Biology

Speed dating amongst the species

by Victor Toufas, Biology teacher

As part of the Unit 4 Biology course, students studied the changes that occur to humans over time. They investigated shared characteristics that define primates, hominoids and hominins; major trends in hominin evolution from the genus Australopithecus to the genus Homo; and the human fossil record as an example of a classification scheme that is open to interpretations that are contested, refined or replaced when new evidence challenges them or when a new model has greater explanatory power, including whether Homo sapiens and Homo neanderthalensis interbred and the placement of Homo denisovans into the Homo evolutionary tree.

To engage in this content, students took on the persona of a particular species of the genus Homo, created a profile to include information on their structural, functional and cognitive abilities and then 'speed dated' their species. This was an effective and fun way of getting the students involved in some peer teaching. I took this activity to the next level by making the Science laboratory a little more ambient.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish the Year 12 Biology class all the best of luck for their final examination and subsequent choices. It has been a pleasure teaching them. Each one of them has amazing qualities and ones that will no doubt help them achieve their dreams and goals.