Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. What do you know about evolution? How do terms like “natural selection” and “adaptation” fit into your understanding of evolution?

Teaching Suggestion: Though some students will be well versed in basic evolutionary theory, it is likely that others will have misunderstandings about evolution or even dispute its validity. These questions are meant to provide students with a firmer foundation from which to approach Harari’s work. Class discussion and exposure to the resources linked below or similar ones will ensure that all students have accurate basic background knowledge before beginning Sapiens.

• This 10-minute video from SciShow explaining the basics of evolution and clearing up some common misconceptions
• This glossary of terms related to evolution, from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

2. What kinds of questions do scientists still have about evolution? Are scientists unclear about whether evolution exists, or do they mainly have questions about exactly how it works?

Teaching Suggestion: The purpose of these questions is to guide students toward an accurate understanding that it is the mechanisms of evolution that scientists are still investigating, not its very existence.