LESSON PLAN

Name: Jennifer Johle 

Title of lesson: Food for Thought

Date of lesson: yet to be determined

Length of lesson: 2 days

 

Description of the class:

                     Name of course: Algebra 1 (good lesson to merge with Social Studies Class)

                     Grade level: 8th grade or freshmen

                     Honors or regular: could be either

Source of the lesson:

            Lesson Planet at: http://www.prb.org/Template.cfm?Section=LessonPlans&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=5000

TEKS addressed:

            (a) (1) Foundation concepts for high school mathematics.
          As presented in Grades K-8, the basic
          understandings of number, operation, and
          quantitative reasoning; patterns, relationships,
          and algebraic thinking; geometry; measurement; and
          probability and statistics are essential
          foundations for all work in high school
          mathematics. Students will continue to build on
          this foundation as they expand their understanding
          through other mathematical experiences.

 

I.      Overview
This lesson is provided in this unit for students to get an introduction to comparing different countries with not only population but also with causes and effects of population changes.  This introduction should give them ideas and maybe even avoid questions of what they have to do or use for their final unit project.
II.  Performance or learner outcomes

Students will be able to:

 

   

III. Resources, materials and supplies needed

 

The regions are North America, Latin America, Africa, Europe (including Russia), Asia (excluding China), and China.

Before the class even starts: Teacher will need to:

  1. Arrange yarn in shapes on the floor in approximate proportion to the size of the region in relation to the rest of the world (see sample floor diagram below). Putting knots in the yarn at the corners of the rectangles will help you to maintain the proper size (changing the shape will change the area within the rectangle).
  2. Mark off a portion with tape or yarn within the region that represents the "agricultural" and "nonagricultural" land in the country. After dividing the class into different regions, you will subdivide the people in each region into "agricultural" and "urban" areas (on the edge of the region).
  3. Estimate the number of participants. The following script is designed to use a total of 25, 30, or 40 "citizens." Extra people can form a United Nations International Advisory Board. Ask these advisors to closely observe this lesson and to recommend at least three policies to help deal with the population/food/income/energy inequalities among regions.

 

 

            


 

Five-E Organization

Teacher Does                    Probing Questions                    Student Does      

Engage:

    I'm going to show you a simulation called "Food for Thought" which will help you gain an appreciation for world population distribution among regions as well as urban/rural dwelling patterns, arable or farmable land, protein consumption, wealth, and energy consumption. I need 6 volunteers to be ambassadors from these regions. (If no one volunteers, quickly appoint; give each ambassador an ambassador's card.)

Also, the pure image of everything that the students are going to see whenever they walk into the room will be engaging.  

 

 

     

Expected Student

Students will volunteer to be ambassadors.

                                                   

Explore:

 

The ambassadors pick people according to how many people are in the class.  The break up of how many people should be picked for each country is listed below in the floor diagram.

Ambassadors, please tell us something about your regions by reading the cards you've been given.

What cards will say is listed below.

Keep in mind Advisory board (those students not in each of the six groups): your task is to observe the presentation carefully. At the end of the presentation you all must recommend three or more policies to help deal with the population/food/income/energy inequalities among regions.

You might consider, for example:

  • Should food aid be given to countries that have not yet come to terms with their "population problems"?
  • Do donor countries have the right to link food aid to certain policies?
  • Should rich countries reduce their consumption levels? How could this be encouraged or enforced?

 

Ambassadors will you each come forward for the picking of people in your region.

     

 

 

 

 

Any questions about the descriptions that you just heard? Or anyone need any terms that they need to be defined for them?

 

 

 

Any questions about your role?

Expected Student

 

    

Explain:

Now let's look at land areas and how they're used.

 

 

Students will each work in there groups to do the calculations of these amounts using all the information they have been given.

There answers will then each be discussed one by one in the following way:

North America has 14% of the world's land area but has only 5% of its population. In North America, 3/4 of the population lives in urban areas. North American ambassador, please have 3/4 of your people stand on the border of the region, away from the countryside. Now, not all of the land in the countryside is agricultural. Farmers, you're going to have to compress yourselves into part of your regions. In North America, less than 1/3 of the region is agricultural, so farmers, would you move into 1/3 of the total space? (Account for proportions of urban dwellers and agricultural land in each continent.)

