CORE QUESTION: What can we learn about population data?

OVERVIEW: In order to better understand the impact of overpopulation, students must have a firm grasp of the terms and major vocabulary words associated with demography. Over the years, the population growth rate has increased at a rapid rate. By researching birth and death rates throughout the world as well as infant mortality rates and doubling time, students will be able to better understand the repercussions associated with these statistics.

TIME REQUIRED: A minimum of two eighty minute class periods.

SUGGESTED GRADE LEVEL: Grades 9 - 12

INTERDISCIPLINARY CONNECTIONS:

• Social Studies: Students will be able to understand and make connections between current statistics about population.
• English: Students will be able to write their own predictions with regards to this data.
• Science: Students will decide the effects that China’s population growth has had on the environment with regards to land, water, pollution, energy, etc.
• Mathematics: Students will create charts and graphs which will allow them to compare and contrast the data. They will use various mathematics skills in order to create these graphs.
• Technology: Students will use a software program such as Microsoft Excel in order to plot specific data and to create various kinds of charts and graphs.

NEW JERSEY CORE CONTENT STANDARDS: 6.9.8, 6.9.9

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES:

1. Students will define specific vocabulary necessary for understanding population data.
2. Students will collect, analyze, and interpret specific data.
3. Students will utilize computer programs in order to create graphs of collected data.

STRATEGIES:

Day 1:

1. Students will define the specific vocabulary words/terms which are listed below using available resources (computer programs, internet, or traditional references in the library). After defining the vocabulary, the teacher will ask students to share their definitions with the group.
   • death rate
   • birth rate
   • infant mortality rate
   • doubling time
   • population growth rate
   • literacy rate
   • G.N.P.
   • Percent urban population
   • Maternal mortality rate
   • Life expectancy


2. Once the above vocabulary terms have been reviewed, the teacher will choose 10 different countries (The teacher should use the United States as one of the ten countries since the students will be able to use this as a reference. The rest of the countries may be random or may relate to a particular unit of study.)
   
3. Students will work in pairs on the computers in order to find the data on these specific countries (see links below). The teacher will provide a chart on which the students should record their data. If the teacher does not have access to a computer, he or she may use traditional library references (almanacs, etc.) or population data charts. For homework, students should take the data they have collected, and they should write down at least five assumptions that they can make from the data by citing specific statistics.

Day 2:

1. The teacher will check the five assumptions that the students were asked to write down for homework.
   
2. The teacher will ask students to share one assumption that they made for homework with the class. The teacher will record student responses on the board or on an overhead projector, and discuss each.
   
3. Once the discussion is complete, students will break up into pairs. They will chart and/or graph one aspect of their data (teacher should assign one piece of data to each group) on a program such as Microsoft Excel. If computers are not available, you may provide graph paper and colored pencils for students to draw their graphs.
   
4. Students will share their graphs with the class, and they will share the most interesting aspect of their data with the class.

MATERIALS:

Computers with internet access, Library Resources (dictionary, almanac, etc.), Colored pencils, Graph paper, Pens/pencils, Lined paper

REFERENCES:

• Internet, Dictionary, Almanac
• Resource Page

ASSESSMENT:

1. Vocabulary list
2. Data Chart
3. Five Assumptions (homework)
4. Chart/Graph