2012
Social Studies 20: Unit 2: Population
Daniel Headrick and Marsha Bahador
ESST 350
2/13/2012
Unit Title: Population
Grade Level: 20
Subject/Topic Area: Social Studies 20
Key Words: population, systems, control, industrialization, specialization, growth, worldview,
paradigm, change (accelerated, abrupt), natural increase, birth rate, death rate, rate of natural
increase, population growth rate, projections, predictions, double timing, fertility rate,
Demographic transition,
Designed By: Daniel Headrick and Marsha Bahador
Time Frame: 20 hours
School District: The Fun School District
School: The Best Collegiate Ever
Brief Summary of Unit:
This unit of study is the second unit in the Social Studies 20 curriculum. It was designed
to be taught within 15 hours. As a group we have decided to increase that time to 20 hours
with extra content and taking some of the other objectives deeper.
The objectives for this unit, is to provide a history of how the world’s population has
grown and provide information on how that has affected the human race. Through the
challenges of basic human needs such as food and shelter, to medical care and education
student will understand how the population has grown.
Students will be given after the first half of the unit to create and run their own census
based off of the 2011 Canadian Census. They will then use the data they collected about the
school to make graphs and predictions about the school population. At the end of this unit the
student will work through a project that will ask them to think about the know what question
when it comes to having a world population of over 7 billion people.
Establish Goals:
● to help student understand what causes a population to change
● to look at the controversial that surround population and its growth
● to understand that throughout history people have struggled with the issue of
population size
What understandings are desired?
 Know that the rare of natural increase in a population is the difference between the
birth rate and the death rate
 Know that population growth rates vary from region to region and that regions with
different population compositions make different demands on social policy
 Know that population density can be calculated in several different ways
 Know that the migration of people has had a major effect on people’s histories and their
relationships with other groups of people
 Know that a theory is made up of a set of definitions, assumptions, and propositions
integrated into a meaningful whole and is a proposed explanation for some aspect of
reality
What essential questions will be considered?
 Internal conflicts of values issues dialectically
 Determining social policy and the government’s role
 Progress of achieving population goals
What key knowledge and skill will students acquire as a result of this unit?
 Dialectical thinking
o Make a value claim expressing what is good, right or worthwhile and an issue;
o To provide support for taking a particular position on an issue;
o To set out the counter argument to the first value claim to the issue;
o To provide support for the counter argument; and,
o To come to a dialectical conclusion
 Learn to deduce an hypothesis from a theory and apply it to a particular situation
 Learn to devise a theory that better corresponds to current reality
Day One: 1 hour
Outcomes:
1. Practice using their personal backgrounds and perceptions to create a source of data for
analysis.
2. Learn to make a value claim expressing what is good, right or worthwhile about an issue.
Indicators:
1. Students will be able to show understanding of key terms about population and be able
to relate those terms to their own lives through a class brainstorm.
Materials/Resources
Materials:
Paper
Pens
Resources:
http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/index-eng.cfm
Instructional Strategies
Direct Instruction: student will be introduced to new key terms to help set up this unit
Discussion/Brainstorming: Using the new terms student will partake in a discussion and
brainstorm
Lesson Description:
The first half of the lesson will be vocabulary accusation. This is the first lesson of the
unit thus we must set up the proper terminology. As well we will start to look at how
industrialization affects population. This will be down with a power point that the students are
expected to make notes of.
Key terms: population, systems, control, industrialization, specialization, growth, worldview,
paradigm, change
The second half of this introduction lesson will be a class discussion and brainstorm using the
new terms. The main question for this lesson is why people live where they do. They will be
promoted to supply answers that are meaning full to themselves.
Assessment: student answers to questioning during brainstorm.
Cross Curricular Competencies
Developing Literacies- vocabulary acquisition
Developing Thinking- Students will be inferring and analyzing facts.
Day Two: 1 hour
Learning Outcomes:
1. Learn to provide support for a particular position on an issue
2. Practise developing an analytical system so that reliable inferences can be drawn
from the date
Indicators:
1. Student will be inferring why people live where they do by providing well researched
support and proper reading and relating of data.
Materials/Resources:
Materials
Computers
Resources
http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/index-eng.cfm
Instructional Strategies:
Direct Instruction
Brainstorm
Lesson Description:
