This achievement standard involves the description of trends in human biological evolution, cultural evolution, and patterns of dispersal.

Trends refers to progressive change over a period of time in relation to:

• human biological evolution
• human cultural evolution
• patterns of dispersal of hominins. The term hominins refers to living and fossil species belonging to the human lineage. This is a subgroup of hominids which includes both humans and the great apes.

Trends in human biological evolution begin with early bipedal hominins and may require comparison with living hominids (apes). Trends are limited to:

• skeletal changes linked to bipedalism
• changes in skull and endocranial features
• changes in the manipulative ability of the hand.

Trends in human cultural evolution will be limited to evidence relating to: use of tools (stone, wood, bone), fire, shelter, clothing, abstract thought (communication, language, art), food-gathering, and domestication of plants and animals.

• Interpretations on the origins and trends of human evolution will be based on current evidence and may change as a result of recent developments.
• Evidence relating to human evolution must be scientific evidence which is widely accepted and presented in peer-reviewed scientific journals.