Human Population
M. Merrill
Human Population and Demographics Instructor Guide
Objectives
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Practice basic numeracy using relevant, large numbers
Relate population size and growth to student’s life experiences
Introduce basic population growth concepts
Explore and compare online numeracy and population resources
Materials
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At least 3 sheets of Flip Chart or larger paper (depending on class size)
Colored dot stickers, at least 7 per student in each of two colors
Markers
Tape
3-page worksheet on Human Demographics and Population – one per student
Computer with internet access and projector
Camera/smartphone
Procedure
Begin by collecting some quick data on your students and their ideas about population. Do not start
the worksheet until after students have done this “pre-test.”
Before class, write the following three tables on the flip charts. There should be sufficient space in
each row for several students (maybe most) to have the same estimate. Post these around the
room.
Instruct students to put one dot in each row that reflects their estimates (you can make the table
without columns, to suggest more of a continuum). All students should use the same color for the
estimates.
Table 1 (vertical):
0 1 2 3 4+
How many kids do you have
now?
How many kids do you plan to
have?
What do you think is the
average number of kids per
woman now in the US?
What do you think is the
average number of kids per
woman now in the world?
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Human Population
M. Merrill
Table 2 (horizontal):
It
already
has
10 years
from
now
15
yrs
20
yrs
25
yrs
30
yrs
40
yrs
50 or
more
Never
When do you think world
population will reach 8
billion (how many years
from now)?
Table 3 (horizontal):
Less
than
1B
1B 2B 3B 4B 6B 7B 8B 9B 10B 15B 20B More
What do you think the
maximum global
population will be?
What do you think is
the maximum
sustainable global
population?
Now have the students complete the 3-page worksheet on Human Demographics and
Population. Use the references provided on the worksheet to get the needed numbers. Depending
on the average numeracy capabilities of your class, you may need to help students to choose
formulas and calculate their answers.
After students have completed the worksheet, give them the second color of dots, and invite them
to post their opinion. (You might have a second set of tables for a large class.) Photograph or record
the before and after as a pre- and post-activity assessment.
Additional Info
Note that average fertility is calculated as number of children per woman. Male fertility is generally
much more variable than female fertility in primates.1
You may share the following information with your students after they complete the pre-test. You
may also show how to use Wolfram Alpha (http://www.wolframalpha.com) and look at some of the
graphics related to population you can produce there.
You can use the table “World Population, 1950-2010” in the downloadable data from
http://www.earth-policy.org/books/fpep/fpep_data#3 or a similar source for students to
determine the population in the year they were born, or you can use
http://galen.metapath.org/popclk.html and allow students to enter their exact birthdate.
One estimate of when population will reach 8 billion is March 15, 2029 by 11:48GMT. 2
1
2
Boyd & Silk, 2012, How Humans Evolved (6th Ed.)
Based on population estimates from http://galen.metapath.org/popclk.html (10/24/11)
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Human Population
M. Merrill
Average US fertility was 2.05 children per woman in 2009
(http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=average+us+fertility 11/7/12)
Average global fertility was 2.59 in 2009
population | 6.79 billion people (2009 estimate)
population density | 118 people/mi^2 (people per square mile) (2009 estimate)
population growth | 1.14 %/yr (2006 estimate)
life expectancy | 64.8 years (2009 estimate)
median age | 27.6 years
(http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=average+global+fertility 11/7/12)
Countries with the fastest population growth:
1 | Qatar | 12.6 %/yr |
2 | Liberia | 4.58 %/yr |
3 | Niger | 3.99 %/yr |
4 | French Guiana | 3.74 %/yr |
5 | Syria | 3.53 %/yr |
6 | Afghanistan | 3.49 %/yr |
7 | Burkina Faso | 3.48 %/yr |
8 | Gaza Strip | 3.35 %/yr |
9 | Uganda | 3.33 %/yr |
10 | Mayotte | 3.32 %/yr |
(http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=countries+with+fastest+population+growth 11/7/12)
Countries with the lowest population growth:
1 | Georgia | -1.17 %/yr |
2 | Lithuania | -1.05 %/yr |
3 | Moldova | -0.93 %/yr |
4 | Ukraine | -0.642 %/yr |
5 | Bulgaria | -0.635 %/yr |
6 | Belarus | -0.466 %/yr |
7 | Latvia | -0.443 %/yr |
8 | Romania | -0.414 %/yr |
9 | Russia | -0.385 %/yr |
10 | Dominica | -0.331 %/yr |
(http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=countries+with+lowest+population+growth 11/7/12)
Additional Resources:
Population Reference Bureau http://www.prb.org; Pan Earth http://www.PanEarth.org; 6 Degrees
of Population http://populationgrowth.org/
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Human Population
M. Merrill
Population (in Millions), 10,000BC-2050AD
10000
9000
8000
Population (in Millions), 1600-2050
10000
9000
7000
8000
7000
6000
6000
5000
5000
4000
4000
3000
2000
3000
1000
0
1600
2000
1650
1700
1750
1800
1850
1900
1950
2000
-2000
-1000
2050
1000
0
-10000
-9000
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-8000
-7000
-6000
-5000
-4000
-3000
0
1000
2000
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Human Population
M. Merrill
http://phys.org/news196489543.html
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