Population Growth and Overpopulation
Supporting
TEKS Objective
The student is expected to predict the effects of changes in ecosystems caused by living organisms, including humans, such as the overpopulation of grazers or the building of highways.
Essential Understanding
The student knows that there are relationships, systems, and cycles within environments.
Science Background
Deer Population Yields Disastrous Results for Forest: American University Radio (website) – An article that explores the consequences of too many deer (grazing animals) living in the same habitat.
Deer Population Yields Disastrous Results for Forest
American University Radio, wamu.org
Signature Lesson
Oh Deer! Beacon Learning Center (PDF) - Students will graph population change over time according to habitat availability. After playing the game, they will be able to predict the effects of changes due to over population of the habitat by deer and other organisms.
Oh Deer!
Beacon Learning Center, www.beaconlearningcenter.com
- Supporting Lessons
- Extensions
- Assessment Ideas
- Literature Connections
- Related
TEKS - Additional Resources
Supporting Lessons
The Lesson of the Kaibab: Biology Corner (website) - Deer populations recorded from 1905 to 1939 from the Kaibab Plateau in Arizona are graphed by students and analyzed.
The Lesson of the Kaibab
Biology Corner, www.biologycorner.com
Blackbird Overpopulation: Annenberg (website) –-Red-winged blackbirds posed a problem for farmers in the U.S. when their population exploded in the late 1990’s. Information about this problem is incorporated into a role playing activity for students in which they examine different sides of the complex situation.
Blackbird Overpopulation
The Annenberg Learner, www.learner.org
Elaboration Lessons and Extensions
Population Biology: San Diego State University (website) - Students simulate and graph the growth of lily pads in a pond. They will be able to predict the growth of lily pads. Exercises 1, 2 and 6 are recommended.
Population Biology
San Diego State University, Biology Lessons, naturalsciences.sdsu.edu
Assessment Ideas
Use the graphic and rubric and answer sheet from the Oh Deer! Game to assess your students.
Literature Connections
Endangered Species. Deans, Nora (ISBN-13: 978-0792288770)
Populations and Ecosystems. Glass, Susan (ISBN-13: 978-0756944810)
Earth’s Growing Population. Chambers, Catherine (ISBN-13: 978-1432924232)
Exploring Ecosystems with Max Axiom, Super Scientist. Biskup, Agnieszka (ISBN-13: 978-0736878944 )
Here is the African Savanna. Dunphy, Madeline (ISBN-13: 978-0977379521)
Journey into the Rain Forest. Knight, Tim (ISBN-13: 978-0199107308)
Additional Resources
Experiment with Ecosystems: Concord Consortium (Software and PDF) - Engaging series of activities in which students experiment with, and make predictions about a variety of virtual ecosystem models, and test their hypotheses.
Experiment with Ecosystems - Software Download
Concord Consortium, www.concord.org
Experiment with Ecosystems - PDF Teacher's Guide
Concord Consortium, www.concord.org
Predator Prey Simulation: Biology Corner (website) - In this simulation, students can manipulate three variables to determine how they affect the overall predator and prey populations.
Predator Prey Simulation
Biology Corner, www.biologycorner.com
TEKS Navigation
Grade 5
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