Brief Description

This 3-part activity is designed to introduce students to human population growth. Several online sources are used in this activity, including a World Population Clock that is a real time data site. In Parts 1 and 2 students make a variety of mathematical calculations designed to illustrate the current size and growth rate of the human population. In Part 3 students analyze a graph that shows human population growth over time and complete a written assessment that requires them to demonstrate their level of understanding of population size, growth rate, and some of the factors that have led to current levels of growth. This activity could lead into a more thorough analysis of the ecological impacts of human population growth.

Standards and Frameworks

Technology Standards

• 1T-P1. Use the appropriate technology device to complete a task
• 3T-P2. Use a variety of technology tools for data collection and analysis to support a decision

• 3SC-P5. Describe and explain factors that affect population size and growth (e.g., birth and death rates, quality of environment, disease, education)

Academic

As a result of using several online sources including the population clock web site, students will describe the size and growth rate of the human population and explain some of the factors that have led to that size and growth rate in writing. Written responses will receive a rating of at least 3 on a 4-point rubric.

Technological

Using several online sources including the population clock web site, students will successfully collect and analyze population data and use that data to describe human population size and growth rate in writing. Written responses will receive a rating of at least 3 on a 4-point rubric.

Pre-Requisite Technology Skills

None

Materials

• Classroom computer with Internet access
• TV and TV conversion device (such as AverKey)
• Calculators
• Copies of the ‘How BIG is one billion?’ worksheet and rubric for all students
• Copies of the ‘Population Growth Rate’ worksheet and rubric for all students
• Copies of the ‘Analysis of Human Population’ directions and rubric for all students

Because much of this lesson is visual, students with limited language and/or reading skills should still be successful in understanding the main ideas. Possible accommodations for special needs include:

1. Grouping students of varying math abilities can help all students experience success in the calculation parts of these activities.
2. In part 2, students who have difficulty designing a procedure could be provided with more specific instructions to follow.
3. In part 2, students who have difficulty creating a data table could be provided with a pre-made data table.
4. Students can compare this population clock to one found at a Princeton University site (http://opr.princeton.edu/popclock/). They are somewhat different. Students could develop a list of possible reasons for these differences.
5. Students who have questions about how the world population clock calculations are made could visit the ‘Notes on the World Population Clock’ site (http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/popwnote.html) for a detailed description.
6. In part 3, the population data used in the population growth over time graph is based on historical estimates. Interested students could research how these estimates were calculated. What factors were considered when making these estimations? How was data for these estimates collected?
7. In part 3, the written assessment can be shortened for students. Responding to just the first three items would still allow students to meet the academic objective. The last 3 items give students the opportunity to meet the academic objective at a higher level.

Introduction- Before students arrive, go to the Population Clock website at http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/clock.html. Use a TV converter, like an AverKey, to place the population clock on a TV screen so that students will see it as they walk into class. Have the students watch the population clocks for a minute. Ask them to describe what they are seeing. How are the two clocks different? What does each clock represent? (Some students may confuse population growth with birth rate. This would be a good time to discuss that the world population growth clock takes the birth rate and death rate into consideration. The difference between the two is what is represented by the clock. The United States population clock considers birth rate, death rate, and the impact of immigration/emigration.) Tell students they are going to participate in two activities designed to help them think about the size and growth rate of the human population. They will use this information to describe and explain some possible factors that have led to the current size and growth rate of the human population.

Part 1- How BIG is one billion? (This activity should take one class period to complete.)

1. As students can see on the world population clock, there are more than 6 billion people on the planet. When thinking about large numbers, it is often hard to visualize what they represent. This first activity is designed to help students better visualize how big one billion is.
2. Pass out the ‘How BIG is one billion?’ worksheet. Have students read and discuss the scenario described in the worksheet. Before they begin their calculations have them predict how long they think it will take to count to one billion at the rate of one number per second. How many students think they would accept the offer described in the worksheet?
3. Having students complete the calculations in groups of two or three works well, especially if students in the class have varying levels of math skills. While students are making their calculations, wander among the groups and monitor their progress. Some groups may need hints to set up their calculations. Remind those having difficulty that they are trying to figure out how long it would take to count one billion dollars at the rate of one dollar per second. Would it take more or less than one year? How would they calculate the number of seconds in a year?
4. As students are nearing completion, ask them to respond thoroughly to the last question on the worksheet. This is also a good time to have students compare their worksheet responses to the scoring rubric. Many students tend to have the answers on their papers but they forget to show their work. Looking at the criteria on the rubric can serve as a reminder to include the steps they took in their responses.
5. Have students turn in their worksheets. In addition to the scoring rubric, a calculation key has been provided for the questions requiring students to show their math work.
6. If time permits, students can discuss their responses as a class.

