New
New
Year 6

Human skulls: using evidence from the past (non-statutory)

I can describe how human skulls have changed over time and use fossil evidence to suggest reasons why.

New
New
Year 6

Human skulls: using evidence from the past (non-statutory)

I can describe how human skulls have changed over time and use fossil evidence to suggest reasons why.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Scientists who study humans depend on fossil evidence to help them learn about how our ancestors have changed over time.
  2. Human skulls can show changes in characteristics such as: skull shape, brain and jaw size.
  3. Modern day skulls show differences, suggested by scientists, linked to humans chewing softer, processed food.

Keywords

  • Prehistoric - Prehistoric times are time periods which came before written records began.

  • Fossil - A fossil is the remains or imprint of living things that are sometimes preserved in rock.

  • Evidence - Evidence is information which helps us to prove that something is true or not true.

  • Ancestor - Your ancestor lived in the past and is directly related to you.

  • Skull - The skull is the name for the bones of the head.

Common misconception

Pupils may think that humans as we know them have always looked the same as they do now.

Use the images of skulls in the slide deck to clearly show how humans’ appearance has changed over many thousands of years.

Encourage pupils to think about how humans may continue to change thousands of years into the future based on how our lifestyles are changing. Might our legs get less muscular as we lead more sedentary lives? Might our fingers get more dexterous as we spend longer on smartphones and other devices?
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of these is a skull?
Correct answer: A
B
C
D
Q2.
Where is a human’s brain?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: inside the skull
inside the rib cage
inside the pelvis
Q3.
Which arrow is pointing to the jaw on this skull?
An image in a quiz
A
B
Correct answer: C
Q4.
The remains or imprints of living things that are sometimes preserved in rock are called ...
Correct Answer: fossils, fossil, fossils., fossil.
Q5.
What is the purpose of a skeleton?
An image in a quiz
support, digestion and movement
Correct answer: support, protection and movement
movement, digestion and sensing the world around us
movement, protection and sensing the world around us
Q6.
What are the ancestors of living things?
the offspring of a living thing
a thing that will live many years in the future
Correct answer: a thing which lived in the past as part of your family
living things that are alive at the same time

6 Questions

Q1.
We call the time period before written records of human life began times.
Correct Answer: prehistoric, prehistory, pre historic, pre-historic
Q2.
Two of these skulls are from prehistoric times, one is a modern day skull. Which is the modern day skull?
A
Correct answer: B
C
Q3.
What can scientists who study prehistoric humans use to gather evidence about how our ancestors have changed over time?
photographs of prehistoric humans
diaries of prehistoric humans
Correct answer: fossils of prehistoric humans
Q4.
How long has it taken for the shape of human skulls to change so that the jaw is smaller and there is more room for a larger brain?
decades
centuries
Correct answer: millions of years
Q5.
Which of these changes have been observed in the skulls of humans over millions of years?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: changes in skull shape
changes in material
Correct answer: changes in jaw size
changes in number of facial features
Correct answer: changes in brain size
Q6.
What do scientists suggest is a possible reason for modern human skulls having smaller jaws and teeth than those from millions of years ago?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: Our diet is made up of softer, more processed food now.
Our diet is made up of harder, more chewy food now.
Our teeth are better looked after by dentists now.
Our teeth are brushed more thoroughly now.
Q2 image 1 Valente Romero/Shutterstock Q2 image 2 Chokniti-Studio/Shutterstock Q2 image 3 Yes058 Montree Nanta/Shutterstock Q5 Yes058 Montree Nanta/Shutterstock