Author/Source: BiteScis

Overview: Evolutionarily, chimps (and bonobos) are the closest living relatives to modern humans, with 99.6% of their DNA being the same as ours. How can we be so close genetically and yet so far away from being the same? This lesson helps to explain how one of our biggest differences— locomotion—might be the key to why our evolutionary paths diverged.
 

Concepts: This lesson covers the following concepts:

• Model and contrast the locomotor gaits of humans and chimpanzees.
• Explain how the process of evolution could have led to humans having an energetically efficient gait.
• Explain how the process of evolution could have led to the preservation of the less efficient chimpanzee gait.

Grade Level: 9-12
 
Time: 40 minutes
 
Teacher Background: Explore these links for additional information on the topics covered in this lesson:

• Primate Behavior
• Bipedalism Evidence

Lesson URL: https://bitescis.org/lesson-plan/the-origins-and-evolution-of-human-bipedality/