Turning Wolf Energy Math into Classroom Activities: 1. Bar Graph: Good Hunt vs. Bad Hunt
Have each student (or group) track “wolf energy” for two days:
- No prep
Have each student (or group) track “wolf energy” for two days:
- Day 1: A successful hunt
- Day 2: A failed hunt
Give them starting energy (100), then use simple agreed-on “costs”:
- Traveling: -20
- Testing herd: -10
- Full chase: -30
Let them decide if the hunt succeeds or fails:
- If success: +80
- If failure: +0
Then:
- Draw a bar graph comparing starting energy vs. ending energy for each day.
- Talk about what happens if wolves have too many “failed hunt” bars in a row.
This makes “survival” feel very tangible.
Where it comes from
On a cold winter morning, wolf tracks look like a simple story in the snow:
Paw prints. A trail. Maybe a scatter of deer prints nearby.
But for the wolf that left them, that path is part of a much bigger question:
Read the blog post ↗ Winter Wolves and Energy Math: Every Hunt Is a Gamble · 2025-12-12
Workspace
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The class
Counters
Results table
Notes as you go
This activity has no numbered steps, so use the notes box.
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