This assessment resource checks for student understanding of population density and the factors that can cause fluctuations in population.

Students examine exponential and logistic growth, identify carrying capacity, distinguish between density-dependent and density-independent limiting factors, apply the population model to data sets, and determine carrying capacity from population data.

In this interactive module, students examine exponential and logistic growth, identify carrying capacity, distinguish between density-dependent and density-independent limiting factors, apply the population model to data sets, and determine carrying capacity from population data.

Students investigate factors that limit the spread of invasive species in the United States. They compare the spread and limiting factors of three classes of invasive species - insects, plants, and aquatic invertebrates - through data sets from the National Atlas and readings on invasive species issues. This activity is part of "Investigating Your World With My World GIS," a set of activities designed for use with My World GIS software (which can be downloaded at www.natgeoed/myworldgis) to help students learn key content and practice spatial problem solving.

In this lesson students can relate the predator/prey relationship and limiting factors concepts to animal populations within the outdoor classroom.

Students will work in groups and research their designated terrestrial biome. Students will research abiotic and biotic factors about their biome. Students will create a digital presentation of their biome using Haiku Deck. The presentation will summarize how the abiotic and biotic factors interact in their biome. Students will then use the collected data from the presentations to create food chains and food webs for their designated biomes.

This lesson plan demonstrates how microorganisms normally found in environments, such as the bottom of warm freshwater ponds and lakes can cause illness when they enter the human body. Students engaged in this lesson plan will learn about N. fowleri (the scientific name of the brain-eating ameba), where it lives, how it can cause infection, and how persons can protect themselves from this infection.Students will also have the opportunity to identify other organisms living in local freshwater reservoirs, such as ponds and lakes. At the end of the lesson, students should have an enhanced understanding of the environment's role in disease transmission and ways to reduce the risk for contracting waterborne infections.

Students will be engaged in learning how human activities can deliberately or inadvertently alter the equilbrium of ecosystems through human behavior and/or the use of technology/biotechnology that impacts environmental quality and carrying capacity. Students will engage in graphing and interpreting data about the bald eagle, beaver and yeast populations. Students will evaluate their own understanding of carrying capacity by using a radar diagram; they will use a summarizing strategy to extend their knowledge and will learn how environmental problems are identified and solved.

In this lesson, students learn about the concept of carrying capacity by looking at the factors that allow animals to thrive in some areas, but not in others.

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Students are introduced to the topic of bioremediation and collect information about Azolla, such as the morphology of water plants as opposed to land plants, the importance of symbiosis, the nitrogen cycle, the use of Azolla in agriculture, and Azolla’s ability to absorb heavy metals. Students formulate the research questions and hypotheses that they would like to investigate. Possible topics include measuring the gain in biomass depending on growth conditions (e.g. CO2 level, iron level in the water, amount of light), or the effect of Azolla on water quality.

Students watch a video and discuss coral reef fish surveying methods. Then they conduct a simulated Belt Transect (BLT) survey. Students calculate their data and make estimates of fish populations for a designated area of the classroom.

Students use coral reef ecosystem case studies to explore the ecological principles of shifting baselines, natural and anthropogenic disturbance, succession, and sustainability.

In this lesson, students read about restoration projects and evaluate the Santa Catalina Island restoration project. Students will gain knowledge about the restoration work scientists are doing to restore the natural resources that were harmed by DDT discharge.

In this video, John Fitzpatrick, Director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, gives his perspective on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill one year later.

In this lesson, students will estimate the deer population in a given area over a 5-year period. The students will be able to suggest possible management tools to prevent overpopulation.

In this activity students will learn about the many factors, both man-made and natural, that affect fish populations in the estuary. By learning how humans have a negative influence on estuarine fish populations, students will learn how to become better stewards of the environment.

In this activity students will learn about the red drum fishery, how to generate a graph from current fishery data and to use the graphs to estimate fish age and weight based on length.

Students explore a bay ecosystem and how the different organisms of the ecosystem compete with one another for resources.

In this lesson, students learn the importance of forest biodiversity. They discuss and define terms important to the study of biodiversity. They study maps that illustrate how climate and glacial history influence the range of different tree species in Wisconsin. Students discuss how levels of biodiversity differ from forest to forest by studying different forest biomes and different forest characteristics. Students then attempt to answer important questions about forest biodiversity by analyzing case studies of five trees found in Wisconsin. Students work in groups to create a poster about their tree case study and give a short presentation.