the effects of population growth -...

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The Effects of Population Growth

A Social Studies Unit

Mini Teaching Work Sample

EDU 4100/4105

Brooke Littmann

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Rationale:

This unit allows students to investigate human population growth and its implications on the world.

Through a series of fun, hands-on, interactive lessons, students explore human impact over time, and

use critical thinking skills to analyze and evaluate before creating a plan of action.

Table of Contents

1. World Population Growth Page 7

A video and discussion introduce students to our rapidly growing population, and the

implications that it is having on our world.

2. How Crowded are Countries around the World? Page 9

Students research the five most and least populated countries around the world before

completing a map and writing about what they think it may be like to live in a densely

and sparsely populated area.

3. So Crowded! Page 11

Through an in-class simulation, students discover what crowding feels like as a

population in an area grows.

4 Who has more? A food for thought activity (Part 1) Page 13

Students explore population, birth rate, death rate, quality of life throughout the world

through an in-class simulation.

5 Who has more? A food for thought activity (Part 2) Page 16

Students explore wealth and resource distribution throughout the world.

6 The World as an Apple 0

Using an apple to model the Earth, students discover how much of the Earth is

inhabitable, farmable, and covered with water.

7 Biodiversity: Why does it matter? Page 22

Students learn about the impact humans have on every ecosystem on the planet and

create solutions to the dwindling biodiversity in these areas.

8 What Can We Do? Page 25

Students participate in a shared reading of Chris Van Allsburg’s Just a Dream before

thinking about their ideal future and brainstorming ways to bring that future to fruition.

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Standards:

Math Standard 3: Data Analysis, statistics, and Probability

3.1 Visual displays are used to represent data

Math Standard 1: Number Sense, Properties, and Operations

1.2 Different models and representations can be used to compare fractional parts

Reading, Writing and Communicating Standard 4: Research and Reasoning

4.2 Identifying implications, concepts, and ideas enriches reasoning skills

Reading, Writing and Communicating Standard 2: Reading for all Purposes

2.1 Comprehension and fluency matter when reading literary texts in a fluent way

Science Standard 4: Life Science

4.3 There is interaction and interdependence between and among living and nonliving

components of ecosystems




Social Studies Standard 2: Geography

2.2 Connections within and across human and physical systems are developed

Materials for Unit

Lesson 1:

Population Growth video available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_9SutNmfFk

Chart Paper

Markers

Lesson 2:

Population demographics information provided at PopulationEducation.org

Blank world maps

Atlas or world map for reference

Colored pencils or markers

Lesson 3:

Card Stock (1+ for each student)

Masking tape

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_9SutNmfFk

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Floor space

Markers or colored pencils

Lessons 4 & 5:

Yarn or string (preferably in 5 different colors)

Masking tape

Ambassador’s cards (provided)

2 Labels for each region; one says “Energy Consumption,” one says “GDP”

(see Region Information chart)

Transparent tape

146 individually wrapped candies (Hershey’s Kisses work well)

108 matches (can also use toothpicks or birthday candles)

sandwich bags

Overhead transparency on which terms A-M and their definitions appear

Lesson 6:

1 Large Apple

1 Knife

Plate or cutting board

Lesson 7:

Bill Nye the Science Guy Biodiversity DVD

Biodiversity PowerPoint

Assessment worksheets

Lesson 8:

Copies of Just a Dream by Chris Van Allsburg (enough for partner-read)

Card Stock (1+ per student)


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Schedule: Monday:

Teach Lesson 1: World Population Growth (45-60 minutes)

Tuesday:

Teach Lesson 2: How Crowded are Countries around the World? (60 minutes)

Wednesday:

Teach Lesson 3: So Crowded! (45-60 minutes)

Thursday:

Teach Lesson 4, the first half of Who has more? A food for thought activity (60-90 minutes)

Friday:

Teach Lesson 5, the second half of Who has more? A food for thought activity (60-90 minutes)

Monday:

Review previous week’s lessons

Teach Lesson 6: The World as an Apple (30-45 minutes)

Tuesday:

Teach Lesson 7: Biodiversity: Why Does it Matter? (45-60 minutes)

Wednesday:

Teach Lesson 8: What Can We Do? (45-60 minutes)

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Resources: (2010). (Verizon Foundation) Retrieved April 2011, from Thinkfinity: http://www.thinkfinity.org

Allsburg, C. V. (1990). Just a Dream. Houghton Mifflin.

Bagheera. (2011). Retrieved April 1, 2011, from Bagheera: http://bagheera.com/

Population Education. (n.d.). Retrieved April 2011, from Population Connection:

http://www.populationeducation.org/index.php

Tompkins, G. E. (2010). Literacy for the 21st Century: A Balanced Approach. Boston: Pearson Education.

