Overview: The popular press often describes scientific controversies regarding which species ancient hominin fossils represent and how they are related to one another. How should students interpret the frequent name changes experienced by our extinct relatives? What should they make of headlines that trumpet major revisions of the branching patterns on our limb of the tree of life? This article will help teachers develop instruction surrounding these issues, discourage misconceptions, and help students interpret media coverage in light of the process of science. This article appears at SpringerLink. Author/Source: Evolution: Education and Outreach Grade level: 13-16 Time: 30 minutes Teaching tips: This article is written for teachers and comes with links to additional examples, supplementary information, and classroom tips. It is also available as a pdf at http://www.springerlink.com/content/65508w22h2451543/fulltext.pdf Concepts: The fossil record provides evidence for evolution. The fossil record documents the biodiversity of the past. A species is often defined as a group of individuals that actually or potentially interbreed in nature. There are many definitions of species. Scientific knowledge is open to question and revision as we come up with new ideas and discover new evidence. Accepted scientific theories are not tenuous; they must survive rigorous testing and be supported by multiple lines of evidence to be accepted. Authentic scientific controversy and debate within the community contribute to scientific progress. Classification is based on evolutionary relationships. Scientists use fossils (including sequences of fossils showing gradual change over time) to learn about past life. Teacher background: Classification/Phylogenetics Nature of Science

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