Unit 4: Early Humans
We had to start somewhere. Discover the superpower that helped our earliest ancestors thrive like no other species: collective learning.
Lesson 4.1
Humanity’s New Complexity
A warmer climate led to environmental changes that jump-started the evolution of humans. Of all the different human species who existed in the past, only we remain. It’s time to discover why.
Lesson 4.2
Human Ancestors
How did life transform from a simple single-celled organism to our own species, one that creates, communicates, loves, and hates? Explore humanity’s place in the great history of life.
Lesson 4.3
Collective Learning
We can teach a dog tricks—sit, stay, fetch—but have you ever seen a dog teach another dog tricks? Using a set of uniquely human skills, such as speech, art, and writing, we can build on each other’s breakthroughs.
Lesson 4.4
Migration
All humans evolved in Africa, but what made our ancestors journey outside of Africa to eventually populate the whole world? Journey through time and across thousands of miles to investigate human migration.
Lesson 4.5
Foraging Societies
You are what you eat. You’re also how you eat. Explore how the hunter-gatherer lifestyle shaped our early communities while limiting some of their potential for growth.
Teaching This Unit
Unit 4 Vocab Guide
Key Unit 4 vocabulary words and definitions.
OER Teaching Sensitive Topics in Social Studies Guide
Support for having discussions that are difficult, but meaningful.
Causation One-Pager
Strategies for supporting causal thinking.
Blog: Foraging or Farming?
Explore whether farming was really an improvement over foraging.
Unit 4 Teaching Guide
All the lesson guides you need in one place.