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America's Stone Age Explorers
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Viewing Ideas
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Before Watching
Have students research the Clovis-first theory. Ask students to share
their knowledge about the questions central to the program—Who were the
first Americans? Where did they come from? How did they get to America? Use a
map to locate some of the places mentioned: the Bering Strait; Clovis, New
Mexico; and Monte Verde, Chile.
Organize students into six groups. Have each group take notes on evidence
presented in the program related to one of the following areas: the Clovis
people; a pre-Clovis population; the Solutrean culture; possible migration
routes to the Americas; archeological evidence; and genetic evidence.
After Watching
Have students refer to their notes for a discussion about the evidence
presented in the program. Survey the class. How many students feel the evidence
for the existence of a pre-Clovis people is strong? Moderately strong? Weak?
How many feel the evidence that the Solutreans may have come to the Americas
from Europe is strong? Moderately strong? Weak? Have students defend their
reasoning. What evidence supports or refutes various migration routes? After
watching the program, whom do students think the first Americans were?
Ask students why it is important to find out who the first Americans were.
What implications might it have for Native Americans? For Europeans? Have
students explore some contemporary Native American views and expressions of
their beliefs about their ancestry. Why might Native Americans be sensitive to
a claim that prehistoric Europeans were among the earliest colonizers of the
continent?
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