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5th Grade - Demo

Self Study

Learning Goals

By the end of this study, you will learn about:

How human beings evolved on Earth.

Who hominids and hunter-gatherers were.

The different sources that tell us about early human life, such as artefacts and fossils.

Thinking Point: The Age of Dinosaurs and Humans Did you know that dinosaurs roamed the Earth and became extinct long before humans appeared? Dinosaurs died out about 65 million years ago, while the earliest human-like beings (hominids) only appeared around 3.6 million years ago. Scientists have many theories about why dinosaurs went extinct, including a massive asteroid impact, volcanic eruptions, or climate change. This shows just how ancient our planet is and how life has changed over vast periods!
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The Story of Human Evolution: From Hominids to Homo Sapiens

The human beings that we see now are very different from the humans who lived many years ago. This incredible journey of change is called evolution. Two million years ago, humans resembled apes and were called hominids.

Who Were the Hominids?

Timeline: Hominids appeared about two million years ago.

Resemblance: They resembled apes.

Physical Characteristics:

Their heads were big and sloped backwards above the eyes.

They had small foreheads.

Their arms were long, reaching up to their knees.

They had thick eyebrows.

They couldn't stand upright.

Although they didn't have a tail, their bodies were covered with thick hair.

Communication:

Like other animals, they couldn't speak.

They only growled.

Definition: Hominids are early human-like beings who were ancestors of modern humans.

Changes Over Time

Hominids lived on the Earth for many years. Slowly, they began to change and after many years, they developed features that we see in humans today.

Standing Upright: They gained the ability to stand upright.

Using Hands: They gained the ability to hold objects.

Think About It: Which body part developed in early humans that gave them the ability to hold objects? Their hands became more developed, allowing them to make tools, pick up things, and throw them.

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Advantages of Evolved Humans

The advantage that human beings had over other animals was:

Larger Brains: They had larger brains.

Bipedalism: They had the ability to balance themselves on their feet.

This helped them to stand erect.

This helped them to walk on feet without using their hands.

Use of Hands: They could then use their hands to:

Make tools.

Pick up things.

Throw them.

Present Species: The present species of humans are called Homo sapiens.

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Life as Hunter-Gatherers

The early humans did not stay in one place. They were called hunter-gatherers.

Nomadic Lifestyle

Simple Lives: They led simple lives.

Movement for Food: They moved from place to place for food.

Hunted animals.

Ate fruits and roots.

Caught fish.

Relocation: When they ran out of food in one place, they moved to a new place.

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Shelter and Clothing

Shelter: They lived in caves or on tree tops.

This was to protect themselves from wild animals.

Clothing:

They wore animal skins.

They used leaves to cover themselves.

FactPedia: The first living things were born in water.

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How We Know About Early Humans: Sources of Information

We get information about early humans mainly from several sources. By studying these remains, archaeologists have come to know about the people and their lifestyle during that period.

Main Sources :

Caves and Rock Shelters: These were places where early humans lived.

Tools and Artefacts:

Objects used by them.

Artefact: An object made by humans, studied for historical interest.

Examples: Pottery:

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Fossils, Bones, and Horns of Animals:

Fossils: Remains of living things or impressions left by them on rocks.

Examples: Fossils:

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Cave Paintings:

Art found on cave walls depicting their life. `

Examples: Cave painting:

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Geographical Discoveries

The earliest remains of human beings have been found in Africa.

However, sources show humans existed in other parts of the world too.

Green Earth

- Pottery is an ancient art of India.

- Earthen pots are eco-friendly and one should use them more often than plastic ones.

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The Timeline of Human Development

Read the following timeline to understand the different stages of development of human beings.

Australopithecus afarensis

Homo Habilis

Homo erectus

Homo neanderthalensis

Homo sapiens (modern humans)

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In a Nutshell

Here's a quick summary of what we've learned:

Early humans looked different from modern humans and were called hominids.

The hunter-gatherers ate fruits and roots of plants, animal flesh and fish.

Historians get to know about early humans by studying:

The caves and rock shelters.

The skeletal remains or the bones of early humans.

The tools that they used.

Artefacts.

Fossils.

Bones and horns of animals.

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