Armshtadt, Human Evolution and Paleontology

Human evolution is a well-stablished scientific model demonstrating our origins through several stages ina process called Hominization. Current research is giving new fossils and clues that help us to better interprete the available data. In order to introduce inquiry-based science education (IBSE) approaches to this topic, we propose “Armshtadt 3 Delta”, an activity where students are asked to use hominid fossil data to design and investigate Excavation Sites as real paleontologists would do. Grouped in expert teams, each team cosntruct interpretation frames whcih are used inmediately after by research teams to design and construct a physical Excavation Site. Each team investigates the site created by another team, which has kept in secret the hominid represented there. The activity ends with a Science Communication Event and gives special relevance to the processes of creation of scientific knowledge and the kinf of knowledge resulting.
This activity is part of the C3 Project on Creation of Scientific Knowledge that is being applied in the school.