The Global Population

• Statement of inquiry
  • What are the components of global population change?
• Aims of the lesson
  • To be able to demonstrate an understanding of the scale of the the global population
  • To be able to discuss how the global population has changed over time and recall any periods of rapid change.

Task One - Predicting the future

How fast is the world's population increasing? What are the components of the increase?

Use the Countdown Timer at ClassTools.net to set a certain time (30 seconds should be about right) for everybody in the class to decide what the world's population will be at the end of the lesson. Record all the predictions - the closest to the answer at the end of the lesson should get a prize.

Task Two - Population Milestones

Copy and complete the table below.

Download and print the 'Global Population Graph Paper’. By hand, plot the data from the table below onto your graph paper and then use your graph to help you fill in the two boxes with '???' in.

Task Three - When did the global population change?

1. Using ‘Historic and Future Global Population Growth’ describe the overall pattern of Global Population Growth.
2. Using ‘Historic and Future Global Population Growth’ describe the contribution the ‘Less developed countries’ make to Global Population Growth.
3. Using ‘Historic and Future Global Population Growth’ describe the contribution the ‘More developed countries’ make to Global Population Growth.

4. The world’s population is not growing in a uniform way. Some regions of the world are contributing more to Global Population Growth. How has the global distribution of population changed since 1800?

Task Four - The population explosion

Brainstorm the reasons for the timing and occurrence of the 'global population explosion'.