Exponential Models

Will human population growth always be exponential, or will we find a limiting factor we can't avoid? Young scientists learn about both exponential and logistic growth models in various animal populations. They use case studies to...

It's scary how fast bacteria can grow — exponentially. Class members solve exponential equations, including those modeling bacteria and population growth. Lesson emphasizes numerical approaches rather than graphical or algebraic.

Playing with matches (unlit, of course) becomes an engaging learning experience in this fun instructional unit. Teach pupils how to apply properties of exponential functions to solve problems. They differentiate between quadratic and...

Modeling population growth gives learners an opportunity to experiment with real data. Comparing the growth rates in this real-life task strengthens learners' understanding that exponential functions change by equal factors over equal...

High schoolers create linear, exponential, and quadratic models of U.S. population data to determine which function best represents U.S. population growth. They predict future populations based on each model.

Students examine both historical and recent estimates of world population. They identify regions of the world that have had significant population growth in the last decade and speculate on reasons for this.

For this human population changes in survival worksheet, learners interpret and plot data to understand the differences in human mortality and survivorship between historic and modern times. They investigate how these changes influence...

Pupils determine the average annual rate of change (growth rate) of U.S. national population for each decade of historical census data.

Young scholars examine the impact that population growth has on world resources.

Students design an investigation using yeast. For this environmental engineering lesson, students design an investigation to determine how environmental factors affect the growth of yeast. They will collect quantitative data and discuss...