This lesson introduces students to such population statistics as birth, death, and literacy rates. Students will compare these indicators for several countries, graph the results, and hypothesize what their graphs reveal about the countries.

Geography

Standard 9: "The characteristics, distribution, and migration of human populations on Earth's surface"

Three to four hours

• Computer with Internet access
• Large pieces of construction or poster paper
• Writing and drawing materials
• Rulers

Students will

• analyze a map to determine which of the world's most populous countries seem to be the most crowded;
• discuss the meanings of population indicators (e.g., birth and death rates);
• write sentences describing what population statistic charts show;
• use an online database to compare population statistics for several countries and record the numbers in a chart;
• graph one set of population statistics;
• discuss what the graphs show about the countries; and
• write paragraphs explaining what the graphs reveal.

Ask students if they think the United States is a crowded country. What evidence do they have from their personal lives? Do they think the U.S. is crowded compared to other countries in the world?

Have students look simultaneously at the list of the world's most populous countries and a world population map, available at the Population Pasta activity. Which countries, based on their populations and physical sizes, do students think would be the most crowded? How would they compare the United States' level of "crowdedness" to the other countries on the list?

Write the following terms on the board: population density, birth rate, death rate, life expectancy, per capita income (GNP), and literacy rate. Define each of these terms and ask students to explain in a discussion what it means when each of these factors is high or low for a particular country. For example, what does it mean when a country has a high birth rate? What does it mean for a country to have a low population density? Why is literacy a way to measure how "developed" a country is?

Have students look at the charts showing per capita GNP and life expectancy (available at the Population Pasta activity) and write three sentences for each chart. Each sentence should compare the United States with another country or should in some other way explain what the chart shows about the United States. For example, they might state that "the United States has almost ten times the per capita income of Nigeria."

Have students find some more population statistics by going to the Your Nation site. Ask them to click on "Compare" and compare the United States with China, India, Bangladesh, and one other country of their choice from the list of the world's most populous countries. They should compare the countries' birth rates, death rates, and literacy rates.

Have students write down the numbers they get. It would be helpful for them to make charts like this one:

Have students compare the most populous countries' per capita incomes and life expectancies using the charts from the Population Pasta activity.

Divide the class into five groups. Assign each student in the first group the category "birth rate"; the second group "death rate"; the third group "literacy rate"; the fourth group "per capita income"; and the fifth "life expectancy." Ask each student to create a bar graph showing their assigned indicator's statistics, based on what they have recorded in their charts. They should follow these directions to create the graphs:

1. Draw five horizontal lines on the left-hand side of a large piece of paper (hold the paper horizontally).
2. At the far left of each line, write a country name.
3. At the bottom of the page, write numbers from zero to the highest number in the chart, counting by ones, tens, or hundreds depending on how high the numbers go (round up to the nearest one, ten, or hundred).
4. In pencil, extend the horizontal lines out to the appropriate number for each country.
5. Double-check your graph to make sure it's accurate.
6. Thicken and color the lines so they are visible from across the room.

Display the graphs around the room in groups according to the statistics they represent.

Ask students to explain how the bar graphs help them understand the population statistics. Why is it often a good idea to create graphical representations for numbers? Can they think of any other ways they could represent these statistics?

Discuss what students think these population statistics reveal about the countries. What can they infer about life in each of these countries from looking at the graphs?

Have students write paragraphs discussing what the graphs reveal about life in these countries. Their paragraphs will include some educated guesses and speculation, but they should support their hypotheses with specific examples and numbers.

Have students use the Internet or print resources to research the countries they have graphed. They should try to find out what it's really like in the countries and to compare this new information with their predictions. How accurate were the predictions they made based on the population statistics?

National Geographic: Xpeditions Activity—Population Pasta
Your Nation