By measuring different skull parameters, students see similarities and differences between seven hominid relatives. This is not a STEM Kit, but a set of skulls representing: Proconsul africanus, Pan troglodytes, Australopithecus africanus, Homo erectus, Homo sapiens neander-thalensis, Cro-Magnon, and Homo sapiens. Educators using the Hominid Skull Set are free to create their own activities or use one of the lesson plans created by NSEOC master teachers below.
Big Concepts include: 1) evolution of species.
Scientific Inquiry Skills include: 1) observation skills; 2) measurement; 3) deductive reasoning and 4) use of science notebooks.
Hominid Skull Set Resources
- Hominid Skull Cards
- Skull Anatomy
- Hominid Evolution Activity – created by Kari Keever
- Hominid Skull Comparison Data Sheet (for Evolution Activity)
- Hominid Evolution Activity Rubric
- Human Evolution Activity – created by Vicky Jordan
- Human vs. Ape Trait Differences Presentation – created by Mike Viney
- Fossil of the Family Hominidae Presentation
CSU Resources
- Faculty Collaborator: Dr. Ann Magennis, College of Liberal Arts, Dept. of Anthropology & Geography
Other Useful Resources
- Becoming Human
- Know your Hominid Skulls
- Introduction to Human Evolution
- Teaching About Evolution and the Nature of Science
Borrowing the Hominid Skull Set
There is no charge to educators who wish to borrow the Hominid Skull Set, but we do not ship them to schools. Teachers must pick them up at the NSEOC during regular business hours. We appreciate applications be submitted at least 2 weeks in advance of the desired use date. The loan application forms require you to confirm your email address before it will be sent to the EOC – so once you click submit, check your email (including the junk folder)! You should also get a copy of the form for your records via email, if you don’t, please contact Courtney Gooding Butler (courtney.butler@colostate.edu).
- Local Pick-Up Loan Application Form – these skulls are only available for local pick up (we will not ship them)
- Educator Feedback Survey – must be completed after returning kits to the NSEOC and before another kit can be requested
It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change. – Charles Darwin
