Tuesday, October 16, 2007

"Population Size and Limiting Factors"

Bellwork:
1) An increase (goes up) in primary consumers will cause _____________________.
2) What effect will egg-eating snakes have on a bird population?
3) Plants use carbon dioxide, ___________, and ____________ to make food during photosynthesis.

- Population: One group of one kind of living thing in one place at one time
- Draw a 4-box on page 56 in workbooks
- Predict: How big will the population be in a month? In a year? What information do you need to find out? (in box 1: prediction box)
- Whole class activity: Calculate potential milkweed bug population size in one year (worksheet: Milkweed-Bug Reproductive Potential, p. 57)
- Discuss results and introduce limiting factors
- Add limiting factor to glossary
Limiting Factor: Anything biotic or abiotic that limits the number of individuals that survive or reproduce
- Brainstorm limiting factors and record some in conclusion 4-box