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Three 50-minute classes, plus 5 min. several times a week for 3-4 weeks
to check plant growth.
Every community in nature has limiting factors that prevent the populations
of various species from increasing in numbers. These factors could
be abiotic such as the amount of living space, temperature, water,
salinity, weather, sunlight, oxygen or other gases, soil, etc. Biotic
factors could include predator/prey relationships, disease, food
supply, introduction of new species, etc. The following activities
will study the need for adequate living space and methods of determining
the population of an area.
Science
The learner will:
• Identify the needs that are met by an organism’s habitat.
• Describe how ecologists determine the size of a population.
• Explain what could cause a population to change in size.
• Identify factors that limit population growth.
National Science Education Standards
http://www.nap.edu/books/0309053269/html/index.html
Content Standard A: Science as Inquiry:
• Design and conduct a scientific investigation;
• Communicate scientific procedures and explanations;
• Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze, and
interpret data.
Benchmarks for Science Literacy:
http://www.project2061.org/tools/benchol/bolintro.htm
• 1B Scientific Inquiry. Students design and conduct an experiment
to determine the effect of crowding on plant growth.
• 2B Mathematics, Science and Technology. Students model the mark-and-recapture
method to estimate the size of a population.
Louisiana Science Frameworks: State Standards for Curriculum Development
http:www.doe.state.la.us/doe/assessment/standards/SCIENCE.pdf
SE-M-A4: understanding that human actions can create risks and
consequences in the environment.
• Worksheet 1: Paper Clip Population
• Worksheet 2: Playing Tag with the Wolves
• Worksheet 3: Group Self-Evaluation
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