The Deer Population Problem in Fairfax County

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Objective: To learn why the overpopulation of deer can lead to problems within an ecosystem and what strategies are being used by county officials to address this problem.
Grade: 4th
Length: 2 class periods


Lesson Development Process

1. Study the science curriculum: Fourth grade students are starting a unit on Virginia Ecosystems.  Standards related to the local problem of the overpopulation of deer are:
SCI.G4.5.b Organization of populations, communities, and ecosystems and how they interrelate
SCI.G4.5.f Influences of human activity on ecosystems

2. Research the real-world problem: There is an overpopulation of deer in Fairfax County, VA.  When there are too many deer in one area, ecosystems and humans may be affected.  Without a natural balance in an ecosystem, humans must devise strategies for fixing the problem.

3. Brainstorm engineering solutions to problem: Students will read a county report on the deer population problem.  The teacher will project a slide presentation that shares images of different strategies for controlling the deer population.  Students will be challenged to pick one or more deer population control methods, make a model that demonstrates or shows how the method(s) work(s), and then present their model to the class.  Students will engage in a class discussion about the pros and cons of each method and vote on which one they think would be most effective.

4. Incorporate technology: A slide presentation will be projected to illustrate the different population control methods and provide directions.  A possibility for incorporating technology in the future is to let students create a digital plan for their model instead of drawing it on paper.

5. Look for correlated math standards: Students will use measurement, scale, and ratios to determine the appropriate height for different features in their models.

6. Allow for creativity: Students will be creating models mostly out of paper and tape, but are allowed to use other items as needed.  Students will be encouraged to extend ideas by coming up with new solutions or combining multiple methods to create a more effective method for controlling the deer population.

- Jennifer Clark, FCPS STEAM Teacher



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