The debate about the origin of human beings has a history of hundreds of years, and there are still many unsolved problems. How much do you know about this? What do you want to know?
Student: (Students express their opinions and put forward their own ideas and opinions)
Teacher: When it comes to the origin of human beings, we have to mention Darwin, the founder of evolution, and his Origin of Species. Please share the information collected before class.
Student: (report and communicate in groups)
Darwin was born in 1: 1859 and published the Origin of Species. In this book, he implies that his views will provide important ideas and clues for the study of human origin. Later, in other works, he clearly pointed out that human beings evolved like other animals, and speculated that human beings were related to gorillas and chimpanzees. At that time, many scientists believed in creationism, so the supporters of Darwin's theory of evolution and creationism had a heated debate.
Health 2: The debate about the origin of human beings is between scientists Huxley and wilberforce. It happened at a meeting of the British Society of Oxford University in June 1860. The focus of the debate was Darwin's On the Origin of Species. Darwin's view finally won the argument. Later, after comparing the similarities between humans and apes, Darwin proposed that humans and apes evolved from the same ancestor.
Teacher: Do you know what is the common ancestor of humans and apes?
Health: forest ape.
Teacher: Yes. Below you observe some pictures and videos of modern apes, and answer the following questions according to your life experience: Where are these apes distributed on the earth today? What do their lifestyles have in common?
Health: Gorillas live in the equatorial regions of western and eastern Africa. Chimpanzees live in tropical rainforests in central and western Africa; Gibbons live in South and Southeast Asia and Yunnan Province in China. Orangutans live in the tropical forests of Kalimantan and Sumatra in Asia. They live on fruits, flower buds, insects and other foods obtained from the forest. They have no ability to make tools and improve their living environment, nor can they communicate with each other like human beings.
Teacher: At present, why is the number of human beings increasing sharply, while the number of apes is decreasing? Please talk about your opinion.
Student: (group discussion, inter-group communication, supplement)
Health 1: Human beings have the ability to invent and create various technologies and tools, so that the ability of human beings to adapt to nature, transform nature, improve living conditions and strengthen their own health care is constantly strengthened, and the population is greatly increased. On the contrary, modern apes do not have these abilities.
Health 2: The continuous exploitation of the forests on which modern apes depend, the indiscriminate hunting and killing of modern apes by human beings and the serious pollution of the environment have all reduced the number of modern apes.
Teacher: Apes do have many similarities with humans in morphological structure, but in what ways are they fundamentally different from humans?
Health: (observe, discuss, communicate and answer)
Health 1: Different exercise modes: apes mainly walk on all fours; And humans walk upright.
Second, the ability to make tools is different: apes can use natural tools, but they can't make tools; Humans can make and use all kinds of simple and complex tools.
Health 3: The degree of brain development is different: the brain capacity of apes is about 400 mL, and there is no language ability; The capacity of human brain is about 1200 mL, and it has strong thinking ability and language ability.
Teacher: It can be seen that human beings originated from forest apes and are the product of the highest stage of animal evolution, but human beings have surpassed the animal kingdom, and there are essential differences between human beings and animals. 12 million years ago, forest apes were widely distributed in Africa, Asia and Europe, especially in the tropical jungles of Africa. Please observe the pictures of forest apes and their lives and try to describe their living conditions.
Health: forest apes mainly live in trees in dense forests, live in groups and feed on the fruits of trees.
Teacher: So, what caused a branch of forest apes to gradually evolve into humans?
Great changes have taken place in the living environment on both sides of the Great Rift Valley in East Africa. Some tropical rainforests have become savanna, forcing some forest apes to live on the ground.
Teacher: In the Rift Valley of East Africa, paleoanthropologists discovered the largest number of early hominid fossils in the world, namely fossil remains and relics. Think about it, why are there so many early hominid fossils here?
Health: It can explain that human ancestors were in Africa.
Teacher: Fossils are the best evidence. Please observe the following pictures of ancient human fossils excavated by paleontologists in different periods. What problems can you find?
Health: (observing and thinking)
Teacher: Let's analyze: (1) According to the bones of "Lucy" girl, is there a difference between her upper limbs and lower limbs? Imagine how she moves according to the shape of her limbs and pelvis (2) What do "East Africans" do with the stones shown in the picture? Judging from the shape of the stone, what ability do "East Africans" have in using tools?
