Incorporating Inquiry-Based Learning into Non-Laboratory Biology Curriculum
Settlers of Yellowstone: A Population Interaction Simulation
Activity Summary
Incorporating inquiry-based learning into science-based curriculum is an excellent way to allow for student-based
learning. However, non-laboratory centred units, such as the Population Dynamics unit in the Grade 12 University
Preparation Biology course, are more difficult to construct the same type of student-based learning experience. An
interactive ‘board game’ simulation was developed to allow for student-directed learning, focusing on several specific
curriculum expectations, allowing the students to control a small ecosystem, while experiencing the unpredictability of
nature.
Materials (per group)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Game Board (or map of a park)
Beads (eight different colours, approximately 30 of each)
Deck of Cards
Game Rules
Chance Card Key
Population Change Chart
Overview
1. The teacher gives an introduction to the activity by briefly discussing park repopulation programs, using Yellowstone
National Park as an example of how the reintroduction of wolves restored the balance within the ecosystem. (There is a
great short video to use as a hook: vimeo.com/51522536)
2. The students are split into small groups and are given the task of
being ‘park rangers’ repopulating a park. Each group will receive a
game package consisting of a game board, set of game rules, a
chance card key, a deck of cards, and 8 bags containing different
coloured beads, with a different species of animal representing
each colour (see attached materials).
3. The teacher will explain the objective (to create a thriving
ecosystem, where all species interact and maintain sustainable
populations) as well as the rules. When each group understands the
general rules, each group will be allowed ten minutes to decide
how many of each species to put on their playing board (a map of
Yellowstone Park). They will be allowed a maximum of 30
individuals (or beads) to start.
4. Once every group has placed their beads on the playing board, the timer will begin (20 minutes) and the groups will
draw their first chance card (each group is playing independently from the other). The chance card key is what is used to
account for the unpredictability of nature and human interference. There are 28 unique events which are related to a
specific playing card. When a student draws a playing card each turn, they use the key to see what action to take that
round.
Category
Card
2♥ Natural Disaster
Action
Lightning and dry temperatures cause a bush fire to
rip through the plains.
Remove all plants and animals in the plains
Example of playing card event. In this
event, the group will have to remove
any willows or animals they placed in
the ‘plains’ section of the playing
board.
5. The students will draw two cards per round. The first card draw is called ‘summer’ and the second card draw is winter.
Depending on what the event was, the students will either add or remove beads as directed. After two card draws
(summer and winter, which will be referred to as ‘a year’), the students will take a tally of their remaining population,
using the provided population change chart. They will then adjust the population after each ‘year’ depending on the
fecundity, mortality, and predation rates, which are supplied (or can be determined through a class discussion prior to
the lesson). After each species has been adjusted according to the rates, a new year in the park begins, and the students
will again draw two cards, repeating the process until time is up.
Species
Reproduction
Rate (Per pair)
Predation
Death
Natural Death
Wolf
Elk
+2
+3
0
1 death per 4
wolves
1 per turn
2 per turn
Total change Example of the table used to
in population help students adjust their park
+/population each year
6. When the time is up, any groups who have had one or more of their species populations reduced to zero will have
their park’s repopulation program deemed unsuccessful, and their funding cancelled (they lose).
7. A class discussion should now take place where each group will discuss what amount of each species they started
with, and what their end populations were. Students will likely wish to share which chance cards they found to have the
most impact, and which populations they found hardest to keep the populations up or down. After this discussion, the
students will be instructed to try again, but this time learning from their mistakes from last round.
Outcomes
It is unlikely that many groups will ever have a successful round, and this is a great discussion point, since real
reintroduction programs today often have struggles with human interference and forces of nature.
Extension
An excellent extension to this activity is to have the students create their own ecosystem game. The students will be in
charge of researching species within an ecosystem (such as a marine ecosystem); they will have to find realistic
fecundity, mortality, and predation rates; and then predict what sort of interactions the species will have with one
another.
Resources
Game Board
Character Cards (helpful to keep with beads)
Game Rules
Chance Card Key
Population Change Chart
Closing
A big thank you to Christopher Clarke, Owen Selles and William Fujarczuk for their contributions. Any questions, please
contact Amie Oxler at [email protected].