This document outlines an AP Environmental Science unit plan on population ecology. The unit explores how human population growth influences natural systems and sustainability. Key topics covered include population dynamics, carrying capacity, growth patterns, reproductive strategies, human population history and impacts. Learning objectives address population concepts, calculations, age structure diagrams, the demographic transition, and analyzing solutions to slow growth. A variety of activities are planned, including labs, simulations, problem sets and discussions to engage students in learning about population ecology and human population issues.

1. APES Unit 3 Plan: Population
Unit Essential Question: How does our growing human population influence natural systems and the ultimate
sustainability of our global ecosystem?
AP Curricular Objectives
 The course provides instruction in the Living World
 The course provides instruction in Population
 The course provides instruction in Global Change
 The course provides students with the scientific principles required to understand the interrelationships of the natural world
and draws upon various scientific disciplines
 The course includes methods for analyzing and interpreting information
 The course includes methods for analyzing and interpreting experimental data.
 The course includes methods for analyzing and interpreting mathematical calculations.
 The course teaches students howto identify and analyze environmental problems.
 The course teaches students howto critically examine various solutions for resolving and preventing environmental problems
by evaluating the associated ecological risks and human health risks.
 The course includes a laboratory and or field investigation component. A minimum of one class period, or it’s equivalent,
per week is spent engaged in laboratory and/or field work
Chapter 8: Population Ecology
 Diagnostic Assessment - Introductory Activity: Lessons from the Kaibab
o LEQ: How can human attempts to manage wildlife population impact overall population change?
o Assesses students understanding ofpopulation dynamics and effects of limiting factors on population
change.
o Students will graph the Kaibab deer population, determine factors responsible for population changes,and
determine the carrying capacity of the Kaibab Plateau.
 Direct Instruction – Guided Notes / Discussion: Population Dynamics
o LEQ’s: Attached
o Characteristics of populations – distribution / size / age structure
o Mechanisms of population growth – biotic potential / environmental resistance / carrying capacity /
exponential & logistic growth patterns / population curves
 Differentiation: Filled out copies of the notes can be provided for students who struggle with
combined writing and listening skills. Completed notes are also posted online for students who
are slower note takers.
 Formative Assessment - Lab: Predator – Prey Simulation
o LEQ: How do interactions between predator and prey species affect population change?
o LEQ: How do scientistsapproach population size studies?
o Through a simulation, students will simulate population dynamics of a predator-prey relationship, and then
compare their results with real life studies.
 Differentiation: Further analysis of the related Isle Royal Moose data can be provided for groups
who finish early. This will allow them to compare their simulation results to and interpret real
scientific data.
 Direct Instruction – Guided Notes / Discussion: Population Dynamics
o LEQ’s: Attached
o Types of population controls – density-dependent &density-independent factors
o Reproductive methods, patterns,and survivorship – sexual vs. asexual / r-select & K-select species / life
tables
 Differentiation: Filled out copies of the notes can be provided for students who struggle with
combined writing and listening skills. Completed notes are also posted online for students who
are slower note takers.
 Formative Assessment - Lab: Mark-Recapture Population Analysis
o LEQ: What methods allow scientists to estimate population sizes in nature?
o LEQ: How can mathematical models be used to project population sizes in nature?

