TITLE: Land Bridge Theory of Migration
AUTHOR: Cheryl Turk-Barrus, Eastside Elem., Cody, WY
GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT: 4, social studies
OVERVIEW: Students work in cooperative groups solving the
mystery of the crossing of the Bering Strait and how it
relates to the early presence of man in Wyoming.
PURPOSE: The purpose of this activity is to allow students
to work within their groups on problem solving skills and
coming to a group consensus on an issue while introducing
them to the study of early Wyoming history.
OBJECTIVES: As a result of this activity, the students
will:
1. Understand the effects of the ice age on the levels of
the oceans waters.
2. Be able to identify the Bering Strait.
3. Understand that a land bridge between Asia and North
America existed at the Bering Strait.
4. Be able to trace the migration of early man from Asia
to the state of Wyoming.
This activity is designed to be used as an opening
activity for the students into the study of the state's
history. It can easily be used as a cooperative education
activity that will reinforce the groups understanding of
coming to consensus on an issue.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS: World map that shows Asia to the left
of the United States, activity sheets (end of lesson)
ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES: News Flash Game
To introduce the unit before any reading takes place
create the following challenge game. With students in small
groups of cooperative teams, produce the following story
using a world map to trace your tale. (hint: I recorded
the story and used it in a learning center. The more you
add to and elaborate on the tale, the better the activity)
A time long ago on this continent (point to Asia), a group
of people who followed their food, such as bison and
mammoths, roamed the area. As the people continued their
daily search for food they were slowly lead to this point
(point to the Bering Strait). As they continued to follow
their food they found themselves here (point to North
American side of Bering Strait). As these people continued
to follow their food they eventually scattered themselves
throughout North America. Now, here is the challenge -- you
can see that there is no land between these two continents,
yet animals and people crossed here. Your task is to tell
me how the people got across, or what did they walk on to
get to North America.
As the teams begin solving the challenge write the first
news flash on the board, then continue to supply news
flashes until the teams can secretly report the correct
answer.
NEWS FLASH: The animals had no boats and most people
walked.
NEWS FLASH: The weather turned very cold.
NEWS FLASH: An Ice Age occurred.
NEWS FLASH: As ice bergs grew oceans shrank.
NEWS FLASH: The animals and people walked on bare ground.
(correct answer: they walked across land bridge)
TAPE CHALLENGE
ACTIVITY SHEET
Name: ____________________________
Use the world map below to trace the story:
(you will need to get a map of the world for
students to use. Place map here)
Take notes as you listen
NEWSFLASH #1:_______________________________________________
NEWSFLASH #2:_______________________________________________
NEWSFLASH #3:_______________________________________________
NEWSFLASH #4:_______________________________________________
NEWSFLASH #5:_______________________________________________
Nomads:_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Point where they crossed the ocean _________________________
Ice Age: ___________________________________________________
Answer to the challenge: The nomads reached North America
by _________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
TYING IT ALL TOGETHER:
1. Discuss the theory of the Land Bridge Crossing.
2. Discuss how people use clues to come up with the
various theories.
3. Have the students try the challenge exercises to check
for understanding the theory.
Challenge exercises
A FISHY FOSSIL
An amateur archaeologist was exploring in a remote
mountain region in Wyoming know as Owl Creek. On a
sheltered southern exposure hillside overlooking a natural
spring the archaeologist discovered petrified fish scales.
Through closer study of the general site, skeletal remains
of an unknown fish were discovered. Once the site was
carefully excavated the fish remain were sent to a lab for
identification. The lab made the following discoveries:
1. The fish bones and scales were left behind, the meat of
the fish was not left at the site, it was removed from
he scales and skeleton. The skeleton had marks that
indicated that a knife like tool had been used to
remove the flesh from the bones.
2. The fish was identified as a rare freshwater fish that
is only found in the northeastern areas of Asia.
3. No other fish of this origin had ever been found in
North America.
4. On further lab test, traces of fire carbon were found
on the skeletons.
Using the above information, form a hypothesis about this
archaeological find. Make sure you note the laboratories
findings in your hypothesis of the situation.
BRIDGING A NEW CONTINENT
Suppose that the land bridge that joined Asia and North
America had joined North America to Africa. How would North
America and its early history be changed because of the land
bridge? Use the following topics to develop your ideas of
possible changes that might have occurred.
1. ANIMAL SPECIES
2. NATIVE AMERICANS
3. ARTIFACTS LEFT BEHIND
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