Who is Lucy (Australopithecus)?

Learning Goal: to determine what we know about

a female Australopithecus discovered in Hagar,
Ethiopia in 1974. Her nickname is Lucy.

Why is her name Lucy?

The Archaeologists who discovered her were
listening to the Beatles song - Lucy in the Sky with
Diamonds

ACTIVITY 1: Meeting Lucy (Australopithecus Getty Images, The Skeleton of Lucy

afarensis). https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2016-
08-30/human-ancestor-lucy-died-from-
falling-out-of-a-tree/7794758

From the Smithsonian National Museum

 From the Institute of Human Origins - of Natural History -
https://iho.asu.edu/about/lucys-story https://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/hum
an-fossils/fossils/al-288-1

Read the information, and watch the video, from the sources
listed below.

 Hogenboom, Melissa (2014). The ‘Lucy’ Fossil Rewrote the Story of

Humanity. BBC – Earth. Retrieved from
http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20141127-lucy-fossil-revealed-our-origins
 Arizona State University (n.d.) Lucy’s Story. Retrieved from
https://iho.asu.edu/about/lucys-story
 BBC Earth. (2014) Lucy: 3.2 million year old mother of man [online video].
Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3U5KkOYRkA
 Finding the Lucy Fossil — HHMI BioInteractive Video Retrieved from Retrieved
from https://youtu.be/Kqcpkx8tfKI

ACTIVITY 2: Now use what you have learned to answer the

following questions. You can go back and check your sources if
you need to. Type your answer below the questions.

a) Who is Lucy?

b) When was she discovered (found)?

c) Who discovered her?

d) Where was she discovered?

e) How was she discovered?

f) What information does she provide about evolution (the idea that living things
have developed/changed over time)?

ACTIVITY 3: Museum Curator

Now watch the following news report, and then complete the task
on the next page:

 CTGN Africa. (2013) Ethiopia’s famous fossil, Lucy, returned home after a
5 year tour of different museums in the US [online video]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AG-G22MuyM8

Imagine you are a museum curator (person in charge) for the

National Natural History Museum of Australia. Write an email to the
Museum in Ethiopia requesting a loan of the Lucy skeleton for an
exhibit to support your research.
You need to justify (explain) why Lucy should be exhibited (shown) in your Museum.
Use the instructions below to help you structure your email.

When finished, send your email to your teacher

Writing an effective formal Email

Follow these 8 steps to make sure your email meets the criteria. Check them off after
you have written yours.

Step Example Done?

1 Use the subject line to show
what the email is about
2 Use a professional font
3 Start with a formal greeting and
use the person’s title and
surname.
4 Introduce yourself
5 Keep things short, clear and
concise.
6 Use formal language. No slang!
7 Use a formal way to sign off
8 Proof read before you send!
History homework question
Calibri, times new roman, Arial
Good morning Mrs Richardson
My name is … and I am from
…
State exactly why you are
emailing, and what you would
like
I would like to ask you about…
Kind regards,
Don’t rely on spell check!

Here is an excellent example of an appropriate, formal email:

Subject: Summer Initiative

Dear April,

My name is Leslie and I’m a park director with the Indiana Parks and Recreation
Department. We’re dedicated to making Indiana parks more beautiful and visitor-
friendly.

I’m reaching out today to see if you would be interested in learning more about our
summer initiative to get more kids outside and to the parks. I know you run a
summer camp, and I’d love to talk about partnering with you to use our parks for
certain outdoor activities.

Let me know if you’d like to learn more.

Sincerely,
Leslie Knope