Latin America has 16% of the world's land area, but has 9% of the world's population. In Latin America, 3/4 of the population is urban. Latin American ambassador, have 3/4 of your people stand on the border, and the rest spread over the countryside. In Latin America over 1/3 of the land is agricultural, so would the farmers please move into 1/3 of the space?

Africa has 23% of the land area, but has only 13% of the world's population. In Africa, about 1/3 of the population is urban. African ambassador, have 1/3 of your people stand on the border, and the rest spread over the countryside. In Africa slightly over 1/3 of the land is agricultural, so would the farmers please move into 1/3 of the space?

Europe has 17% of the land area, but has 12% of the world's population. In Europe, about 3/4 of the population is urban. European ambassador, have 3/4 of your people stand on the border, and the rest spread over the countryside. In Europe almost 1/4 of the land is agricultural, so would the farmers please move into 1/4 of the space?

China has 7% of the land area, but has 21% of the world's population. In China, almost 1/3 of the population is urban. Chinese ambassador, have 1/3 of your people stand on the border, and the rest spread over the countryside. In China 1/2 of the land is agricultural, so would the farmers please move into 1/2 of the space?

Asia has 16% of the land area, but has 40% of the world's population. In Asia, over 1/3 of the population is urban. Asian ambassador, have 1/3 of your people stand on the border and the rest spread over the countryside. In Asia over 1/2 of the land is agricultural, so would the farmers please move into 1/2 of the space?

 

 

 

 

How many people are there compared to the amount of land in each region? How many people live in cities? How much agricultural land is there per person?

 

 

 

 

 

 

StudentsŐ questions and responses are built into the first column.

Expected Student

                                               

Extend / Elaborate:

      Now, let's look at the calorie consumption in these regions. The peanuts on this plate/in this bag (hold it up) represents calorie consumption per day in (region name). Each peanut represents 400 calories. (Before class measure the correct amount of peanuts for each region on paper plates or in plastic bags.) After I have given the peanuts to each ambassador, the ambassador may distribute the peanuts to the citizens.

 

Now, let's look at the per capita GNP for each region. It is important to note that not everyone in a region shares equally in the wealth. The chocolate in this bag (hold it up) represents per capita GNP in (region name). Each piece represents $500. (Before class measure the correct amount of chocolate for each region.) Please step forward. (Give chocolate to the representative. Distribute bags to all regions.) Will the representatives please hold their bags of candy high so everyone can see? The representative may now share his/her wealth with others.

 

Now, let's look at the energy consumption for each region. The candy in this bag (hold it up) represents per capita energy consumption in (region name). Each piece of candy represents 2 barrels of oil used per capita. (Before class measure out the candy for the regions.)

 

Please step forward. (Give the bag of candy to the consumer from each region.) Will the consumers please hold their bags of candy high so everyone can see?

 

 

 

Now, let's look at the waste produced in a region using for our example CO2 or carbon dioxide emissions per capita.

 

 The balloons represent CO2 emissions in (region name). Each balloon represents 1 metric ton of CO2 emission per capita. (Before class, sort the number of balloons needed for each region. You can have the students blow up the balloons during class or blow up the balloons ahead of time and tie together the amount for by each region.)

 

 

Please step forward. (Hand out the balloons to the representative. Distribute balloons to all the regions.) Will the citizens please hold their balloons so everyone can see?

 

 

 

 

Lastly, let's look at the percent of population that has access to safe drinking water. (Before class measure out the correct number of glasses of safe and unsafe water for each region.) The water in this glass (hold up a glass of clear water) represents safe drinking water. The water in this glass (hold up a glass of dark colored water) represents unsafe drinking water. These glasses of water are for (region name).

 

Please hold up your glasses so everyone can see.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In which region do the citizens consume the most calories? The least?

