How Can We Measure Elephant Populations?

In this activity, students use an interactive tool to simulate how scientists collected and used sample data to estimate elephant population sizes.

The tool simulates methods shown in the Scientists at Work video The Great Elephant Census. It automatically records data as students measure habitat areas and count elephants. Students then make sense of the data and use it to help explain why these methods are important. A major goal of this activity is for students to use computational thinking to make sense of the numbers that are calculated by the tool. The questions provided in the “Student Handout” reflect student sensemaking, particularly around number sense. 

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