1. Once again, have the population clock website (http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/clock.html) running on the TV screen as students enter class. Ask students how much they think the clock has changed since the previous day. Tell them that in this activity they will use the population clock to collect the data needed to determine world population growth per minute, per hour, per day, and per year.
2. In groups of two or three, students should design a way to collect and record the data they need to make the population calculations. Students should describe the data they will collect, their procedure, and create a chart for their data collection on the ‘Population Growth Rate’ worksheet. Ideas about how this might be done can be discussed as a large group or with individual groups as needed. Because the clock moves so quickly, students should be instructed to collect data at least 5 times for population growth per minute and take an average. The average number for growth per minute can be used to make the calculations for growth per hour, day, and year. All of these should be recorded on the worksheet.
3. When done, students should compare their calculations to those on the World Vital Events Per Time Unit: 2003 website (http://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/ipc/pcwe). Copies of this can be printed for students to look at or if there is more than one computer in the classroom, they can view the data on the website. The final item on the ‘Population Growth Rate’ worksheet asks students to comment on the similarities and differences they see between their calculations and those on this website.
4. Before turning the worksheet in, have students compare their responses to the criteria in the ‘Population Growth Rate’ worksheet rubric to make sure their work is complete.

1. Review the previous two activities with students. They should be able to describe the human population size as large and its growth rate as rapid. Show students a graph of human population growth over time. An online version of this graph from CIESE Online Classroom Projects can be found at http://k12science.ati.stevens-tech.edu/curriculum/popgrowthproj/worldpop.html. Use the TV conversion device to show this graph on the TV screen. Alternatively, this type of graph is commonly found in biology textbooks.
2. Conduct a discussion about the graph. The direction of the discussion will depend on student input. The following questions can be used to guide the discussion. What information can be pulled from the graph? How could population size and growth be described before 1700? How could population size and growth be described after 1700? Approximately when did the population reach the size of 1 billion? 2 billion? 3 billion? 4 billion? 5 billion? 6 billion? How has the amount of time it takes for the population to grow by 1 billion changed? What kinds of historical events were taking place in the 1700’s and 1800’s? (This is a good place to discuss the Industrial Revolution.) Can population growth be linked to those events? What does the graph show us about the relationship between the birth rate and the death rate? Is there any place on the graph that indicates a higher death rate than birth rate? What might be some reasons for this?
3. After the discussion, tell students that they are going to individually respond to several items in writing to assess their understanding of population size and growth and the factors which impact population size and growth.
4. Pass out copies of the ‘Analysis of Human Population’ assessment and rubric. Read and discuss the directions with students. Before they begin, pass back the scored ‘How BIG is one billion?’ worksheet and the scored ‘Population Growth Rate’ worksheet. Leave the population graph (http://k12science.ati.stevens-tech.edu/curriculum/popgrowthproj/worldpop.html) on the TV screen for students to view or have copies of the graph available for students to use. Have copies of the World Vital Events Per Time Unit: 2003 (http://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/ipc/pcwe) available for students to view. If possible, students should also have access to the World Population Clock (http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/clock.html).
5. Pull students aside whose scores on one or both of the previous two worksheets indicate a lack of understanding. This is a good time to give these students some individualized or small group instruction to improve their level of understanding of population size and growth before they begin the written assessment.
6. The written assessment can be completed in class or assigned as homework. When completed, the written assessment can be scored with the ‘Analysis of Human Population’ rubric.
7. These activities should serve as a launching point for more a detailed study of the implications of continued population growth. In an ecology class, areas of focus could include: How does human population growth impact relationships among people? How does it impact populations of other species and their communities? How does it impact the quality and availability of resources like water? There are a multitude of possibilities. Students could even be asked to generate a list of ideas to explore in future lessons.

The assessments for Parts 1 and 2 are building blocks students can use to achieve success in the written assessment, which is described in Part 3.

Part 1: Rubric and calculation key for the ‘How BIG is one billion?’ worksheet
Part 2: Rubric for the ‘Population Growth Rate’ worksheet
Part 3: Rubric for the ‘Analysis of Human Population’ assessment