Overpopulation Webquest
Name:
A population is a group of organisms of the same species within a defined area. When the
human population is referred to, the defined area is generally the entire planet. The current global
human population is generally considered to be around seven billion people. Google search world
population to verify this. That’s a pretty big number alright, but is it too big? Some say yes, some say
no. It will be up to you to decide whether or not the rising global population is a severe issue that needs
addressing.
Before beginning the webquest…with your current understanding of the human population, how it
grows, and what parts of the world it is growing the fastest, do you feel that overpopulation is a serious
issue? Why?
Now you are ready to begin the webquest
First, go to http://www.cosmosmith.com/human_population_crisis.htm and review the following pages
from the site map on the left of the screen…

Population Crisis
o Describe the graph from this image. Break down what is occurring with the human
population from 0 A.D. to the present and projected future according to the graph.
Its is rapidly increasing as time moves on in the beginning the population was steady.

Carrying Capacity and Limitations
o What is a carrying capacity? The amount of species an area can hold or carry without
endangerment.

Earth Clock
o Observe the population page of the clock (click on the bar on the left side to stop the
clock from cycling through sections). Compare how the population of the U.S. and
Europe change compared to China and India over a short amount of time. Why do you
think the growth rates are different?

Population Predictor
o Use the counter to determine when the human population is predicted to stop
increasing, and at what approximate number. Why do you think it stops at this
particular point? 46. Yrs. At 8,784,534,000 I think its stops then to lower then in time it
will come back to 8 billion like circle around threw time.
o
Press play on the Roy Beck video, then immediately pause it to allow it to load. You will
be revisiting it later so keep the window up.
Next, go to http://www.worldpopulationbalance.org/ and review the following pages from the site map
on the left of the screen…

Global Population Situation
o List 3 issues this page relates to overpopulation, do you agree that these issues are a
result of, or at least amplified by population growth?
 1
 2
 3

U.S. Population Situation
o How many individuals from third world countries would migrate to the U.S. if possible?
o
The Roy Beck video should have loaded by now, skip ahead to . Do you think that
immigration to the U.S. or any other developed country will help solve population issues
in the third world? Do you agree with Roy Beck’s view that it will instead damage the
developed country?

Population and Energy Consumption
o Use this page to compare the U.S.’s per capita energy consumption to other countries.
Describe what the general trend seems to be.

Details: Maps and Graphs
o Could You Live on 1/100th?
 Well, could you?
o
Larger Families-Greater Poverty
 Why would a large family lead to poverty?

Why would poverty lead to a large family?

Which came first the chicken or the egg? Do you think that poverty leads to
larger families, or larger families lead to poverty?
The last website in class to visit is http://alexandrapaul.com/activism/overpopulation/ , visit it and read
the page.

Ms. Paul mentions three possible methods for curbing population growth. Think about each
method and describe whether or not you think it is a good strategy or not for practical and/or
ethical reasons.
o Educating women
o
Legally limiting the number of children a couple may have (China’s one child per couple
law)
o
Offering incentives to couples to keep their families small
The final website to visit at home (the videos are youtube based) is found at
http://overpopulationisamyth.com/. Watch all five videos in the series (each is only about two minutes
long and a little entertaining) and determine whether or not you agree with the arguments being made
and why.
Now that you have completed the webquest… with your current understanding of the human
population, how it grows, and what parts of the world it is growing the fastest, do you feel that
overpopulation is a serious issue? Why?