2. o Students will use beans to simulate tagging and releasing animals to estimate total population size. They
will then calculate and compare their estimate to the actual population size.
 Differentiation: Students who struggle to complete all the trials during the lab period can suffice
with fewer trials to analyze the data.
Chapter 9: The Human Population and Its Impact
 Diagnostic Assessment - Introductory Activity: : A Village of 100
o LEQ: If the human population was reduced to a village of 100 people, what would the demographicslook
like?
o Students will estimate global ratios if the human population was reduced to a village of 100 people.
 Direct Instruction – Guided Notes / Discussion: Human Population and the Environment
o LEQ’s: Attached
o History and projected future of human population
o Video: History of Human Population
o Discussion – Population Clock
o Population formulas – population change / doubling time / percentage growth rate
 Differentiation: Filled out copies of the notes can be provided for students who struggle with
combined writing and listening skills. Completed notes are also posted online for students who
are slower note takers.
 Formative Assessment - Problem Sets: Population Calculations
o LEQ: How do demographers calculate figures related to human population growth?
o Students will work problems associated with population density,birth/death rates, immigration, population
growth rates, and doubling time (Rule of 70)
 Differentiation: Students who struggle with math will work on a select set of problems.
Additional more challenging problems can be provided for groups who excel.
 Direct Instruction – Guided Notes / Discussion: Human Population and the Environment
o LEQ’s: Attached
o Effect of fertility on population size
o Discussion - Age Structure Diagrams and population projections
o Demographic Transition and effect on population size
o Discussion – How can we slow population growth globally?
o Impact of human populations on natural ecosystems
 Differentiation: Filled out copies of the notes can be provided for students who struggle with
combined writing and listening skills. Completed notes are also posted online for students who
are slower note takers.
 Formative Assessment - Lab: Age Structure Diagrams & the Demographic Transition (The Power of
the Pyramid)
o LEQ: How are Age Structure Diagrams used to analyze and extrapolate trends in both population change
and demographic transition?
o Given various population data sets,students will construct age structure diagrams, and analyze whether the
population is growing, stable or declining. Using their analyses they will predict where in the demographic
transition their country is, and whether it is developed or developing.
 Differentiation: Analysis of more complicated Age Structure diagrams can be provided for
students to attempt to analyze.
 Class Discussion – India vs. China Population Controls
o LEQ’s: Attached
o Students will read about India and China and discuss in small groups the various approaches and success in
controlling population growth. Will culminate in a full class discussion on these methods,their success,
and what strategies could work to help the U.S. move toward stabilizing population growth.
 Summative Assessment – Chapter 8 & 9 Test
o Test will consist of AP Level multiple choice questions and an FRQ that addresses human population
growth calculations and analysis of an age structure diagram.
 Differentiation: Students will be given a timeframe to come in and make corrections to the
multiple choice portion of the test. This timeframe will not exceed a week after receiving their test
score. For each "correct" correction, students will earn partial points back on their test average.

3. Students must also explain their correction to showtheir knowledge of the content,and
understanding ofthe material. Students will not be allowed to use their notes,they must review
their material again, and come make corrections before or after school. This is an extraordinary
opportunity for students to review the test,realize their mistakes, and learn from them prior to the
AP Exam while earning credit back to improve their average.
 Differentiation: for students who performed below expectations, I am willing to sit down and
review items they continue to struggle with.
 Culminating Activity: Nova: The Population Paradox –or- The People Bomb –or- National Geographic:
7 Billion
o Provides students with visual examples of the impact of our growing population and enlightens them as to
the living conditions experienced by others on the globe. Helps to give students a more global perspective
and creates an emotional link between themselves and how even small activities in their lives impact the
planet on a much grander scale.
AP Curricular Standards & Alignment
Topic Details of Topic
Related APES
Proficiencies
Population
(10-15%)
A. Population Biology
Concepts
1. Population ecology
2. Carrying Capacity
- biotic potential
- ecological resistance
3. Reproductive strategies
4. Survivorship curves
Science is a process
The earth as one interconnected
system
Humans effect on natural systems
Environmental problems in cultural
and social contexts
Human survival and sustainability
Scoring Components:
C2: Earth Resources
C3: Living World
C4: Population
C5: Land Use
C6: Water Use
C9: Pollution
C10: Global Change
C11: Interrelationships
C15: ID & Analyze Environ.
Probs.
C16: Examine Solutions
C12, C13, C14, C17: Related
laboratory activities as outlined in
Course Outline (outline of units &
chapters)
B. Human Population
1. Human Population
Dynamics (population
size, growth rates, Rule of
70; doubling time
distribution,
demographics, age
structure diagrams,
demographic transitions)
2. Population size
(sustainability, carrying
capacity & national
policies)
3. Cultural and economic
influences
4. Impact of population
growth (hunger, disease,
economic effects,
resource use & habitat
destruction)

