This Wolf Reintroduction Decision Challenge will help your students understand predator-prey relationships, trophic cascades, carrying capacity, biodiversity, ecosystem balance, and wildlife management trade-offs. This activity gives teachers an easy, NO PREP way to have students analyze ecology data, compare possible management options, and make an evidence-based decision about whether wolves should be reintroduced to help restore ecosystem balance.

Students investigate a real-world style ecosystem problem in Riverbend Valley, where wolves disappeared many years ago and the elk population has grown above the estimated carrying capacity. Students analyze multiple Information/Data Sets related to elk population growth, young tree height, predator-prey evidence, biodiversity indicators, and community concerns. They then use the evidence to decide whether wolves should be reintroduced, whether other elk management methods should be used, or whether more data should be collected before making a decision.

Students choose between three possible recommendations using information in the activity:

Should wolves be reintroduced to help restore ecosystem balance in Riverbend Valley?

Students choose between three possible recommendations:

Option A: Reintroduce wolves with a careful management plan.

Option B: Do not reintroduce wolves; use other methods to manage the elk population.

Option C: Delay the decision and collect more data before reintroducing wolves.

Click here to download my Mosquito Control Ecology Decision Challenge Activity for FREE

You can find this challenge as well as all my other Ecology Challenges in my Real-World Ecology Decision Challenges Bundle. Click here to see the included topics and learn more.

How It Works

• Students use the provided background reading and evidence sets to:
• Analyze elk population growth over time
• Compare population size to carrying capacity
• Identify patterns in young willow and aspen tree growth
• Explore how predators can affect prey populations and behavior
• Analyze how elk browsing may affect streamside habitats
• Connect predator-prey relationships to trophic cascades
• Evaluate biodiversity indicators such as beaver lodges, songbird nesting areas, streambank erosion, and vegetation growth
• Consider community concerns such as livestock, safety, tourism, monitoring, and public education
• Compare multiple wildlife management options
• Use evidence to support a science-based decision

Click here to download my Mosquito Control Ecology Decision Challenge Activity for FREE

This activity moves students from background reading → data analysis → evidence comparison → final decision writing.

Topics Students Explore

• Wolf reintroduction
• Predator-prey relationships
• Trophic cascades
• Elk population growth
• Carrying capacity
• Limiting factors
• Herbivore browsing
• Vegetation changes
• Biodiversity indicators
• Streamside ecosystem health
• Wildlife management
• Human impacts and community concerns
• Evidence-based decision-making
• Real-world ecology problem solving

What’s Included

✅ Complete Wolf Reintroduction Decision Challenge activity

✅ Student background reading

✅ Multiple Information/Data Sets

✅ Evidence analysis questions

✅ Final decision writing task

✅ Early finisher extension activities

✅ Complete answer key

✅ Grading rubric

✅ DIGITAL and PRINT ready versions

✅ Fully editable file

Perfect for:

• Population ecology units
• Ecosystems lessons
• Predator-prey relationship activities
• Trophic cascade lessons
• Carrying capacity activities
• Biodiversity lessons
• Human impact on ecosystems units
• Environmental science lessons
• Wildlife management discussions
• Data analysis practice
• Evidence-based writing
• Small group collaboration
• Sub plans or review days
• NGSS life science lessons

Teacher-Friendly Features

• NO PREP and ready to use
• Builds data analysis and evidence-based reasoning skills
• Encourages students to support claims with evidence
• Connects ecology concepts to a realistic wildlife management decision
• Includes built-in assessment with a rubric
• Works well for independent work, partners, small groups, or class discussion
• Includes extension options for early finishers
• Editable so you can adjust the activity for your students

This activity is a great way to help students practice analyzing evidence, comparing possible solutions, and making a science-based decision about a realistic ecosystem management problem.