Class: Human Geography
Learning Targets:
I can understand the key concept of development.
I can explain contemporary patterns and impacts of development.
I can examine variations in levels of development.
Criteria for Success:
I will explain the concept of development.
I will list, describe, and evaluate the common indicators of development.
Lesson Agenda:
1. Do now (completed in first 2 – 3 minutes of class)
2. Warm-up (Concept development strategy, 15 – 20 minutes)
3. Interpretation of Data (60 minutes)
Do Now: Answer the question, “What is the difference between a more-development and a lessdeveloped country?
Concept Development Strategy:
Step 1: Class calls out what comes to mind when they think of development; teacher writes responses on
board (should be able to fill board or projection).
Step 2: Students work in small groups and categorize the terms that were just listed. Students should be
allowed to group terms as they see fit. Remind them that they should come up with an appropriate label
for each category. (Both homogenous and heterogeneous grouping will work for this strategy. Group
based on learning profile or readiness.)
Step 3: Groups can volunteer to read their groupings. Teacher can highlight the terms in a student’s
group as they read them off. Students may find that they have terms in different groups.
Step 4: What do we now think of development? Follow up by providing text definition (and comparing).
Data Interpretation:
Begin with Discovery Ed video Differences in living Standards, from www.discoveryeducation.com
Regroup students based on readiness (ability as determined by pre-assessment to unit on development).
Data Focusing Questions: For all groups, what is the difference between a more and less developed
country? Provide each group with a focusing question to delve into the above question.
Group 1: What are the elements that may influence a country’s development?
Group 2: How could we measure and compare one country to another?
Group 3: What forms the basis of development?
Students are given packets containing data of 10 countries.
Teacher says to class: “You are now employed by the United Nations. You have been given these data
about ten different countries. Your first task is to sort the countries by their level of development. You
can use the data however you see appropriate.”
Students work in groups to rank countries from most to least developed using data file.
Once students have completed their first list, provide students with a world map with twenty counties
numbered. Groups should match the data with the numbered country.
Finally, reveal the official names of the countries along with their ranking according to the HDI (Human
Development Index).
Step 2: Causes and Effects
Question: What indexes most directly correlate with development? Political, Social, Cultural, Economic,
Physical…?
What makes these indexes/indicators so closely aligned to a country’s development?
Step 3: Prior Causes and Subsequent Effects
What common history do countries of similar development share?
What would be your recommendations for those countries on the lower half of the list?
Step 4: Conclusions
After evaluating all the data of developed and underdeveloped countries, students should decide what
they think is the most important indicator of development. Make sure students can explain their rationale
WHY they think it’s most important.
Step 5: Generalizations
Given the conclusions of what makes a good indicator of development, students will create a fictitious
scenario of a situation that would lead to a developed country.
Overview: Cognitive Map
Possible Immediate and Prior
Causes
Political
Social
Cultural
Economic
Physical
Possible Data
GDP/capita
Infant Mortality Rate
Gender Equity
Democracy
Life Expectancy
Literacy Rates (female)
Possible Immediate and
Subsequent Effects
Educated workforce
Smaller families
Technology
Entrepreneurship
Security
Pollution
Questions for Group Analysis of Lesson:
1. What is being differentiated in this lesson (process, content, product, and/or environment)?
2. How did the teacher determine what students needed to know and how to deliver instruction?
3. How will the teacher know if the students met the learning targets?
4. What recommendation do you have to the teacher if there are some students who demonstrate they did
not learn learning targets?