Overpopulation's impact on resources
Social Studies Standards
National Council for the Social Studies Standards (NCSS)
Standard IV- Science, Technology and Society Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of relationships among science, technology and society. VA SOL Skills USI.1 The student will demonstrate skills for historical and geographical analysis and responsible citizenship d) interpret ideas and events from different historical perspectives; e) evaluate and discuss issues orally and in writing; i) identify the costs and benefits of specific choices made, including the consequences, both intended and unintended, of the decisions and how people and nations responded to positive and negative incentives |
Science Standards
National Science Education Standards (NCES)
5-8: E. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 1. Abilities of Technological Design a. Identify a simple problem. b. Design or propose a solution. c. Implement a proposed solution. d. Evaluate a product of design. e. Communicate a problem, design, and solution. 5-8: F. SCIENCE IN PERSONAL AND SOCIAL PERSPECTIVES 2. Populations, Resources, and Environments a. When an area becomes overpopulated, the environment will become degraded due to the increased use of resources. b. Causes of environmental degradation and resource depletion vary from region to region and from country to country. VA SOL Earth Resources 6.9 The student will investigate and understand public policy decisions relating to the environment. Key concepts include a) management of renewable resources; b) management of nonrenewable resources; c) the mitigation of land-use and environmental hazards through preventive measures; and d) cost/benefit tradeoffs in conservation policies. Scientific Investigation, Reasoning, and Logic 6.1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific reasoning, logic, and the nature of science by planning and conducting investigations. h) data are analyzed and communicated through graphical representation; i) models and simulations are designed and used to illustrate and explain phenomena and |
Objectives
1) SWBAT understand the concepts; (science)
- carrying capacity
- Arable land
- Crop rotation
- Fallow
- topsoil
- Unemployment
- Food shortage
Activities (60 minutes)
- Elaborate - Jigsaw Part 2 – Continue from Lesson 1. Students will use charts and notes from their reading to share with the class. – Population Dynamics (15 minutes- whole group on the carpet)
- Engage - Teacher introduces idea of population growth as a s/t/s issue using white paper as talking points (3 minutes- whole group still on the carpet)
- Explore - Students participate in overcrowding simulation & discussion - The More the Merrier ( 15 minutes- whole group) Explanation - Include discussion of how a secondary consequence of overpopulation is that people want to leave in search of better places- increases population of new home/ decreases population of old home
- Elaborate - Teacher uses an apple to demonstrate the limited amount of food sources on Earth (follow activity guide): the apple of our eye visual demonstration & discussion of “How Many is Enough” (15 minutes- whole group)
- Evaluate - Exit Ticket - Have the students talk in pairs and imagine that they are farmers. What are two or three environmental risks to the arability of their land that they should be aware of as farmers? What are some farming techniques, tools or policies that you can put in place to ensure your land remains farmable? Collect these ideas as an exit ticket. (Partners -10 minutes)
materials
1) Jigsaw activity
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3) The More the Merrier activity sheet
5) Paper for exit ticket |
Assessment
Formative - Collect student's exit tickets. This is partner work so it will not provide individual assessments but an idea of how the class has picked up on the environmental concepts discussed in class. The brainstorming on sustainability is a form of pre-assessment to gauge further lessons on how much they already know and can infer from the day's discussion. These brainstorming sheets are also pre-writing for their PBA.
Anecdotal - Checklist of participation indicating understanding of overcrowding and carrying capacity during simulation activity.
Anecdotal - Checklist of participation indicating understanding of overcrowding and carrying capacity during simulation activity.