Student will be given the first 10-15 minutes to look at the population data of
Saskatchewan from the 2011 Canadian Census. We will be looking at the top ten cities. Going
over current population, rate of change, from the 2006 census and brainstorming some ideas as
to why the cities grew or shrunk. They will then be given the next 30 or so minutes to research
in pairs or individually what is going on in the cities that have seen major change. Looking at
what industry is happening and the geographic location of the city. We will come back at the
end to talk about what was found and compare that to our brainstorm and make a consensus
as to why the population moved in those cities.
Assessment: brainstorm, student research will be collected and consensus statement at the
end of class.
Cross Curricular Competencies
Dialectical thinking
Developing Thinking
Day Three: 1 hour
Learning Outcomes:
1. Practice drawing inferences by comparing and contrasting points of view
Indicators:
1. Student will be able to infer the data about what it means to have 7 billion people and
create a chart that compare the pros and cons of such a large population.
Materials/Resources:
Computers
Markers
Paper
www.7billionandme.com.
Lesson Description:
The class will be beginning with the students looking themselves up on the website
www.7billionandme.com. This site shows the students what number they are in the population
and gives some facts about how many people were around when they were born. We will have
a little talk about what they found. Then in groups of 4 students will work together to find out
what has been said about what it means to have 7 billion people. They will create a chart of
pros and cons on big chart paper as well they will cite their sources on the back. The class will
end with group presentations of what they found.
Assessment: student presentations and their charts of their finding.
Cross Curricular Competencies
Dialectical thinking
Developing Thinking
Lesson Four: 1 hour
Learning Outcomes:
1. Learn to draw inferences from numerical data
Indicators:
1. Students will be able to analysis data on how the human population has grown after
receiving instruction on new terms and provide evidence in an exit slip.
Materials/Resources
Chart paper
Markers
Instructional Strategies:
Direct Instruction
Lesson Description:
The first half of the lesson will be direct instruction to introduce the student to the
information of how the world’s population has grown as well as being introduced to new terms
and formulas that they will need to learn in this section of the unit. The second half of this unit
will be used to take students through what a population pyramid is and what the information is
telling us. We will be looking at pyramids from many different countries and times in history
(i.e. right after the wars) and students will be asked to make inferences as to what is going on in
the countries being looked at. As well we will look at how to calculate birth, death and growth
rate.
Assessment: student will fill out an exit slip that has 3 specific questions based on population
growth.
Cross Curricular Competencies
Developing Thinking
Lesson Five: 1 hour
Learning Outcomes:
1. Practise using data to make graphs
2. Learn to make projections based on a variety of assumptions.
Indicators:
1. Students in groups of 4 will be able to make line graphs, population pyramids and be
able to write projection statement about what the data is telling.
Materials/Resources:
Chart paper
Markers
Pens
Computers
http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/index-eng.cfm
Instructional Strategies:
Group work
Lesson description:
This lesson will have the students working in small groups of 4 to make two graphs. The
first will be a line graph showing the population growth of the province over the last 107 years.
The second will be population pyramids that show the breakdown of men and woman in age
group of the population of Saskatchewan. They will then each individually write what are the
factors that have caused the population to be what it is. This will be drawn from prior
knowledge. They will then be asked to provide three predictions as to how the population will
go and give evidence with using the data from the charts.
Assessment: students will hand in the written responses to the group graphing work.
Cross Curricular Competencies
Dialectical thinking
Developing Thinking
Lesson Six: 1 hour
Learning Outcomes:
1. Learn to make graphs with a range of projections based upon a rand of assumptions
2. Practise testing hypotheses against the historical records.
Indicators:
1. Students will work again in their groups to make a new set of graphs making
projections and hypotheses on Saskatchewan’s population in the next five years.
Materials/Resources
Computers
Chart paper
Markers
http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/index-eng.cfm
Lesson Description:
Working again in the groups of 4 students will calculate the growth, birth and death rate
of the province to project the population over the next five years. They will then make new
graphs to show the new figures. They will include written explanation to back up their
hypotheses. As well they will include in the explanation that references the trends based on
historical growth. These will be present to the class at the end
Assessment: Class presentation, handing in of written explanations.
Cross Curricular Competencies
Dialectical thinking
Developing Thinking
Day 7: 1 hour
Outcome:

