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Table 5 Conceptual checklist for NS understanding and sample open-ended responses

From: Teaching natural selection in early elementary classrooms: can a storybook intervention reduce teleological misunderstandings?

Level and checklist

Partial open-ended responses following the open-ended prompts

Level 1: No isolated facts

Does not meet criteria for isolated facts

Not applicable

Level 2: Isolated facts but no NS understanding

Meets criteria for isolated facts, but one or more of the following is present:

(a) A misconception,

(b) No mention of differential survival,

(c) Inaccurate mention of differential survival or reproduction

Example of a misconception:

The river had the fish swimming on the top of the water so orpeds did not need long arms. 100 years later the sun was always near the river, so the fish were swimming at the bottom. So, the animals grew bigger arms so they can get the food.

Example of inaccurate mention of differential survival:

I think [the long-armed orpeds] didn’t get that much food. Because they didn’t have that much sunlight

Level 3: Foundation for NS understanding

All of the following are present:

(a) Meets criteria for isolated facts,

(b) No misconception,

(c) Accurate mention of differential survival

Example of correct mention of differential survival, but no mention of differential reproduction:

A long time ago orpeds had short arms. They had short arms because it was not too hot so the fish swam on top so the animal could get them. Then 100 years later it was always sunny where the orpeds lived so the fish swam deep in the water. So all the orpeds with short arms could not get the fish. So only the orped with the long arms could live so the orpeds with short arms did not survive.

Level 4: NS Understanding in one generation

All of the following are present:

(a) Meets criteria for isolated facts,

(b) No misconception,

(c) Accurate mention of differential survival,

(d) Accurate mention of differential reproduction in one generation

Example of correct mention of differential survival and differential reproduction in one generation:

When the weather changed the minnows swimmed to the bottom of the water. Then many [orpeds] could not reach the bottom and the ones that have long arms can reach the bottom. The orpeds [that] now had long arms were healthy and had many babies and the short armed orpeds that lived had 1 baby. The orpeds with shorter arms died but some lived and had 1 baby. The orpeds with longer arms lived and had many babies. They got lots of food because they have long arms.

Level 5: NS understanding for multiple generations

All of the following are present:

(a) Meets criteria for isolated facts,

(b) No misconception,

(c) Accurate mention of differential survival,

(d) Accurate mention of differential reproduction in multiple generations

Example of correct mention of differential survival and differential reproduction in multiple generations:

Orpeds have mostly shorter arms many hundreds of years ago because the temperature change made the minnows go farther underwater so the orpeds with short arms had one baby and died but the orpeds with longer arms had more babies and died. The baby orpeds with longer arms had some babies and died. The process went on. Orpeds evolved. Nowadays more orpeds have longer arms than shorter arms!