Background information:
Question:
Task:
- Lynx eat Hare's, and Hare's eat vegetation.
Question:
- What happens to the population of hares as it's being preyed upon by a population of Lynx?
- Are predators important in an ecosystem? Or can't we get along just fine without them?
- How do they contribute to the health of the ecosystem?
Task:
- Play the predator / prey simulation and gather data.
- Graph the results of the starting populations of each after each generation.
- Describe the basic trends found in your graphs.
- Describe the relationship based on the patterns you see in the graph.
- Use this information to answer the questions above.
- Generate another research question based on your findings.
- Describe how this simulation is reflective of a real ecosystem.
- Describe how this simulation is not reflective of a real ecosystem.
Data gathering
Reflection (answering the questions)
- Answer the list of questions above based on the data & graph from this simulation.
Free write Prompts
Each group was assigned a free-write prompt, and was to prepare a quick statement to the class.
- How does this help to explain the dynamics of the wolves in yellowstone?
- What would a population graph of Elk look like w/o wolves? Explain the rational behind your proposed graph.
- (2 graphs: one with and one without wolves)
- (2 graphs: one with and one without wolves)
- What would a population graph look like for both Elk and Wolves if we make way for a cattle ranch? Explain the rational behind your proposed graph.
- Since the Lynx / Hare graph is comparable to a wolf / elk graph, what would a population graph look like if we built houses on half of the game board (ecosystem)?