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| Issue | Naive Idea* | Scientific Idea |
| Interconnectedness | Some species live independently. | All animal species are dependent on other life forms for their survival. Species are highly interdependent. |
| Harmony | Organisms live in harmony. | Organisms compete with one another for resources and struggle to survive. |
| Continuity | Life is continuing today as it has in the past. | We are currently in the midst of the sixth major extinction of life on earth. Major extinctions typically eliminate 50-95% of all species. |
| Population | A population consists of all organisms living in a given geographical area. | A community consists of all organisms living in a given geographical area. A population is a group of interbreeding organisms. |
* A misconception or alternative idea has three primary features: it is a cognitive idea that differs in a significant way from the scientific idea, it is held by a sizable proportion of the population, and it is notably resistant to being taught away; it is often described as a conceptual primitive (Clement, 1982). There are many other types of errors in understanding besides misconceptions (Fisher & Lipson, 1986).
Clement, J. (1982). Students' preconceptions in introductory mechanics. American Journal of Physics, 50 (1), 66 - 71.
Fisher, K. M. & Lipson, J. I. (1986). Twenty questions about student errors. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 23 (9), 783-803.
