This is a class activity that takes roughly one 50-minute class period depending on walking time to location. It requires the use of a wooded outdoor area.

Students will sample the population size of a tree population using the point-quarter population sampling technique, count the number of trees in a given area, and then compare the results using percent error.

The purpose of this lab activity is to demonstrate the accuracy of using sampling to estimate population size and the relative ease of using population sampling rather than counting individuals.


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