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Chapter Two

The Context of It All

Part One

CONTEXTUALIZING CONTEXT - Food chains and carrying capacity? Understand the context by watching the story below.
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Video Questions

Featured Hot Take

We all need a little context. How to get it? Pollsters help! And few are as informed as Shachi Kurl, the Executive Director of the Angus Reid Institute. She took time away from analyzing the news – and our opinions on the news – to join us in conversation.

We’re featuring this podcast across all five Nature Labs subjects. You might not like every course you take in school, but they are all related. By listening to this podcast, hopefully you’ll better understand why.

More on Shachi Kurl
  • What did you learn from Shachi's story?
  • Does polling inform better research? Does it help create more empathy for those we disagree with?
  • How valuable is it to have unbiased, impartial research to better understand public opinion, as scientists and as citizens?
  • Like science, do you believe polling to be unbiased, or can the questions that drive the research be loaded or leading, helping create answers that reinforce certain perspectives?
  • How do we create more movements that unify, rather than divide? Can science help?

Part Two

THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES WILL HELP YOU BETTER UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPTS YOU NEED TO LEARN IN THIS CLASS. YOUR TEACHER WILL SELECT WHICH ACTIVITIES YOU NEED TO COMPLETE BELOW.

Defining Your Community

Who are your people? Why do you need them? Get to know yourself and your communities.

Explore

Mapping Biodiversity

What's your natural context? Find and map the biodiversity hotspots in your community.

Go!

Understanding Your Views

How has your upbringing shaped who you are? Why is it important to understand the context of others?

Begin

What's Your Context?

How do you think we should balance people and nature? Start brainstorming! * Recommended

Brainstorm

Core Concepts

Learn more about this chapter's core concepts: food chains and carrying capacities.

Learn

Species Interaction

Understand food chains through species interaction. Learn from the teachings of biologist Verne Lehmberg.

How?

Owl Pellet Dissection

See the food chain in action by dissecting an owl pellet. Learn from the teachings of biologist Verne Lehmberg.

Start

The Curated Library

Use the Curated Library to compare and contrast different perspectives on an issue that interests you.

Search!

Part Three

HOW DOES THIS CLASS RELATE TO REAL-WORLD ISSUES?

Inquiry Media

Does one individual matter?

Go!

Further Exploration

Latest News

Alberta’s Referendum: What It Means

News
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has announced that on October 19th, 2026, the province will hold a referendum with multiple questions, including one about whether...
Read more

Happy International Day for Biological Diversity!

News
Think biodiversity is only about exotic animals in faraway places? Think again! Your backyard might already be hosting its own tiny nature documentary. There...
Read more

Resources From the Curated Library

The contribution of predators and scavengers to human well-being

Bias: None Sub-Category: Food Chains Source: Nature File Type: Journal Overview: Role of predators in human wellbeing Web Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-017-0421-2

Grizzly bears, wolverines need room to roam

Bias: none Source: Rocky Mountain Outlook File Type: Article Overview: Grizzly bears, wolverines need room to roam Web Link: https://www.rmoutlook.com/banff/grizzly-bears-wolverines-need-room-to-roam-8462438

Food Chains and Carrying Capacity

Science Resources
Review this lesson's key concepts and terms, before testing your knowledge below. BiodiversityDownload Food Chains and Carrying CapacityDownload What is carrying capacity? What three factors influence an ecosystem's...
Read more
More From the Curated Library
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Chapters

Chapter One

The System of Things

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Chapter Two

The Context of It All

You are here!

Chapter Three

We Don’t Know What We Don’t Know

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Chapter Four

Hard Stuff is Hard

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Chapter Five

Here’s How

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Chapter Six

Your Turn

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Chapter Seven

Dig Deeper

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Chapter Eight

Be Better

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Chapter Nine

Own Your Hypocrisy

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Chapter Ten

Keep Going

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Chapter Eleven

One Last Thing

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Chapter Twelve

The End (of the Beginning)

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