Students will be able to draw inferences from numerical data using the 2011 Census.
Indicators:
Students will be able to illustrate understanding of concepts such as doubling time, exponential
growth, and rate of natural increase, and population growth rate through group discussion as
well as group presentations.




Determine the growth rate of Canada’s population using historical data
Compare calculated growth rates to those estimated by Canadian Census
Identify factors that contribute to growth rate.
Determine current and future growth patterns of Canadian population
Materials/Resources
Materials:
Computer
Markers/pens
Paper
Resources:
http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/index-eng.cfm
http://www.7billionandme.org/
http://www.census.gov/population/international/links/
http://www.census.gov/population/international/
http://www.census.gov/main/www/popclock.html
Instructional Strategies
Direct instruction: Students will be given a brief lecture on the definitions and applications
of key concepts such as doubling time, exponential growth, rate of natural increase,
population growth.
Guided Inquiry: Students will be grouped in brainstorm groups for the rest of the lessons
within this outcome. Teacher will give guided instruction as to where to go and what they
will be looking for. They will be asked to look at Canada 2011 census and other websites.
Students will answer provided questions while exploring these sites.
Brainstorming- Students will put what they have found out about reading and analyzing
their findings from their brainstorms in a fact sheet.
Discussion Questions
What is doubling time?
What is exponential growth?
Has the world population grown exponentially? If yes, since when? Provide evidence?
What was the population growth in (for Canada, Saskatchewan, and Regina) in 2011 Census?
2006? 2001? 1996?
Which countries have had great increase in population in the past 10 years? Name and give
evidence for answer.
Provide the rate of natural increase in Canada, China, U.S, Japan, and India in the past decade.
Assessment and Evaluation
Students will be assessed on their participation level and result of brainstorm.
Lesson Summery
This lesson serves as an introduction to population growth. Students will look at the
Canadian Census and the U.S Bureau's World Population Clock which gives real time estimates
of the world's current population. Students observe by how many people the population grows
each second, minute and week and compare the weekly increase in population to their county
population. The purpose of the comparison is for students to get a better perspective on how
large these numbers may be. This type of comparison will better help students visualize the
number of people this increase in population represents. Students will also look at
representations of historical population growth in other parts of the world.
Cross Curricular Competencies
Developing Literacies- Using technology and websites.
Developing Thinking- Students will be inferring and analyzing facts.
Day 8 & 9: 2 hours
Outcome:
Students will understand population density, associated terminology, contributing factors, and
impacts.
Students will know Marlowe’s hierarchy of needs.
Students will understand concepts of carrying capacity and scarcity.
Indicators:
Students will be able to identify the contributing factors towards high and low population
density.
Students will be able to compare and contrast population densities of certain countries based
on provided data and websites. Identify regions of the world that have had significant
population growth in the last decade and speculate on reasons for this.
Students will be able to discuss the impacts/effects of overpopulation on ecosystem,
environment, others.
Students will be able to apply Maslow’s hierarchy and discuss the impact of overpopulation on
the basic needs of all human beings and living standards.
Materials/Resources
Materials:
Markers/Pens
Computer
Paper
Resources:
http://flowingdata.com/2011/09/16/world-population-densities-mapped/
http://www.geohive.com/
http://www.unfpa.org/pds/trends.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs
http://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/gpw/
Instructional Strategies
Direct Instruction: Students will be given a brief presentation on population distribution
and population density. They will watch a brief video to scaffold their following group
work/discussion http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9Tojexkoy4&feature=related .
Think-pair-share: Students will be asked to identify some causes of high population density
with regards to birth rates and death rates. The results would be placed onto a graphic
organizer on the board. They would then be asked to now come up with causes for the
increased/decreased birth and death rates. The result would be further added on the
board.
Guided Inquiry: Students will be grouped in brainstorm groups. Teacher will give two
countries to each group (one developed and one developing). The groups have to identify
its population density as high or low based on the factors on the board and provide reasons
