Population Growth and Extinctions
Videos
Grades6, 7, 8Biology
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Provided by Scholastic
What it is
- In this 3.5-minute video and online quiz from Scholastic, students will learn about population dynamics in ecosystems and the difference between threatened, endangered, and extinct species.
- The video describes the factors that limit and impact population growth and the importance of having balance in an ecosystem.
Teaching tips
Positives
- The summary portion of the video is helpful for students to have the main points repeated.
- Many students can relate to the character who is afraid of spiders and will be interested to learn about their important role in managing the sizes of other insect populations.
Prerequisites
- Students should have a general understanding of food chains or food webs.
Differentiation & Implementation
- For an interactive activity, teachers can separate students into groups, assigning each group one of the factors affecting population growth listed in the video. Students can then write and perform a short scene demonstrating how the limiting factor works to control a population's size.
- This video has many vocabulary terms with their definitions displayed on the screen. Teachers may want to pause the video when these terms appear and have students write these definitions in their notebooks.
- Teachers can make connections to climate change by discussing the extremes in weather or gradual changes in habitat that may affect species in ecosystems.
- Teachers can have 8th grade students research the sharp decline in species on land, in fresh water, and in the oceans, the 6th mass extinction event, and the anthropocene to outline a sustainable way forward for humans and the rest of the planet.
From the scientist review
This resource from Scholastic’s StudyJams introduces students to the concept of population growth and its impact on ecosystems through a kid-friendly video and interactive quiz. It explains how factors like food, space, and competition affect animal populations over time. While it does not include original data, this resource would be a great addition to classroom discussions on ecosystems, carrying capacity, and environmental balance.
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