 

Who can tell me what per capita GNP means?

 

 

 

Will the ambassadors please select one person to represent a citizen earning the equivalent of the per capita income?

 

In which region do the citizens have the highest per capita GNP? The lowest?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Will the ambassadors please select one person to represent a citizen who is consuming energy?

 

 

 

 

In which region do the citizens have the most energy consumption in barrels of oil per capita? The least?

 

 

Who can tell me what carbon dioxide is and how it is produced?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Will the ambassador please select one person to represent a citizen producing solid waste?

 

 

 

 

In which region do the citizens have the highest carbon dioxide emissions per capita? The least? Is it better to be highest or lowest? Why?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Will the ambassadors please help me distribute the water to the citizens of your regions?

 

In which regions do the largest percentages of citizens have access to safe drinking water? The smallest percentage?

 

 

 

 

Expected Student

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's the total value of all the goods and services produced in a region divided by the population of the region.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carbon dioxide is a gas that is produced when fuels are burned.

   

  Evaluate:

 Have the United Nations International Advisory Board report their recommended policies to help deal with the population/food/income/energy inequalities among regions. If you had no advisory board, pose the problem for a class discussion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Extension exercise possibilities:

  1. Assign students to create two dimensional graphs of some of the data for the regions presented in the demonstration. Use data from PRB's World Population Data Sheet (online at www.prb.org). Students can create bar graphs of the data on graph paper, cut out the bars (each different colors), and paste them on an outline map in the center of the region each represents. This could be assigned as homework for the next day. Another way to create a graph is to use poker chips: determine how many poker chips would represent data and place them in the center of the region on an outline map or laminated world map.
  2. Have students look at graphs and formulate questions related to the graphs. Encourage them to ask such questions as: Why is the fertility rate in China lower than in the rest of Asia? Why is the rate of natural increase in Europe less than zero? How many calories per day are needed? How many are too much? Too few? Students could be assigned to small groups to research the reasons why a particular distribution pattern occurs for one of the variables discussed and to research the answers to the questions that they have raised. Findings could be presented in an oral report or on a poster.
  3. If there is time after the research has been presented, students may want to rethink their policies to help deal with inequities. What would be the problems in attempting to implement the policies? What new policy might be better?

 

 

      

 

 

They might consider for example:

  • Should food aid be given to countries which have not yet come to terms with their "population problems"?
  • Do donor nations have the right to link food aid to certain policies?
  • Should rich countries reduce their consumption levels? How could this be encouraged or enforced?

 

 

Questions built into first column.

 

 

 

Floor Diagram

 

Ambassador Cards Content:

 

North America I am the North American ambassador, representing Canada and the United States, which contains 5% of the world's population and consumes approximately 40% of its natural resources. Our population growth rate is the highest among the industrialized regions. At $28,230, our GNP per capita is the highest of any region in the world.

Africa I am the African ambassador, representing 57 countries. One out of eight people in the world live in my region. Our population growth rate is the highest in the world and women average nearly six children each. Africa has the lowest literacy rate in the world; less than 50% of women can read and write. Our GNP per capita is $670.

Latin America I am the Latin American ambassador, representing the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. Nine percent of the world's population resides in our area. Our region has two of the five largest cities in the world, S‹o Paulo and Mexico City. Our GNP per capita is $3,880.

Europe I am the European ambassador, representing 47 countries including Russia. Europe contains 12% of the world's people and currently has the lowest birth rate of any region in world history. Ours is the only region that has a higher death rate than birth rate. GNP per capita is $13,420.

Asia I am the ambassador for Asia except for the population giant China, which has its own representative. Asia is, by far, the most populous region, with over one third of the world's people. Our diverse region includes one of the world's poorest countries, Bangladesh, and one of the richest, Japan. Our GNP per capita is $2,910.

China I am the ambassador from China, the country with the largest population in the world. One out of five people in the world is Chinese. Despite government legislation that restricts family size to one child, our population is still increasing steadily. With a GNP per capita of $750, we are one of the poorest countries in the world.