Name: ______Date: ______Core: ______
OH DEER!
Learning Target:I can explain how limiting factors affect individuals & populations
Question: How do limiting factors affect the number of deer in a population over time?
1. Independent variable (IV): ______
2. Dependent variable (DV): ______
Directions:
- Play the game OH DEER! While you play, Mrs. O & Mrs. MD will record class data
- Afterwards, when we return to class, YOU must copy our class data into the data tablesbelow.
- Homework Graph the data toshow how limiting factors affected deer and wolf populations over time
- Monday in class analyze your graph.
Table 1. Deer population over time / Table 1. Wolf population over time
Year / Number of Deer / Year / Number of Wolves
1 / 16 / 1 / 0
2 / 2 / 0
3 / 3 / 0
4 / 4 / 0
5 / 5 / 0
6 / 6 / 0
7 / 7 / 0
8 / 8 / 0
9 / 9 / 4
10 / 10
11 / 11
12 / 12
13 / 13
14 / 14
15 / 15
16 / 16
3. What type of graph should you use to show how limiting factors affected deer and wolf populations over time? ______*now make a graph on the back of this page!
EXCEEDS (6 / 5) / MEETS (4) / NOT YET MEETS (3 / 2 / 1)Collecting and Presenting Data
All criteria from “Meets” column
Includes relevant qualititative
observations
Data presentation highlights patterns and relationships
Other: ______/ Data is presented in an organized
graph
Table includes appropriate title,
labels, key, and metric units
Graph type is appropriate
Graph includes appropriate Title,
Axes, Interval, Labels, and Scale / Graph missing or unorganized
Graph incomplete (title, wrong
axes, interval, labels, scale)
Wrong type of graph
Other: ______
Graph:Name______
Analyzing and Interpreting ResultsName: ______
EXCEEDS (6 / 5) / MEETS (4) / NOT YET MEETS (3 / 2 / 1)Analyzing and Interpreting Results
All criteria from “Meets” column
Connects background knowledge and scientific information to explanation of results
Uses qualitative and quantitative
evidence to support conclusion
Other: ______/ Explains patterns and relationships
in data
Proposes explanation for results
Lists evidence supportingconclusion
Makes suggestions for
improvements / Patterns and relationships in data
not explained
No explanation for results
Little to no evidence supporting
conclusion
Other: ______
Analysis Questions:Use your graph and background knowledge to answer the following questions.
- Define "Limiting Factor"and give 3 examples of limiting factors from this game.
Definition of a limiting factor:______
a. b. c.
- Between what years did the deer population get bigger? ______
- Between what years did the deerpopulation get smaller? ______
- Between what years did the population of deer stay about the same? ______
- Halfway through the game wolves were introduced into the ecosystem...
a. Which organism was the predator? ______
b. Which organism was the prey? ______
- What happened to the wolf population as the deer population got bigger?
The wolf population: increased decreased stayed the same
Why do you think that happened? ______
______
- What happened to the wolf population as the deer population got smaller?
The wolf population: increased decreased stayed the same
Why do you think that happened? ______
______
- Is nature ever in "balance"? * Use background knowledge and observations from this game to explain your answer______
______
Excellence (6) challenge question!
- You may have observed that your graph of the deer and wolf populations don't line up exactly. They are offset, like the Rabbit and Fox populations in the graph below.
Make an Inference!
Why do you think the predator population peaks after the prey population?
(Don't forget to use observations from our game, and the graph above to support your explanation!)