Unit of Academic Standards. (2011, May 11). Retrieved April 2011, from The Colorado Department of

Education: http://www.cde.state.co.us/scripts/allstandards/COStandards

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Lesson 1:

World Population Growth

Grade Level: 4th

Colorado Model Content Standards:








Students: ELL, AG, BG, GT

Objectives:

The student will be able to identify the implications of rapid population growth on our planet.

The student will be able to identify the interactions between humans and the environment,

both natural and man-made.

The student will complete a graphic organizer highlighting the differences in space, food,

shelter, and overall quality of life now and in the potential future.

Time Requirement: 45-60 minutes

Materials:

Population Growth video available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_9SutNmfFk

Chart Paper

Markers

Methods:

1. Cover the following vocabulary with students: population, growth, consequence, outcome,

exponential growth.

2. Introduce the Population Video available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_9SutNmfFk ,

explaining to children that the video is going to cover thousands of years. Have the students pay

close attention to when and where population booms. Additional information and a slide show

are available at PopulationEducation.org

3. As the video plays, point out areas where the population decreases. What was going on at this

point in history? How long does it take for the population to rebound? When the video shows

points in history with which the students are familiar, point them out.



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4. As the video enters the 20th century, point out how fast population begins to grow. This portion

moves fast, and may need to be repeated. What advancements helped population to grow so

quickly? Why does the population grow faster in some areas than in others?

Rationale: Students investigate population growth and theorize on its effects, creating world-

centered learners.

Anticipatory Question Set:

1. What do you think are some consequences of population growth?

2. Why do you think the population decreases in some areas at times? What was going on at

this point in history? How long does it take for the population to rebound?

3. What advancements helped population to grow so rapidly in recent years?

4. Why does the population grow faster in some areas than in others?

Assessment:

In groups of 3-4, have students complete a T-chart, comparing what life is like today, and what they

expect it will be like in 2050, when our population is expected to be double what it is today. Make

sure that the students consider space, amount of available resources, including food, water, and

shelter. How much pollution is there and will there be? What will happen to our open space and our

cities?

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Lesson 2:

How Crowded are Countries around the World?

Grade Level: 4th

Standards:





Math Standard 3: Data Analysis, statistics, and Probability

3.1 Visual displays are used to represent data


Objectives:

Students will be able to decipher between a densely populated country and a country that is less

densely populated

Students will be able to map the world’s five most populated countries, and the five least

populated countries

Students will independently write a paragraph explaining which countries are the most and least

populated, and what it would be like to live in these areas.

Time Requirement: 60 minutes

Materials:

Population demographics information provided at PopulationEducation.org

Blank world maps

Atlas or world map for reference


Method:

1. Remind students of the previous day’s population growth video. What had they noticed? Explain

that they will be investigating population more thoroughly today.

2. Students will receive population information from populationconnection.com. (This information

is attached to this lesson)

3. Working in groups of 2-3, the students should find the five most populous countries in the world

on the list, marking them with one color of marker or colored pencil, and ranking them 1-5. They

should do the same for the least populated countries.

4. Students will locate the countries on their blank map, using an atlas if necessary.

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5. Students will label and color the five most and least populated countries, with different colors.

They should write the population of each country on the map, and be sure to include a legend

with information.

6. In their groups, the students will discuss what it would be like to live in these areas, and why

certain areas may have more people than others.

Rationale: Students investigate populations around the world, and think about what it would be like

to live in that area. This lesson builds cultural awareness of people in countries around the world.

Anticipatory Questions:

1. Which areas do you remember from yesterday’s video that had the greatest concentration

of dots? (Highest population)

2. What do you think it might be like to live in one of these very densely populated areas?

3. How might the concentration of people in a densely populated area affect the quality of

life? What would it be like to live in one of the sparsely populated areas?

Assessment:

With the information that they have gathered, students will independently write a paragraph

highlighting their findings and discussing what it would be like to live in a densely populated area

versus a less populated area.

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Lesson 3

So Crowded!

Grade Level: 4th

Standards:






Objectives:

The student will be able to identify the impact that population growth has on human and

physical systems.

The student will identify concepts of population growth, and make inferences as to what the

future may hold.

The student will incorporate art and literacy to create a page for an upcoming class book.


Materials:

Card Stock (1+ for each student)

Masking tape

Floor space

Markers or colored pencils

Methods:

1. Section off an 8’ by 8’ area in the classroom with masking tape. Tell the children that this is a

representation of the land area that humans can inhabit.