to support their argument. They can conclude their findings onto a poster and present to
class.
Direct instruction: The class will be introduced to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs via guided
questions. They would be asked to state what some of their fundamental needs are and
teacher will put those on the board. The class would be asked to prioritize them in a
hierarchy and then teacher would provide the Maslow’s pyramid.
Teacher will discuss carrying capacity and scarcity, living standards.
Brainstorming- Students will be regrouped and asked to survey demographics of given
regions of the world, to compare living standards and provide factors in identifying these
countries on a scale of prosperity. They must provide reasoning for each positioning on a
scale. Students will place findings on a poster and will share results with classmates
through a discussion facilitated by the teacher.
Students will watch following video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zyizEz9XUs&feature=related before conclusive
discussions and instructions are to take place.
Discussion Questions
What is population density?
How are populations distributed? Difference between sparsely and densely populated.
How does the relationship between birth rate and death rate affect population density?
What factors contribute to different birth/death rates and consequent different population
densities?
What is carrying capacity?
What is scarcity? How is related to population density?
What is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs? What are the criteria for “living standards”?
What are the impacts of overpopulation on environment/ecosystem?
Assessment and Evaluation
Students will be assessed formatively based on participation, discussion, and group work.
Cross Curricular Competencies
Developing Literacies- Using technology and websites.
Developing Thinking- Students will be inferring and analyzing statistical data.
Developing Social Responsibilities- Students will be working together to reach educated
consensus in their brainstorm groups. They will be required to discuss and analyses.
Day 10: 1 hour
Outcome:
Students will know the difference between immigration and emigration.
Students will understand the effects of immigration and emigration on population.
Indicators:
Students will be able to construct population pyramids with given data.
Students will be able to identify causes of emigration (ecological, political, aspirations, social).
Materials/Resources
Materials:
Markers
Computer
Paper
graph paper/graphing software
Resources:
http://www65.statcan.gc.ca/acyb01/acyb01_0009-eng.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiylFWBvGT4
http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/as-sa/98-310x/2011003/fig/fig3_1-2-eng.cfm
http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Census+Saskatoon+sees+major+growth+l
atest+census/6119788/story.html
http://www12.statcan.ca/census-recensement/2006/as-sa/97-551/tables-tableauxnotes-eng.cfm#tables
Instructional Strategies
Direct instruction: Students will be given a brief lecture the migration effect on the
population.
Guided Inquiry: Students will be grouped and asked to create their own population pyramid
with reliance on the tables from this source: http://www12.statcan.ca/censusrecensement/2006/as-sa/97-551/tables-tableaux-notes-eng.cfm#tables for Canada and
Saskatchewan for specific criteria.
Group work: In their groups students will research the population pyramids on specific
countries and explain their results on a fact sheet.
Brainstorming- Students will come up with causes of emigration.
Graffiti: The teacher will have students have their reasons written on a graffiti poster one at
a time.
Students will look at historical emigration trends in Canadian history.
Discussion Questions
What is migration? Immigration? Emigration?
What are some of the contributing factors to each?
Assessment and Evaluation
Students will be formatively assessed for participation and group work.
Lesson Summery
The students will be given a brief lecture on the meaning and application of population
pyramids. They would be given the opportunity to apply their knowledge and create a
population pyramid. Then students will be given a brief description of migration methods and
they would be guided in examining the factors contributing to migration and the effect of
migration on population change in a country like Canada.
Cross Curricular Competencies
Developing Thinking- Through class discussion and interpreting the population pyramids.
Day 11, 12 & 13: 3 hours
Performance Task Blueprint
Understandings and Goals:
Students will conduct a survey on the school similar to that of the official Canadian
census
Criteria and qualities:
Appropriate survey questions
Accurate data collection
Task Overview:
Students will work as a class to create the criteria that they would like to survey about
the population of the school. They will have the first of three classes to come up with the
questions that they want to ask after they have been given instruction as to what the assignment
is asking them. The second day will be the students going around to as many classes that the
