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Overview:
In response to continued growth of the global human population, the conservation of Earth's natural resources has become an increasingly pressing issue. In this lesson, students will study the impact of human population growth by conducting a study of its influence on Africa. Using the National Geographic magazine feature Africa MegaFlyover and other resources, students will examine research gathered through the conservation efforts of Dr. Michael Fay and the Wildlife Conservation Society. They will also analyze the role that geographic technology currently plays in mitigating population growth's negative effects.
Connections to the Curriculum:
Geography, GIS (Geographic Information Systems), conservation
Connections to the National Geography Standards:
Standard 1: "How to use maps and other geographic representations, tools, and technologies to acquire, process, and report information from a spatial perspective"
Standard 14: "How human actions modify the physical environment"
Standard 18: "How to apply geography to interpret the present and plan for the future"
Time:
Four hours
Materials Required:
Objectives:
Students will
- define terminology related to this study: Geography, GIS, conservation;
- read about the GIS-generated "Human Footprint" project map and how it is assisting Dr. Michael Fay in his MegaFlyover expedition;
- discuss how human influence threatens the landscape of Africa;
- familiarize themselves with the names and locations of African countries, cities, and physical features; and
- do a class poster presentation on one of the Wildlife Conservation Society's current conservation projects in Africa.
Geographic Skills:
Acquiring Geographic Information
Organizing Geographic Information
Answering Geographic Questions
Analyzing Geographic Information
S u g g e s t e d P r o c e d u r e
Opening:
Ask students to name the various ways in which humans modify/influence our environment. Responses are likely to include constructed features (e.g., roads and homes) along with activities tied to resource extraction (e.g., mining, hunting, oil drilling) and/or diversion (e.g., building dams). Then, ask students to explain how these activities can be problematic for the environment.
At this stage in the lesson, emphasis should be placed upon the fact that our planetary resources (e.g., water, land, fossil fuels) are finite. Students should also be made aware of the global interrelatedness of resource consumption (i.e., resources extracted in one country are often times refined/produced in a different country—have them look at where their clothing is made!).
Direct students to visit the websites listed below to define the key terms related to this study:
Geography
Definition of a Geographic Information System (GIS)
"Layering" Within a Geographic Information System (GIS)
Conservation
Ask them to takes notes on the meanings of these terms during their research as preparation for a discussion on their interrelatedness.
Development:
Activity 1:
For the Web portion of the activity, divide students into groups of no more than three. Direct students to access the Wildlife Conservation Society's MegaFlyover site and visit the Section Topics on the left navigation bar to answer the questions below. Students should prepare written responses to the questions:
"About"
- What is the MegaFlyover project designed to accomplish?
"Science"
- Who created the "Human Footprint" world map, and how was it created?
- What does this map show?
Activity 2:
Direct students' attention to the link in the upper-right section of the page titled "See the complete HF map." Draw students' attention to pre-selected layers and turn all of them off except "political boundaries." Direct students to use that map to transcribe country names on a blank political map of Africa. (Remind students that Africa is not a country; it is a continent that includes 54 countries.) When their maps are completed, reiterate the layering concepts involved in GIS mapping and allow students time to toggle among the map's various layers to answer the following questions:
- How many layers are there on the map?
- What layer of the map do you think would be most useful to Dr. Fay during the MegaFlyover? Least useful?
- Judging from the pre-selected layer settings on the map (Political Boundaries and the Human Footprint), what can you conclude about the human influence on this continent?
- Do you find GIS to be a valuable tool in these conservational efforts? Why, or why not?
Closing:
Have student groups discuss the various ways that technology has influenced human ability to modify the environment (e.g., mechanization of labor, greater mobility of labor resources). Then, have them discuss how technology can influence the conservation of the environment.
Suggested Student Assessment:
After closing discussions, students should revisit the HF map and select the WCS Projects layer. After the projects layer is activated, direct students to select an individual project site and research the site's content in order to create an educational poster for class presentation.
Posters and presentations should cover the following:
- The geographic location, physical description (e.g., terrain), and dimensions (if applicable) of the conservational project
- Particular plants and animals involved in the conservation project
- The various ways humans are negatively influencing the environment
- The conservation efforts being employed to help mitigate the negative influence that humans are having in the area
Extending the Lesson:
Students can listen to Dr. Michael Fay's Radio Expeditions: Megatransect live audio reports, and explore National Geographic's Feature: Congo Trek. Students should use these and other resources to write a paper on the hardships faced by Fay and his expedition team during their trek across central Africa. For additional information, refer students back to the National Geographic magazine Africa MegaFlyover feature. Papers should include descriptive and informative details from students’ research, and cite all sources used.
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