2. Have students enter the area, telling them what year/time period in history this is. This is based

on a class of 24. Half of the class will represent next year’s expected population of 7 billion. The

entire class will represent the expected world population in 2050, of 12 billion.

a. 1800: 2 students represent 1 billion

b. 1930: 4 students represent 2 billion

c. 1960: 6 students represent 3 billion

d. 1975: 8 students represent 4 billion

e. 1987: 10 students represent 5 billion

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f. 1999: 12 students represent 6 billion

g. 2012: 14 students represent 7 billion

h. 2050: 24 students are in the square, nearly doubling our current population to 12 billion

3. As each new group of students enters the area, ask the students what they are feeling. How

much space do they have? What happens as more people enter the space? When the students

get to 2012, ask them what it is like living today. When the students get to 2050, ask them what

they think life will be like. Remind them of the work they did in the first lesson.

Rationale: Students get to experience population growth and crowding in a hands-on way.


1. Do you think you live in a crowded place? What do you consider crowded?

2. What do you think it would be like if there were twice as many people in this city? In this

school? In this room? What about twice as many people in the world?

3. What happens to the amount of space that you have as more people are added to the “world?”

4. What happens to the amount of food, resources, etc. as more people enter the “world?”

Assessment:

Have students illustrate and write about what they think the world will be like in 2050, remembering the

information just discussed and looking back at their charts from Lesson 1.

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Lessons 4 & 5: Two separate sessions

Who has more? A food for thought activity

Grade Level: 4th

Standards:






Concept:

Areas around the world have varying populations, available resources, and distributions of wealth. This

simulation was adapted from PopulationEducation.org, with added lessons and opportunities for

inquiry.

Objectives:

The student will be able to define the terms birth rate, death rate, life expectancy, and quality of

life.

The student will be able to determine at least two factors that might contribute to life

expectancy, energy use, and quality of life in a region.

The student will be able to identify the problems with inequitable wealth distribution.

Time Requirement: Two 60-90 minute sessions Materials for entire lesson: Yarn or string (preferably in 5 different colors) Masking tape Ambassador’s cards (provided) 2 Labels for each region; one says “Energy Consumption,” one says “GDP” (see Region Information chart) Transparent tape 146 individually wrapped candies (Hershey’s Kisses work well) 108 matches (can also use toothpicks or birthday candles) 10 sandwich bags Overhead transparency on which terms A-M and their definitions appear Preparation, the night before: 1. Using different colors for each region, measure out the yarn or string for each region according to the Region Information chart on the following page, and create outlines of each region on the floor.

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2. Count out the number of candies required for each region and bag them. Make labels for them according to the chart, and tape the appropriate label to each bag. Do the same for the matches. 3. Be prepared to encourage students to make observations, critically evaluate the demographics, and hypothesize on possible causal relationships between the statistics while the simulation is carried out.

Region Information Chart

North America

Latin America Europe Africa Asia

Yarn Length: in feet 25 25 27 30 31

2006 Population in Millions 332 566 732 924 3968

Number of Students: 1=250 million 1 2 3 4 16

Region's Percent of World Land Area 15% 16% 18% 24% 25%

Percent of Land in Region that is Arable: 11.10% 7.10% 12.50% 6.10% 16.10%

Per Capita Engery Consumption: 1 Match=1 Barrel of oil

60 matches

9 matches

29 matches

3 matches

7 matches

Per Capita GDP: $41,285 $4,496 $23,987 $1,030 $2,119

Number of Candies: 1 Candy = $500

83 candies

9 candies

48 candies

2 candies

4 candies

Day One: Methods:

1. Explain to the students that they will be doing a simulation of the world. They will be divided into world regions based on proportional population. They will be provided with information about that region.

2. Define the following terms before beginning: a. Population: the number of people living in a region b. Birth Rate: The number of births per 1,000 people per year c. Death Rate: The number of deaths per 1,000 people per year d. Rate of Natural Increase: Growth caused by having more births than deaths in a year. e. Doubling Time: The number of years it will take for a population to double in size if it

maintains its current growth rate. 3. Read the introduction provided from the Population Education website:

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“All societies need and use natural resources such as land and energy, but the ways in which various societies use these things can differ greatly. For example, a small population may use an enormous amount of farmland or gasoline compared to the amounts used by other, much larger populations. This creates ‘have’ and ‘have not’ societies with potential for human discomfort and social conflict. The simulation we’re about to do is going to demonstrate how this happens.”

4. Define the terms conflict and simulation. 5. Appoint 5 students to be the “ambassadors” for the world regions, giving them their cards and

directing them to their regions. Populate the regions with the rest of the students, according to the chart. Every student should have an information card, the ambassadors will share the information on the card with the rest of the class. Note: If there are not enough students, create cards to represent those missing people. If you have too many students, appoint the extra students to a “United Nations Advisory Committee” that will help determine issues and create potential resolutions.

