Big Idea: Brown Bears and Polar Bears Habitats

Essential Question: How does Brown Bears and Polar Bears differ based on their own species’ percent of
growth/decay and their own types of habitats?

Content Essential Centers Technology Assessment Student Standards

or Questions (Activities) Integration and/or Rubric Products or TEKS
Subject Scale Portfolio
Area & Student
Name

Mathematics How exponential Activity consist Calculator Student will Students will use Exponential
Marisela Seanez functions are related on consider a (Cell phones) apply their exponential Functions and
to real life situations, certain bear mathematical functions to write, Equations.
especially with and its skills to analyze, evaluate, predict, Al.9 b, c, d, and e
growth/decay of specie’s create, and and graph.
living beings? percent of solve (Worksheet)
growth or exponential
decay. functions.
(Worksheet)

Science How is a polar bear’s Randomly Cell phones to Worksheet Students should Earth Science
Ricardo Alvarez habitat different than selected research problems that be able to ES.8. c.
a brown bear’s worksheet. pictures of the explain habitats distinguish
habitat, even though animals and drawings. different species
they are both bears. of the same
animal based on
their habitat
Name: ______________________________

Exponential Functions
Exponential Growth y=a(1+r)^x Exponential Decay y=a(1-r)^x

where a=initial amount, r= growth/decay rate (often a percent), and

x=time (in years).

1. The population of brown bears (that live in a forest) decreases at a rate of 3.5% per year. You have counted 80 of the
animals in the habitat you are studying. Write a function that models the change in the animal population. How many
brown bears are there in 15 and 30 years?

2. Estimate the number of years until the population drops below 15 brown bears.
3. Record and graph your data.

x y

15

30

15

4. Below, please draw the habitat of the brown bears, and a brown bear living in this habitat. You are
allowed to use your phone ONLY to look into what this animal and this habitat look like.
Name: ______________________________

Exponential Functions

Exponential Growth y=a(1+r)^x Exponential Decay y=a(1-r)^x

where a=initial amount, r= growth/decay rate (often a percent), and

x=time (in years).

1. If the Polar Bear (that live in the arctic) population is growing at a rate of 20% every year and starts out at 150 Polar
Bears currently. Write a function that models the change in the animal population. How many Polar Bears are there in 10
and 15 years?

2. Estimate how long does it take for the population to reach 5000 Polar Bears?
3. Record and graph your data.

x y

10

15

5,000

4. Below, please draw the habitat of the brown bears, and a brown bear living in this habitat. You are
allowed to use your phone ONLY to look into what this animal and this habitat look like.