What makes a population grow or shrink
Grade 7 Science Worksheet

Circle the best answer.
Light reaching a forest gap lets oak seedlings grow. In year 4, branches spread over the gap and shade it. Kira predicts year 5. Which prediction fits?
- Lower than 80, because less light reaches the gap
- Higher than 80, because the line was rising
- Higher than 80, because shade helps seedlings sprout
- About 80, because the gap is the same size
Luz grew yeast in two jars of sugar water. Jar A had 1 spoon of sugar and Jar B had 2 spoons. Which statement fits the graph?
Yeast jar graph (model data). Graph (model data): x axis Day (in days), ticks every 1 day from 1 to 7; y axis Amount of yeast (model units), ticks every 20 from 0 to 100. Line Jar A: (1, 5), (2, 15), (3, 30), (4, 40), (5, 40), (6, 40), (7, 40). Line Jar B: (1, 5), (2, 15), (3, 35), (4, 60), (5, 80), (6, 80), (7, 80). Yeast jar graph (model data). Graph (model data): x axis Day (in days), ticks every 1 day from 1 to 7; y axis Amount of yeast (model units), ticks every 20 from 0 to 100. Line Jar A: (1, 5), (2, 15), (3, 30), (4, 40), (5, 40), (6, 40), (7, 40). Line Jar B: (1, 5), (2, 15), (3, 35), (4, 60), (5, 80), (6, 80), (7, 80). Yeast jar graph (model data) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 20 40 60 80 100 Day (in days) Amount of yeast (model units) Jar A Jar B - Jar B levels off lower because sugar slows yeast
- Jar A levels off higher because its sugar ran out first
- Jar B levels off higher because it had more sugar
- Both jars level off at the same amount
Field A has 2 brush piles and Field B has 6. Milo compares the lines. In year 5, how many more rabbits are in Field B than in Field A?
Two old fields graph (model data). Graph (model data): x axis Year (in years), ticks every 1 year from 1 to 5; y axis Number of rabbits, ticks every 20 from 0 to 80. Line Field A: (1, 10), (2, 20), (3, 20), (4, 20), (5, 20). Line Field B: (1, 10), (2, 30), (3, 50), (4, 60), (5, 60). Two old fields graph (model data). Graph (model data): x axis Year (in years), ticks every 1 year from 1 to 5; y axis Number of rabbits, ticks every 20 from 0 to 80. Line Field A: (1, 10), (2, 20), (3, 20), (4, 20), (5, 20). Line Field B: (1, 10), (2, 30), (3, 50), (4, 60), (5, 60). Two old fields graph (model data) 1 2 3 4 5 0 20 40 60 80 Year (in years) Number of rabbits Field A Field B - 60 more
- 80 more
- 20 more
- 40 more
Noah compares two prairie dog towns that both have open ground around them. Which town grew faster from year 1 to year 4?
Two prairie towns graph (model data). Graph (model data): x axis Year (in years), ticks every 1 year from 1 to 4; y axis Number of prairie dogs in the town, ticks every 20 from 0 to 100. Line Town A: (1, 40), (2, 50), (3, 60), (4, 70). Line Town B: (1, 10), (2, 20), (3, 40), (4, 80). Two prairie towns graph (model data). Graph (model data): x axis Year (in years), ticks every 1 year from 1 to 4; y axis Number of prairie dogs in the town, ticks every 20 from 0 to 100. Line Town A: (1, 40), (2, 50), (3, 60), (4, 70). Line Town B: (1, 10), (2, 20), (3, 40), (4, 80). Two prairie towns graph (model data) 1 2 3 4 0 20 40 60 80 100 Year (in years) Number of prairie dogs in the town Town A Town B - Neither, since both lines go up
- Town B, which gained 70 against 30
- Town A, which began with the higher count
- Town A, which had the steadier line
Pia reads about oak seedlings in a small gap among tall trees. The line levels off at 60. Which cause best explains the level-off?
Oak seedling level graph (model data). Graph (model data): x axis Year (in years), ticks every 1 year from 1 to 6; y axis Number of oak seedlings, ticks every 20 from 0 to 80. Line Oak seedlings: (1, 10), (2, 30), (3, 50), (4, 60), (5, 60), (6, 60). Oak seedling level graph (model data). Graph (model data): x axis Year (in years), ticks every 1 year from 1 to 6; y axis Number of oak seedlings, ticks every 20 from 0 to 80. Line Oak seedlings: (1, 10), (2, 30), (3, 50), (4, 60), (5, 60), (6, 60). Oak seedling level graph (model data) 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 20 40 60 80 Year (in years) Number of oak seedlings Oak seedlings - No new seedlings sprout once the line is flat
- Populations stop changing after four years
- The seedlings get more light than they can use
- The gap lets in a limited amount of light
Ari's yeast line levels off at 80 on day 5. Nothing else in the jar changed. Which cause best explains the level-off?
