Introduction:

The book Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari states that Homo Sapiens was the primary reason for the disappearance of Neanderthals. There is genetic evidence that there was some interbreeding. Still, there is not enough crossover to suggest that it was a harmonious mingling of the two. Instead, unfortunately, it seems like Homo Sapiens outcompeted the Neanderthals and drove them to extinction. The sad reality is that Homo Sapiens probably drove every other hominin they encountered to extinction.

            In almost every measure, Neanderthals had the upper edge over Homo Sapiens. Neanderthals had much thicker bones, leading to thicker connective tissue, meaning more muscle mass. That extra muscle generated heat, which helped keep the Neanderthal warm in colder climates. While not as tall as Homo Sapiens, they were probably more powerful. Neanderthal skulls were bigger than Homo Sapiens, with more prominent nostrils. A Neanderthal brain was larger than a Homo Sapiens, specifically in the occipital region, which may have enhanced eye-sight (possibly better night vision). The nostril size meant they could use more oxygen to fuel hard work. The barrel-shaped chest made more room for larger lungs, which would take advantage of the increased nostril size. In general, the Neanderthal was more robust than Homo Sapiens. So how did Homo Sapiens outcompete them?

            While Homo Sapiens had smaller brains in total, they had a slightly larger frontal lobe, which would have fueled Homo Sapiens' ultimate power: imagination. Imagination would be the catalyst for fundamental needs like language and religion and would have given Homo Sapiens a massive advantage in the ability to organize smaller groups into larger ones. There is evidence of Homo Sapiens trading luxury items like shells and stones. To trade means you must trust, which means there must be some commonly shared beliefs that allow these different groups to interact. There is no evidence that Neanderthals traded like this, which may indicate that they stayed together in relatively smaller bands of people. In a one-on-one fight, the Neanderthal had a massive advantage. However, with Homo Sapiens' ability to organize, likely, it was never a one-on-one fight. If they were not actively fighting each other, the ability to organize more significant numbers would give the Homo Sapiens a tremendous advantage in resource acquisition.

            There are two competing theories as to the disappearance of Neanderthals. They are the Interbreeding Theory and the Replacement Theory. The Interbreeding Theory suggests that Homo Sapiens and Neanderthals mixed with each other. The Replacement Theory suggests that Homo Sapiens drove them to extinction by outcompeting and possibly genocide. Both are uncomfortable answers. The Interbreeding Theory could provide a basis for genetic profiling, which then could be used to justify racist theories. The Replacement Theory suggests that Homo Sapiens were not tolerant of any different human type, and their actions (actively) drove Neanderthals to extinction. The evidence suggests that both are true to a degree. There is Neanderthal DNA evidence within modern humans of European descent, which suggests that they are not "100% Homo Sapiens." The same can be said for Melanesians and Aboriginal people of Australia who have Denisovan DNA. While the percentages are small, their presence is compelling evidence that there was interbreeding. However, because the percentage is so tiny, it also suggests that it was not a harmonious mixture and that there was a significant "replacement" by Homo Sapiens.

            Another contributing factor to the disappearance of Neanderthals may have been climate change. There were wild fluctuations in temperature during the end of the Ice Age, and new theories suggest that climate change put a strain on the food sources of the Neanderthals. Neanderthals primarily ate large animals, while homo sapiens had a more diverse diet. That diversity may have allowed them to meet their nutrition requirements, while some food sources were not as abundant during times of fluctuation.

            This action-packed throwing game will pit your older students against the younger ones. Your older students (either third or sixth years) will first compete against the youngest, and they will probably win. Next, your older students will compete against the middle students, and they will probably win. What will happen when it is the younger and middle students versus the older students? This game might demonstrate how the weaker Homo Sapiens might have outcompeted the stronger Neanderthal. We might even see a Neanderthal want to join the Homo Sapiens!

Materials: 

·      A large playing area

·      Lots of soft dodgeballs

·      At least one hockey stick per student

·      Optional – scoreboard or handheld counters

Minimum Number of Students Needed: You will need an entire Montessori or mixed-age classroom to play the game. The numbers are not necessarily as important as having different ages. This game will probably not work if you have more of the oldest students than the combined younger ones. For example, if you have ten sixth graders and only three fifth and five fourth graders, the older students will have the advantage in every scenario.

Prior Knowledge: The students should be studying early humans and have had the Third Great Lesson.