IOWA 4-9 SCIENCE PROJECT

TEACHER GUIDE for: Predator-Prey Lynn Lehman
edited by Reta Lemon
ECOLOGY.467 Grades 4-5

CONCEPT OBJECTIVE:
The students will be able to describe what the terms predator and prey mean and describe the predator-prey relationship, the limiting factors affecting them, and the animals behavior.

PROCESS OBJECTIVE:

The thinking skills developed in this cycle are observing, analyzing, and evaluating.

TEACHER NOTES:

Predators are animals that kill and eat another animal for food. Prey are the animals being killed. Both groups of animals are limited by disease, climate, pollution, accidents, and shortages of food. Prey will sometimes run from a predator, but they also often use holding still and camouflage to escape capture. All of these factors and relationships are illustrated in the following game.

MATERIALS:

food tokens, such as checkers or poker chips, enough for 2 for each student of 2 colors (4 tokens per student)
3 gym vests or other labeling devises to mark predators
5 hula hoops or 15 foot lengths of ropes to mark temporary shelters for prey
pencil and paper to record the number of captures

EXPLORATION:

Students will discover ways predators and prey survive by playing the following animal simulation game. Using a playing field of approximately 30 yards long and 15 yards wide, identify the boundaries of the game. Scatter one color of food tokens at each end of the field. Put the 5 hula hoops throughout the field. Prey must hop on one foot across the field only being safe from predators when they are in end zones (with the tokens), inside hula hoops, or as the predators are walking with captured prey to a holding pen. Prey must gather at least 4 tokens(2 of each color) within the seven minute time period, in order to not to starve. Predators capture prey by running and touching them while prey are between end zones but not in the hula hoops. They must capture 4 prey to avoid starvation and walk with captured prey to the holding zone on the sidelines.

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT:

After playing for seven minutes, gather students and let them report how much food they got. Let them explain how the survivors were able to make it. Perhaps they were skillful at hiding as if frozen within the hula hoops. Perhaps they patiently waited for a friend to be eaten so they could use the opportunity to hop near a full predator. Have students change roles and play twice more. After the third game have students explain how predators control prey and prey control predators. Also discuss the limiting factors for predators and prey.

APPLICATION #1:

Have students explain the behaviors of animals that were illustrated in the game. When have you noticed an animal which behaved as you did in this game? Tell us how the animal reacted. What did that animal do when it noticed you watching it? What defenses do animals use? How do predators capture prey?
Students should name animals that they think are predators and prey. They could name animals from different environments such as forests, deserts, oceans or prairies.

APPLICATION #2:

Students will write an essay pretending to be an animal. In this written assignment they will describe their methods of avoiding detection and capture and their methods of obtaining their food.

EVALUATION:

Students will be evaluated on their participation in the discussion of application #1 and on their ability to think like a predator or prey as illustrated in their essay (application #2).