1. Limiting Factors in an Environment
5th Grade Science
SC.5.L.15.1: Describe how, when the environment changes, differences between individuals allow some plants and animals to survive and reproduce while others die or move to new locations.

2. Today’s Standard
SC.5.L.15.1: Describe how, when the environment changes, differences between individuals allow some plants and animals to survive and reproduce while others die or move to new locations.

3. Learning Goal
Students will be able to describe limiting factors and how some plants and animals are able to survive and reproduce in an environment while others die or move to new locations.

4. Guidelines for Friendly Controversy
Have a claim that you can justify.
Wait for a turn, do not interrupt (as tempting as it might be!)
Listen to what others are saying and consider their perspective (yours might change!)
Address the idea, don’t attack the person.

5. Predator and Prey With your tablemates, discuss what these words mean.
Brainstorm two predator/prey relationships, identifying the predator/prey in each relationship.
Write these ideas on your desk in dry erase marker and CIRCLE the predator in each relationship.

6. Which is the predator and which is the prey?
Predators vs. Prey Simulation
Which is the predator and which is the prey?

8. Don’t forget to discuss your ANALYSIS QUESTIONS!

9. Predators vs. Prey Simulation Tips
Let the mouse population grow in the first few rounds.
Toss cards gently, don’t place or Frisbee throw.
Leave game pieces in place at end of each round, don’t clear the board.
Reuse “dead” animals.
Be sure to pick up dropped pieces.
Designate someone to record data. Be sure to wait for them to finish recording each round before moving on.

11. What did you OBSERVE and WHY do you think this occurred?
Predators vs. Prey Simulation
Let’s REVIEW!
What did you OBSERVE and WHY do you think this occurred?

12. Predators vs. Prey Simulation
Let’s DEBATE!
If you removed the foxes from this community, what would your data look like?

13. Learning Goal
Students will be able to describe limiting factors and how some plants and animals are able to survive and reproduce in an environment while others die or move to new locations.

14. Limiting Factors
What stops the mouse population from growing bigger and bigger?
What stops the fox population from growing continuously?
Limiting Factor:
Factors that regulate population growth in an environment.

15. Other Limiting Factors
Population Size

16. Limiting Factors SORT THEM OUT!
Abiotic: Non-living factors that affect living organisms in an environment.
Biotic: Living factors that affect living organisms in an environment.
SORT THEM OUT!

17. Are these things that would only LIMIT the growth of a population?
Food for Thought…
Are these things that would only LIMIT the growth of a population?
Choose one factor to determine the effects of excess or lack of the factor.

18. Learning Goal
Students will be able to describe limiting factors and how some plants and animals are able to survive and reproduce in an environment while others die or move to new locations.

19. Show What You Know!
Go to Miss Magnuson’s Blackboard Page > Class Materials > Websites > Go Formative (It’s the FIRST LINK!)
Use the directions on Blackboard to complete the Go Formative Assessment to get your final rating on today’s rubric.
When you are finished, go onto Blackboard and find the link for “Study Jam: Ecosystems” under websites. Watch the video (with ear buds) and do the “test yourself.”

20. Go Formative Assessment Overview
What is a limiting factor?
In the Predator vs. Prey simulation, what was limiting the population of the mice?
What is the difference between an abiotic factor and a biotic factor?
If an animal couldn’t get what it needed to survive, what could it do so it wouldn’t die?

21. Classwork Read Chapter 5 Lesson 4 from your Science Textbook
Complete 47A – PROVE ANSWERS by writing in the page number where you found the answer in your text.