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This an introductory population density and distribution lesson for one class period.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will gather data from individual countries in order to calculate population density and create an age structure diagram for that country. They will use their age structure diagrams and information to predict how the population may change in the future.

Type: Lesson Plan

This lesson addresses the importance and role the environment plays in the distribution and abundance of organisms in a particular area. Specifically it looks at the real world example of Galapagos penguins and their distribution on the Galapagos Islands, and archipelago located on the equator. Students will investigate how a penguin species can survive in a predominantly tropical climate while maintaining the basic biological characteristics that most penguins require, such as colder temperatures. The lesson addresses the importance that ocean currents play in affecting the distribution and abundance of this species.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students use real world examples of sampling frog and salamander populations to explore the different characteristics of a population and the process of observation and inference. The lesson includes individual and group activities.

Type: Lesson Plan

This 7E lesson plan is broken down into 3 lessons used to teach high school students in grades 9-12 about the characteristics used to describe populations. There are inquiry based and project based inquiry activities incorporated within the lesson. Students will also learn the difference between exponential and logistic growth by doing hands -on activities. A Power Point is used to guide the activities, and learning.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this MEA lesson, students will come up with a strategy to choose among proposals for managing wolf populations in the state of Wyoming. They will make an evidence-based recommendation to the state based on the costs and benefits of maintaining a healthy wolf population outside of Yellowstone National Park.

Type: Model Eliciting Activity (MEA) STEM Lesson

In this video, fire ecologist Monica Rother describes tree ring research and applications for land management.

Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

Patrick Milligan discusses biotic and abiotic factors that affect populations of ants in the Kenyan savannah.

Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

Patrick Milligan discusses the impetus for organisms to migrate in the Kenyan savannah.

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

Fish Ecologist, Dean Grubbs, discusses how using statistical sampling can help determine legal catch rates for fish that may be endangered.

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

Pick up the pace and learn how snails fit into the Florida food web!

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

Dr. Bill McShea from the Smithsonian Institution discusses population characteristics related to large animal species.

This video was created in collaboration with the Okaloosa County SCIENCE Partnership, including the Smithsonian Institution and Harvard University.

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

This teaching activity rocks! Learn about aquatic ecosystems and hands-on learning!

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

What lurks beneath the water's surface? Lots of creatures, big and small! Learn how mangroves grow in an unusual environment and support many other organisms both in and out of the water.

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

In this video, Jim Cox describes a sampling method for estimating the density of dead trees in a forest ecosystem.

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

Deep sea shark researcher, Chip Cotton, discusses the need for a Power Analysis to determine the critical sample size in order to make inferences on how oil spills affect shark populations.

Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

Sometimes science means going outside. Get going!

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Teaching Idea

Students will design an investigation that compares a characteristic of two populations of the same species. Students will collect data in the field and analyze the data using descriptive statistics.

Type: Teaching Idea

Students will calculate population size, carrying capacity, annual change in population size, and maximum rate of population increase of different raptor species.

Type: Teaching Idea

Ecologist Daniel Janzen of the University of Pennsylvania describes how this plant's strategy came about and what's in it—both good and bad—for the bamboo, the rats and other predators, and anyone living nearby.

Type: Text Resource

In this interactive, explore one of the most well-understood mass seedings—that of oak-tree acorn crops—and its widespread effects on various animals in the ecosystem as well as on nearby human populations.

Type: Tutorial