Educators' Science and Mathematics Institute Series

Wolf Ecology Lesson Plan

Descriptive Title:  “Big Bad Wolf Watch”

Submitted By:  Deborah Lane

Subject and Grade Level:  7th Grade Science (Physical and Life Science)

Overview/Purpose:

Wolves are portrayed in a variety of ways, depending on the times and locations (of the sources) describing them.  Most portrayals are negatives, but students should watch the wolf more closely in order to understand its methods of survival and how humans can affect their survival

The purpose of this lesson is to integrate skills from many subject areas using wolves as the primary example.  Students should develop observation skills, graphing and mapping skills, and portray their understanding by a creative writing sample from the wolf's perspective.

Objectives (Learner Outcomes):

Students will graph the population(s) of wolves and moose on Isle Royale using real data.

Students will analyze the data, predict why there are changes over time, and address the relationship of the change.

Students will look at how human interaction can affect wolves (positive and negative; territory, population)

Activities and Procedures:

Engage students in a discussion about what they know about wolves (to start with).  List some facts they know about wolves, how they survive/live, how they grow and develop, etc.

Try to point out any misperceptions and where the student got that information from.  (Reinforce the importance of sources of information and thinking about that info)

Read through and talk about the “Wolf Facts”

How wolves have been portrayed over the years (What do the students believe?)

Stages of Development, Communication, Packs, and the hierarchy within the groups

Where wolves are found-address endangered species versus protected species and relate to our local wolf populations:  What is their status?

Discuss Human Interaction with wolves (over time/historically versus currently) ~Use these ideas along with those from the website (MN-International Wolf Center) to see human involvement by radiotelemetry:  tracking wolves, and therefore acquiring a deeper understanding of the creatures

Tie all ideas together by “becoming” a wolf-write about an experience from the wolf perspective.  

Additionally-students can have fun practicing communication as wolves by postures and howling (other vocalizations)

Closure:

     Real World data from the Isle Royale research and population studies will be used (for graphing, comparing trends, etc.)  Data through the International Wolf Center's website from the tracking of their wolves will be used to enhance student's knowledge by providing current data to refer to.

Assessment Strategies:

Alternate Assessment:

Creative writing-stories should be well written, meaning proper language usage, in addition to scientifically correct information about wolves as the basis for the story.

Graphing data and summarizing the meaning of that information, based on what we've learned about wolves

Resources:

Main activity resource:  Wolf packet that includes data, basic facts about wolves, criteria for writingÜto start off with

Books, magazine articles about wolves, studies on Isle Royale and wolf center

Internet search for info (additional information)

Standards Addressed:

Life Science---How organisms interact with their environment (and with humans); Analyzing data (refer to scientific method)