Anyone have any updates to When Did Humans Get to the Americas?

I am looking for what scientists and historians think about these theories now.  Does anyone else use this lesson?  

Hey Eric Schulz! There have been several conversations in the BHP Unit 7 forum on this topic. Here's one with links to an article and another on the oldest structures in the Americas you may find helpful, 

Adding Gregory Dykhouse and Zachary Cain to this conversation. They may have new information to share.

Eric Schulz  Craig Childs offers that humans arrived before 20,000 years ago.  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36024764-atlas-of-a-lost-world

I recommend the book; it shares much material that we cover in BH.  I thought I recall reading in the book that some human finds in South America may suggest a dating of 30,000 years ago.  Cool stuff!

Eric Schulz , here's an article on a new analysis of footprints found in New Mexico that are 21,000 years old.

Hey Eric Schulz , which way did you go with this? It's such a hotly debated topic once again.

This article from the Smithsonian is even older than the one John posted about the Mexican footprints. It talks about finds in British Columbia, Canada that also suggests the first humans arrived perhaps 20,000 years ago.  Is that becoming the newly accepted date? Or is it just raising the debate again?

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-humans-came-to-americas-180973739/

I added the Mexican Footsteps but I think this could use some tweaking.  I want an intro. that shows evidence of how everyone gets everywhere else.  Then I'd like the genetic info. put in an easy-to-understand format.  I'd like a little more cometary on the different options.  There is a museum in California that presents a compelling scientific argument about the Masadon theory.  I don't feel like I know what is the currently accepted theory that the students should leave the activity with.  

Eric Schulz  I am right with you. It's not like I want someone to just tell me the answer so I can blindly follow. But I'd like to be able to have a rich resource that's curated with other sources. It just takes so much time to go from site to site and build that myself.

Hello!  Is there anything I'm missing about this resource?

There is nothing in the Origins 2.2 teaching guide about it, so I am just wondering what the approach should be.  For example, is there truly no best answer?  Is there some guidance for how teachers can comment on the reliability to facilitate discussion afterwards?

Kathy Hays 

Hi Angela Flakker and thanks for your question! There really isn't one definitive answer to the question of when humans arrived in the Americas, but the latest research from multiple studies suggests that early humans came in waves. The earliest contact probably came from Northern Europe but those early contacts did not settle in the Americas. The earliest approximate we have for those who arrived via the Pacific is about 30,000 years ago; some traveled along the kelp highway, others may have island hopped across the Pacific, and then after the last ice age, larger populations arrived along the Bering land bridge. I can add that info to the teacher lesson guide to provide a little guidance, but the main idea of this activity is for students to decide which of the theories, or which combination of theories, is the most plausible answer to the question using their claim testers to support their response. Hope this helps!

Great, thanks Bridgette! That does help