Reconstructing History Authors: Judy Scotchmoor and Dale Springer

Overview: This activity can be used to teach students that it is possible to reconstruct history—to assemble a logical and reasonable sequence of events—even if:

— you were not present when the events took place, and
— some of the events in the sequence are “missing” (i.e., you do not know everything that occurred on a moment-to-moment basis).

Lesson Concepts:

• Earth has a history. It is possible using the “clues” present on Earth (gathered through investigations in geology, paleontology, biology, chemistry, physics, etc.) to reconstruct that history with logical and scientifically reasonable accuracy.

Grade Span: 6–16

Materials:

• A zip lock bag containing a set of “clues” on the life of Lincoln for each team of students. ( Format: HTML, Word)
• An overhead of the final missing clue (Format: Color or B&W).

Please note: Feel free to substitute another historical figure is you so choose. Clues can include photographs, newspaper articles, a series of statements about events in the person’s life, etc.

Advance Preparation:

— Prepare sets of clues for each team.

Time: ~40 minutes

Grouping: Groups of 4–5 students and a full class discussion

Teacher Background:

One of the arguments used against the validity of evolution and the evidence from the fossil record is that no one was there to see it happen. And that there are missing links in the fossil record. This activity helps to clear up that misconception.

Vocabulary: missing links in the fossil record

Procedure:

1. Brainstorm with the class about Lincoln, using questions such as:
   • What do you know about Abraham Lincoln?
   • How do you know what you know?
   • Did any of you meet him personally?
   • How do you know that he really existed?
2. Hand out a bag of clues to each team. Ask them to arrange the clues in order so that they are reconstructing part of Lincoln’s life.
3. Ask each team to use their baggie of “clues” to reconstruct Lincoln’s life.
4. Once everyone is finished, ask one team to read out the clues in the order they have chosen. The other teams should follow along and express a “challenge” if they disagree with the order. (This is common.) The entire class decides listens to the logic of the challenge, discusses the options, and decides on the “best” solution. This gives you an opportunity to talk about different ways of interpreting data/clues.
5. Discuss with the class the process by which they reconstructed the sequence of events in Lincoln’s life.
   • Why did they place a given event first; or last; or before/after another event?
   • Could they put an actual date to any of the events (e.g., Was there a clue that told them Lincoln was born February 12, 1809? That he died April 14, 1865?)?
   • Do we know what Lincoln was doing on the days between the events for which we have clues? e.g., Do we know what he had for lunch on March 14, 1861?
   • Does not knowing every detail of Lincoln’s life mean that we cannot get a reasonable idea of what he did through his life, or what major events occurred during his life?
6. At this point, you can mention that apparently Lincoln was never President then!!! (None of the clues actually mention that.) This is a good time to talk about direct evidence and inferences. Place the “final clue” on the overhead.

Summary:
Bring the discussion back to the history of Earth and of life on Earth. Point out that no scientists were alive through most of Earth’s nearly five-billion-year history. No one watched life evolve over that immense span of time. However, just as we can reconstruct the major events of Lincoln’s life, if not the day-to-day details, we can reconstruct the history of Earth and life on Earth. Instead of photographs and articles in books and newspapers, we use rocks and fossils (among other things) as our “clues” to Earth’s past. As we gather more information, we may change our interpretations; that is how science works. But, the processes we use to gather and interpret data provide the framework that ultimately ensure that science is self-correcting.