other teachers have agreed to collect data from. Then the students will spend the rest of day
two discussing their finding and deciding how they wish to present the information. They will
also help in the creation of a rubric to grade their presentations with. The questions that they
come up with will be grouped into categories which will become focus groups. Groups will be
picked by the students. Day three will be students presenting their findings to me and a select
few teacher and guest to help evaluate their presentations. Along with the group presentation,
students will be ask to provide feedback on how their group worked as well as a reflection on
what they think about the data collected. (Video, power point, paper,) They will have choice as
to how they wish to present the group work as well as how they wish to hand in the personal
reflection.
Student product and performance:
Student developed survey questions, class presentations of findings from survey.
Personal Reflection on data collected and group evaluation
Evaluation of product and performance:
Questions meet census guidelines, student created rubric, accuracy in data collection.
Day 14 & 15: 2 hours
Outcome:
Students will understand urbanization with regards to population trends.
Students will understand the reasons and impacts of this trend.
Students will understand the concept of sustainability.
Students will know the impact of their ecological footprint.
Indicators:
Students will be able to examine the causes of urbanization.
Students will be able to examine the impacts of urbanization.
Students will be able to examine the costs of our urbanized and overpopulated lifestyle on the
planet.
Students will discuss the concept of sustainability and explore the impact of our actions upon
the environment, other species, and other people.
Materials/Resources
Materials:
Markers
Computer
Paper
Resources
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sc4HxPxNrZ0&feature=related sustainability
http://www.worldpopulationbalance.org/population_energy sustainability
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecological_Footprint
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWHo_ega0RU&feature=related footprint
http://www.worldbank.org/depweb/english/sd.html
Instructional Strategies
Direct instruction: Students will be shown a couple of videos to engage and then will be
given a brief lecture on trends of urbanization and what that means.
Think, pair, and share: The students will discuss some of the impacts of urbanization of food
sources, employment, shelter, pollution, environment, and climate. They will share their
result with the larger group via class discussion.
Guided Inquiry: Students will in groups of two read the “what is sustainable development”
and “learning modules” on http://www.worldbank.org/depweb/english/sd.html and make
notes on some of the social, economic, and environmental indicators mentioned.
Independent reflection: Students will be asked to write two-three paragraph reflection on
what they have found out about sustainability and if our population growth is sustainable.
Guided Activity: Students will be grouped and assigned certain countries. They have to
research the population, possible resources, birth and death rates, population pyramid,
health care, sanitation, land mass, education, industry, etc. They would have to make an
educated observation on the sustainability and success of these countries and provide
ample data to support their views. The results could be presented in a power point, poster,
or other approved medium. Charts, maps, and stats should be utilized.
Discussion Questions
How can fertility rates, infant mortality rates and population growth rates are falling, but the
world’s population still be growing?
If death rates are falling and people are living longer, why will population growth continue?
If families are getting smaller, why is the world’s population still growing?
What is sustainable development?
Assessment and Evaluation
Students will be graded on the content of their group presentation.
Lesson Summery
Students will be enabled to examine the global trends toward urbanization. They will be
introduced to the concept of sustainability and through guided activity they will further
understand the impacts of population and its requirements for future sustainability.
Cross Curricular Competencies
Developing Literacies- Using technology and websites.
Developing Thinking- Students will be inferring and analyzing information on sustainability.
Developing Social Responsibilities- Students will be working together to reach educated
consensus in their brainstorm groups. They will be required to discuss and analyses issues in
regards to sustainability.
Day 16: 1 hour
Outcome:
Students will understand population growth paradigms.
Indicators:
Students will be able to recognize the alternative view points on population growth.
Materials/Resources
Materials:
Markers
Computer
Paper
Resources
Power point presentation
Instructional Strategies
Direct instruction: Students will be given a power point presentation on alternative
viewpoints and theories on issues of population growth.
The presentation will explore the following:

