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| Issue | Naive Idea* | Scientific Idea |
| Interconnect-ness |
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.