4. Name: ____________________________ Period: ___________ Date: ______________
Chapter 8 Essential Questions:
Population Ecology
Population Dynamics and Carrying Capacity
1. What are the major characteristics of populations? Describe in detail population
distributions, changes in population size, and age structure.
2. How do biotic potential and environmental resistance work to limit population growth?
3. Differentiate between exponential and logistic growth. Describe what happens if a
population overshoots the carrying capacity.
4. Differentiate between density-dependent and density-independent population controls.
Provide examples of each.
5. How do the four general patterns of variation in population size differ?
Reproductive Patterns
6. What disadvantages are there to sexual reproduction? Despite its disadvantages, why do
most species use sexual reproduction instead of asexual reproduction?
7. Distinguish between r-selected species (opportunists) and K-selected species
(competitors). Where do most organisms reproductive patterns fall in relation to these
two extremes?
8. How do the three types of survivorship curves differ? What can life tables be used to
determine?
Important Vocabulary
age structure (p. 162)
asexual reproduction (p. 167)
biotic potential (p. 163)
boom-and-bust cycles (p. 166)
carrying capacity (K) (p. 163)
clumping (p. 162)
constant loss curves (p. 169)
cyclic fluctuations (p. 166)
density-dependent population controls (p. 165)
density-independent population controls (p. 165)
dieback (crash) (p. 164)
early loss curves (p. 169)
environmental resistance (p. 163)
exponential growth (p. 163)
intrinsic rate of increase (r) (p. 163)
irregular fluctuations (p. 166)
K-selected species (p. 168)
late loss curves (p. 169)
life expectancies (p. 169)
life table (p. 169)
logistic growth (p. 164)
overshoots (p. 164)
population density (p. 165)
population distribution/dispersion (p. 162)
population dynamics (p. 161)
postreproductive stage (p. 162)
prereproductive stage(p. 162)
random dispersion (p. 162)
reproductive time lag (p. 164)
r-selected species (p. 167)
sexual reproduction (p. 167)
survivorship curve (p. 169)
uniform dispersion (p. 162)

5. Name: ____________________________ Period: ___________ Date: ______________
Chapter 9 Essential Questions:
Applying Population Ecology: The Human Population and Its Impact
Human Population Growth: A Brief History
1. What is the history of human population growth, and how many people are likely to be here by 2050?
Factors Affecting Human Population Size
2. How is population size affected by birth, death, and migration rates? Write an equation to mathematically
describe the relationship between these rates and the rate of population change.
3. How does fertility rate affect population growth? Explain at least 5 factors that affect birth rate and
five factors that affect death rate.
Population and Age Structure
4. How are age structure diagrams used to make population and economic projections? (Be able to analyze an
age structure diagram to determine population growth, decline, or stability).
5. How can population issues such as the baby boom or the AIDS epidemic have a lasting impact on a country’s
social and economic structure?
Solutions: Influencing Population Size
6. Explain the 4 stages of the Demographic Transition. What factors limit the ability of developing countries
from making a demographic transition?
7. How can a combination of family planning and empowering women work to slow population growth? What
else can be done to slow population growth?
Slowing Population Growth in India and China
8. What success have India and China had in slowing population growth?
Human Impacts on Natural Systems
9. What are the eight major ways in which human activities have altered the world’s natural ecosystems to
meet our growing needs?
Important Vocabulary
age structure (p. 178)
baby-boom period (p. 175)
birth rate (p. 173)
crude birth rate (p. 173)
crude death rate (p. 174)
death rate (p. 174)
demographic transition (p. 182)
emigration (p. 177)
family planning (p. 184)
fertility (p. 174)
gender imbalance (p. 187)
immigration (p. 177)
industrial stage (p. 183)
infant mortality rate (p. 177)
life expectancy (p. 177)
migration (p. 177)
population change (p. 173)
postindustrial stage (p. 183)
postreproductive (p. 178)
preindustrial stage (p. 183)
prereproductive (p. 178)
replacement-level fertility (p. 174)
reproductive (p. 178)
total fertility rate (TFR) (p. 174)
transitional stage (p. 183)
urbanization (p. 176)