Sustainable growth paradigm

Natalist (procreation) paradigm

The growth paradigm
The students will be given ample opportunity through guided questions to think and
explore personal view within the framework of these paradigms.
Exit slip: Students will be asked to express their understanding of the paradigms by
expressing one pro and a con of each paradigm with a brief argument.
Discussion Questions
Right and freedoms of people vs. right of others?
Exploitation vs. economic prosperity?
Religion and population growth
What is progress?

Allowing as many as possible to live?

Give as much wealth and power to as many people?

Live in harmony with the environment?
Assessment and Evaluation
Exit slips
Cross Curricular Competencies
Dialectical thinking
Day 17: 1 hour
Outcome:
Students will understand population theories.
Indicators:
Students will be able to differentiate the population theories.
Students will be able to apply the different population theories.
Materials/Resources
Materials:
Markers
Computer
Paper
Resources
Instructional Strategies
Guided Instruction: The students will be given a presentation on population theories:

The traditional population theory

The Maltus population theory

The demographic transition model
Students will watch video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d302W7nRycQ&feature=pyv
Brainstorming- Students will be asked to express some trends, causes, and effects of each
theory on a piece of paper as it could help or hurt in the case study of Russia.
Assessment and Evaluation
Students will be assessed based on the content of their brainstorm.
Cross Curricular Competencies
Dialectical thinking
Developing Thinking
Developing Social Responsibilities
Day 18-20: 3 hours
Outcome:
Students will apply population theories and what they have learned through a rich performance
task.
Indicators:
Students will be able to analyses.
Students will be able to apply the different population theories.
Materials/Resources
Materials:
Markers
Computer
Paper
Resources
http://www.worldof7billion.org/images/uploads/A_Quick_Trip_to_7_Billion_Where_do_we
_Grow_From_Here.pdf
The above link provides a three part series that can be orchestrated and used as a rich performance
task.
See handout of the project at the end of this document.
Hand-outs and Power Points
Unit 2: Population
Graphing Saskatchewan’s Population
Working in your given groups, it is now time to make the data that
we have looked at into a visual representation. In your groups, I have
asked you to make two types of graphs. The first graph is to represent
the growth of the province of Saskatchewan in a line graph. The second
graph that I have asked you to make is a population pyramid. The
population pyramid is to be done on the current population.
All of the information that you will need to use is found on the Stat’s
Canada website.
After you have made your graphs, individually I would like you to reflect
on what you did as a group and write what factors have caused to
population to be what it is. I would also like you to include three (3)
predictions about how you see the population will grow in the future.
Please explain your answers and include data from the charts.
Materials:
Big Chart Paper, Markers, pen, computer
Marks:
/15
5-group work on the charts
10- Reflection and predictions
Unit 2: Population
Let look at the Future
Now that we have worked with the line graphs and the pyramids,
let look at the future and make predictions as to how we see the
population growing.
Working in your same groups as last class, calculate the birth rate,
death rate and the growth rate. Using the percentage of growth rate
calculate how much the population will grow over the next five years.
Show your work for each year.
Take the data that you have calculated and graph that data on the
large chart paper.
Individually could you please write what you believe to be the
reasons as to why the population while grow? Make predictions as to
where most people will live and what they will most likely be doing.
Think back to the day we looked at the growth of the top 10 cities and
what was affecting their population when you are creating your
responses.
You will be handing in your responses and we will be going over you
charts at the end of class together.
Material
Chart paper, markers
Marks
/15………….5-group work, 10- reflection and predication
UNIT 2: POPULATION
The Best School Ever 2012 Census
It has been asked that we conduct a census on the population of
the school. We will be working for the next three days to create,
compile and present our data about the population of the school.
Step 1) Working as a class we will come up with the questions that we
wish to ask the school. Keeping in mind the types of questions that are
asked on the national census when creating our own. These questions
will be put into focus groups.
Step 2) we will create the criteria for the rubric on how this assignment
will be marked
Step 3) with the permission of other teachers in the school you will
have class time to administer the census to your class mates.
Step 4) you will get into focus groups based around a set of questions
and compile the data to be presented to the class. You can choose as a
group how you would like to present the data.
Step 5) each student will write a reflection paper on what they did,
what they learned, how the group worked and on the data collected. 12 pages max. You can come and speak to me if you would like to submit
you reflection in a different format.
Overall this project will be worth 35 marks-subjects to change with the
creation of the class made rubric.