibition with your students. Take part in a Virtual Lab Experience! 

Educators Guide and Materials

Cover of Educator's Guide titled "Anne and Bernard Spitzer Hall of Human Origins" featuring three skeletons (a chimp, human, and neanderthal).

Spitzer Hall of Human Origins Educator's Guide

Get an advance look at the exhibition's major themes and what your class will encounter. This ten-page guide for K-12 educators includes a Map of the Exhibition, Essential Questions (important background content), Teaching in the Exhibition (self-guided explorations), Come Prepared Checklist, Correlation to Standards, and Glossary.

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Activities

Spitzer Hall of Human Origins: Activities for Grades K-4
Spitzer Hall of Human Origins: Activities for Grades 5-8
Spitzer Hall of Human Origins: Activities for Grades 9-12

 

More Resources

Use these free online resources before or after your visit to further explore themes presented in the Hall of Human Origins.

Educator Materials Analyzing Images of Culture A picture is worth a thousand words, but whose words are they? Zoom in on how the opinions and biases of photographers can color... Hands-on Buried Bones Bury chicken bones in plaster of Paris to see the challenges paleontologists face when excavating fossils. Exhibition Darwin Learn about Charles Darwin's observations of nature and how he transformed our understanding of the living world. November 19, 2005 — August 20, 2006 Hands-on Finding Fossils Anyone can find fossils. This handy how-to guide tells you where to look and what to do. Educator Materials Evolution Natural selection plays a large role in the evolution of a species. The following activity demonstrates this concept. Hands-on Make a DNA Model Find out what makes you different from a snail, a tree, or even your best friend! Educator Materials Multiple Cultures, Multiple Identities What defines you—your ethnic background, the region you live in, your age, or your gender? Correct answer: All of the above. Hands-on Piecing It All Together Decorate, shatter, and piece together your own pottery artifact! Educator Materials Spitzer Hall of Human Origins Online Resources Unearth and explore a 1.6-million-year-old human skeleton. Watch a video that explains why evolution matters. And compare human skeletons... Educator Materials Spitzer Hall of Human Origins Booklist for Kids Explore your ancestral past and the 22nd-century possibilities of DNA research with this collection of kid-friendly titles selected... Educator Materials Spitzer Hall of Human Origins Booklist for Adults Find an answer to the question, "What is human nature?" Investigate Jane Goodall's pioneering field research. And consider... Educator Materials Spitzer Hall of Human Origins Glossary What are evolutionary trees? How do hominids differ from primates? And why is it important that humans are capable of symbolic thought?... Game Tools of the Trade Solve this cartoon mystery to see how archaeologists found a lost Spanish mission on an island near Georgia. Reading Tree of Life Explore this family tree of living things on Earth. Educator Materials Understanding Geologic Time How long have humans been on Earth compared to the length of time dinosaurs roamed the planet? Gain a new understanding of time by... Hands-on Wear a Chimp on Your Wrist Make a bracelet that matches a section of DNA code from your favorite plant or animal. Video What Makes You, YOU Nature + Nurture = You! While it may look like a simple equation, the combination of your genes and your environment is actually...