Ohio’s Prehistoric People
The Disappearance of Beringia

Overview:

The land connector known as Beringia was far more than the narrow strip of terrain than the word “bridge” implies. Maps of the area show a wide expanse of land connecting all of Alaska to the Asian continent. Because so much of Earth’s water was frozen in the glaciers, sea levels fell to expose land that had previously been covered by water. During the Wisconsin glacial period, it is estimated that the level of water fell by as much as 300 feet uncovering hundreds of square miles of land. As the glacier retreated water levels rose, once again claiming the land that had provided passage to and from North America’s earliest dwellers.

Students can gain insight into the land connector, Beringia, and how it was covered by rising water as the glacier retreated.

 

Video Synopsis:

Prehistoric Ohioans
They came to our state more than 12,000 years ago. Some believe they crossed a land bridge from Siberia to Alaska and migrated south. Prehistoric Ohioans looks at the Paleo, Archaic, Adena, Hopewell, Whittlesey and Fort Ancient peoples. See who lived, hunted, gathered, farmed and built mysterious mounds in Ohio.

 

Goal:

Students will make a model to show how it was possible for early humans to cross back and forth from Asia to North America before the land bridge disappeared near the end of glacial activity.

 

Objectives:

Ohio Social Studies Content Standards

Grade 4 Benchmark: History

Indicator: Settlement

2. Describe the earliest settlements in Ohio including those of prehistoric peoples.

Grade 4 Benchmark: Geography

Indicator: Human Environmental Interaction

8. Identify how environmental processes (i.e., glaciation and weathering) and characteristics (landforms, bodies of water, climate, vegetation) influence human settlement and activity in Ohio.

 

Ohio Science Content Standards:

Grade 4 Benchmark: Earth and Space Sciences

Indicator: Earth Systems

3. Investigate how water changes from one state to another ( e.g., freezing, melting, condensation and evaporation).

Grade 4 Benchmark: Scientific Inquiry

Indicator: Doing Scientific Inquiry

3. Develop, design and conduct safe, simple investigations or experiments to answer questions.

 

Materials:

• Modeling clay

• Large aluminum baking pans or other deep-sided pans or tubs

• Ice or, weather permitting, snow
  

This activity may be performed as a whole-group demonstration, or as an investigation by small groups or teams.

 

Procedure:

1. Ask students to use modeling clay to form two land masses at each end of the pan. These masses will represent Asia and North America and should be built up at least two inches high.

2. They should then form a connection with the clay between the masses that is an inch lower. This will represent Beringia. Say that this is what Beringia was like before the melting of the glacier. Over this connector passed prehistoric wandering animals, followed by Asian peoples who became North America’s earliest inhabitants.

3. On one side of the pan place a pile of ice (or snow) to represent a glacier.

4. Place in a window or other warm area to wait for the ice to melt. The connecting bridge of clay will be covered by water.

Evaluation:

This assessment can be done individually or in teams. It can be written or oral. Ask students to write a paragraph with at least four details about the lesson and activity just completed. Possible details include:

1. It was once possible to walk from Asia to North America.

2. Sea levels were low because so much of the earth’s water was in the form of ice in the glacier.

3. Beringia was a land bridge that connected two continents.

4. The glacier melted and the water rose to cover the land bridge.

5. Ice (a solid) melted to form water (a liquid) which is a physical change from one state of matter to another.

6. Water now separates Asia and North America.

7. Animals wandered back and forth from Asia to North America over the land bridge. They were followed by people also going back and forth.

Ask students to hypothesize how people may have reached the North American continent if a land bridge had never existed. (by the use of floating vessels )

Ask if people are still going back and forth today. (They are but not over a land bridge because it is gone.)