Health: Judging from the bones of "Lucy" girl, her upper limbs are thin and short, her lower limbs are thick and long, her lower limbs are thick and long, her pelvis is flat up and down, and her left and right sides are wide, which indicates that she is likely to walk upright. The stone tools used by "East Africans" are obviously processed, with axe shape and chisel shape, which can be used as tools for cutting and scraping objects. It is speculated that "East Africans" have the ability to make and use tools in the process of gradually adapting to upright walking.
Teacher: What can you think of when you see the skull fossils and restored images of "East Africans"?
Health: "East Africans" have the characteristics of modern apes and humans.
Teacher: What does this mean?
Health: This may indicate that "East Africans" are in the process of evolution.
Teacher: Please guess the living conditions of ancient people at that time according to the above fossils and their relics?
Student: (reading and answering)
Health 1: The forest ape-man who lived in the eastern highlands of the Great Rift Valley in East Africa originally lived in dense forests. Later, due to the drastic changes in the environment, the forest area was greatly reduced, and some forest apes had to live underground. The part of forest apes living on the ground, due to the changes of environment and their own structure, has developed in the direction of upright walking from generation to generation: the lower limbs are used to support their weight and walk, and gradually become strong and powerful; Forelimbs are liberated, branches and stones can be used to get food and defend against enemies, and arms and hands are gradually becoming dexterous.
Health 2: Ancient humans in Lucy's era were at this stage. They can use tools, which is equivalent to stretching their limbs, and their hunting and defense against the enemy are greatly enhanced.
Health 3: Ancient humans in the era of "East Africans" not only used tools, but also made simple tools, which improved the efficiency of tools.
Teacher: Yes. Tens of thousands of years later, the tools made by ancient humans became more and more complicated; The manufacture and use of complex and exquisite tools have promoted the development of the brain and enabled them to think of various ways to solve difficulties; Language is produced in labor, and the language center of the brain is becoming more and more perfect; Rich languages enable them to communicate and cooperate with each other better. Let's play a little game.
Student: (Act in groups) Let a classmate choose three good friends, think of a sentence by himself and tell one of them, and ask him to convey the meaning of this sentence to the second one only by expression or action, and then the second one will convey it to the third friend in the same way. Finally, the third friend expressed his original intention in words.
Teacher: Has the meaning of the original words changed through this process? This shows the importance of language in life! Language enables all of us to communicate well. There is no language but physical expression, which will lead to many misunderstandings. Therefore, we should use language fully and appropriately in our life. Communicating with language is also one of the essential differences between animals and people.
Teacher: After observing the schematic diagram of human origin and development, please point out which aspects of human evolution have changed gradually.
Student: (observation, group discussion and communication)
Health 1: The mode of exercise has changed people's morphological structure: semi-upright walking → upright walking.
Health 2: Labor has improved the living conditions of human beings: not being able to use tools → using natural tools → making and using simple tools → making and using all kinds of complex tools including computers.
Health 3: Naked → Know how to keep out the cold and cover up your shame.
Teacher: In the harsh struggle with nature, human beings are becoming more and more powerful. Man is now called "the master of the biosphere", and his ability to change the environment far exceeds that of other creatures. Should human beings develop in harmony with nature?
Health: human beings originated from forest apes and gradually evolved in the long-term struggle with the natural environment: adapting to the environment and surviving; Those who don't adapt to the environment are eliminated. Although human beings are important members of the ecosystem, all human activities must respect the ecological laws, and human beings should develop in harmony with nature.
Teacher: Can modern apes evolve into adults?
Health: No, modern apes have adapted to the present environment and can no longer evolve into humans.
Teacher: Cao Zhi has a poem criticizing the persecution of his younger brother Cao Pi: "The dustpan burns under the kettle, and the beans weep in the kettle. This is the same root, why rush to fry! " How to understand this lesson?
Health: Cao Zhi compares himself to a bean and his brother to a beanstalk. The beans in the pot said to the beanstalk at the bottom of the pot, "We are born from the same root. Why are you eager to torture me and cook me? " This poem uses vivid metaphors to show that brothers are born on the same body and should not kill each other.
Teacher: So, apes are ancestors. Modern apes are close relatives of human beings, members of the biosphere and have the right to survive and reproduce on the earth. We should strengthen protection. What exactly should I do?
Health: Humans should take more measures to protect modern apes and other wild animals, such as strengthening publicity, implementing wildlife protection laws, establishing nature reserves, protecting the forest environment where they live, and resolutely stopping all acts that undermine their survival.
Teacher: I also hope you can put what you said into practice.