/population

Population Database

Congruence between mathematics and reality is a sweet nectar.

We can use math (gasp!) to model and make predictions about how populations grow over time. 

Episode 1 Worm Bin Capacity

Is this worm a male or a female?

A few years ago every student did a composting project and adopted those little red wigglers. We counted them each week and watched the population grow. You aren't required to count worms but are welcome to start your own home composting bin at any time. 😄 

You can easily do Episode 1 without any extra resources. 

Episode 2 Museum School Capacity

How many students fit in our school?

Michigan School Database

Enter our school population data into this Museum School Desmos graph

Episode 3 Seal Capacity

Can populations recover from negative human impacts?

Cute Baby Seals Graph

We found are actual scientific report about the seal population recovering in Washington state. Back in the day, the government encouraged people to kill the baby seals with baseball bats- or with other methods. After that program stopped the seal population started increasing in some locations. Use this other fancy Desmos to analyze the data of the population changes. Then check out the official scientific report if you would like. 

HarbordSealsWashingtonState.pdf

Episode 4 Wolf Capacity

Can wolves change rivers?

Would you look at that- another graph about population changes! This time you make a prediction. But first, howl at the moon and watch this video about the wolves in Yellowstone park. And then talk in an exciting accent like the narrator guy for the rest of the day. a