Yeast level graph (model data). Graph (model data): x axis Day (in days), ticks every 1 day from 1 to 7; y axis Amount of yeast (model units), ticks every 20 from 0 to 100. Line Yeast: (1, 5), (2, 15), (3, 40), (4, 70), (5, 80), (6, 80), (7, 80). Yeast level graph (model data). Graph (model data): x axis Day (in days), ticks every 1 day from 1 to 7; y axis Amount of yeast (model units), ticks every 20 from 0 to 100. Line Yeast: (1, 5), (2, 15), (3, 40), (4, 70), (5, 80), (6, 80), (7, 80). Yeast level graph (model data) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 20 40 60 80 100 Day (in days) Amount of yeast (model units) Yeast - Yeast level off after five days, whatever the sugar
- The jar has endless sugar, so it is still growing
- The sugar in the jar is running low
- The yeast have stopped making new cells
A field has plenty of plants and water but only 4 brush piles. Esme sees the rabbit line level off at 40. Which cause best explains it?
Old field level graph (model data). Graph (model data): x axis Year (in years), ticks every 1 year from 1 to 7; y axis Number of rabbits, ticks every 10 from 0 to 60. Line Rabbits: (1, 10), (2, 20), (3, 30), (4, 40), (5, 40), (6, 40), (7, 40). Old field level graph (model data). Graph (model data): x axis Year (in years), ticks every 1 year from 1 to 7; y axis Number of rabbits, ticks every 10 from 0 to 60. Line Rabbits: (1, 10), (2, 20), (3, 30), (4, 40), (5, 40), (6, 40), (7, 40). Old field level graph (model data) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 Year (in years) Number of rabbits Rabbits - There is no limit, so it will rise again soon
- The field is short of water
- Rabbits stop being born at 40
- The shelter spots are all in use
Jun sees a letter mark event X at year 3 on the prairie dog graph. Which event fits the line after X?
Prairie town event graph (model data). Graph (model data): x axis Year (in years), ticks every 1 year from 1 to 6; y axis Number of prairie dogs in the town, ticks every 20 from 0 to 120. Line Prairie dogs: (1, 40), (2, 40), (3, 40), (4, 70), (5, 100), (6, 100). Marked at year 3: X. Prairie town event graph (model data). Graph (model data): x axis Year (in years), ticks every 1 year from 1 to 6; y axis Number of prairie dogs in the town, ticks every 20 from 0 to 120. Line Prairie dogs: (1, 40), (2, 40), (3, 40), (4, 70), (5, 100), (6, 100). Marked at year 3: X. Prairie town event graph (model data) 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 Year (in years) Number of prairie dogs in the town Prairie dogs X - A very dry summer began
- The town stopped having young
- Open prairie was added next to the town
- Open ground next to the town was paved over
Ren sees a letter mark event X on day 4 on the yeast graph. Which event fits the line after X?
Yeast event graph (model data). Graph (model data): x axis Day (in days), ticks every 1 day from 1 to 7; y axis Amount of yeast (model units), ticks every 20 from 0 to 100. Line Yeast: (1, 5), (2, 15), (3, 30), (4, 30), (5, 60), (6, 80), (7, 80). Marked at day 4: X. Yeast event graph (model data). Graph (model data): x axis Day (in days), ticks every 1 day from 1 to 7; y axis Amount of yeast (model units), ticks every 20 from 0 to 100. Line Yeast: (1, 5), (2, 15), (3, 30), (4, 30), (5, 60), (6, 80), (7, 80). Marked at day 4: X. Yeast event graph (model data) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 20 40 60 80 100 Day (in days) Amount of yeast (model units) Yeast X - The jar was left on the shelf unchanged
- The yeast stopped making new cells
- More sugar was stirred into the jar
- Some of the sugar water was poured out
Tala sees a letter mark event X at year 4 on the oak seedling graph. Which event fits the line after X?
Forest gap event graph (model data). Graph (model data): x axis Year (in years), ticks every 1 year from 1 to 6; y axis Number of oak seedlings, ticks every 20 from 0 to 100. Line Oak seedlings: (1, 40), (2, 40), (3, 40), (4, 40), (5, 70), (6, 90). Marked at year 4: X. Forest gap event graph (model data). Graph (model data): x axis Year (in years), ticks every 1 year from 1 to 6; y axis Number of oak seedlings, ticks every 20 from 0 to 100. Line Oak seedlings: (1, 40), (2, 40), (3, 40), (4, 40), (5, 70), (6, 90). Marked at year 4: X. Forest gap event graph (model data) 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 20 40 60 80 100 Year (in years) Number of oak seedlings Oak seedlings X - Seedlings stopped sprouting
- A very dry year began
- Tall branches spread out over the gap
- The gap was widened for more light