6. Identify each region by name for the class. 7. Explain that the dimensions of their regions are to scale, and the number of students within

each region is proportional to its actual population; the idea is to show relative population density in each area.

8. Once in their regions, have the ambassadors read the first five sections (a, b, c, d, and e) on their cards. (North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa, Asia) Discuss the observations that the class has made.

9. Talk about the world population demographics. a. The world population next year is expected to hit 7 billion. b. The world birth rate is 21 for every 1,000 people. c. The world death rate is 9 per 1,000. d. The world’s annual growth rate is 1.2% e. The world’s population will nearly double by 2050, which the class has discussed further

on previous days. 10. Discuss this information as well:

a. Populations grow when the birth rate exceeds the death rate b. When birth and death rates are equal, populations remain constant c. The world’s current birth rate is almost 2 ½ times its death rate.

Rationale: Students get to “experience” what it might be like to live in other regions of the Earth, and become familiar with birth and death rate, population growth, etc. Anticipatory Question Set:

1. What is birth rate/death rate? 2. What is doubling rate? 3. Which regions have the highest birth rate? The lowest? 4. Which regions have the highest death rate? The lowest? 5. What is it like to live in a highly populated area? 6. Do you think that these regions impact one another?

Assessment: Have the students independently write a paragraph about the information that they found most important or eye-opening, and defend their assertion.

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Day 2: Lesson 5 Methods:

1. Before beginning, define the following terms: f. Literacy Rate: the ability of an individual to read or write with understanding. g. Total Fertility Rate: The average number of children born to a woman in her lifetime. h. Infant Mortality Rate: The number of children per 1,000 that die before reaching one year

of life. i. Life Expectancy: How long the average person is expected to live j. Access to Adequate Sanitation: Percentage of people that have access to some form of

toilet k. Medical Doctors: the number of people per 1 medical doctor

2. Separate students into their respective regions and equip them with their information cards once again.

3. Have the ambassadors read information F-K on their cards. This information pertains to quality of life.

4. What do they notice? How many doctors do we have in North America? How does this affect our quality of life and life expectancy? How many doctors are there per person in Africa? What does this mean for the people there? How does the fertility rate and infant mortality rate in Africa compare to that of the rest of the world? Why might their fertility rate be so much higher?

5. Additional Information: f. of the world’s 12-17 year olds, 66% of boys and 63% of girls are enrolled in school g. The world’s women bear an average 2.7 children h. The infant mortality rate is 52 per 1,000 births i. Average human life expectancy is 67 years j. Only 59% of the world population has access to adequate sanitation k. On average, there is only 1 doctor per 709 people worldwide

6. Pass out the bags of matches, explaining that the bag of matches represents the amount of

energy used in that region. 7. Have each ambassador read the information on their bag. 8. What does the class notice? Which region uses the most energy? The least? How do the

respective regions feel about this energy distribution? 9. Pass out the bags of Hershey’s Kisses. Explain that they represent the amount of wealth in that

region. Have each ambassador read the information on their bag. 10. How do the various regions feel about the distribution of wealth (candy)? How do you feel if

your region is wealthy? Not wealthy? 11. Hand each group two paper plates. Instruct the students to not eat the candy (yet). Have them

unwrap every candy, placing the candies on one plate, and the wrappers on the other. Do not roll the wrappers into balls. Have the ambassador hold up the plate with the wrappers. This is the relative amount of waste per region. How does North America stack up? What does this mean, and what can we do about it?

Rationale: Students get to see (and eat) global wealth distribution and energy consumption. This lesson provides an excellent lead into discussing human effects on environments, covered later in the unit.

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Anticipatory Question Set: 1. If you are in a region with a lot of candies, how do you feel? How does it feel to be one of

the poorer areas? 2. What can this tell you about what it is like to live in these areas?

Assessment: Have small groups of 2-3 complete a graphic organizer of the information they learned from this experience. What are the differences between North America and the rest of the world? What does this mean, and what can we do about it?

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Lesson 6:

The World as an Apple

Grade Level: 4th


Objectives:

Students will be able to identify and name the portions of the Earth that are covered in oceans,

inhabitable land space, and space that is fit for farming.

Students will use their knowledge of fractions to determine the various land areas.

Students will use inquiry to develop potential solutions and preventions for our global farming

issue.

Standards:





Math Standard 1: Number Sense, Properties, and Operations

1.2 Different models and representations can be used to compare fractional parts


Materials:

1 Large Apple

1 Knife

Plate or cutting board

Procedure:

1. Tell the students that the apple represents Earth

2. Slice the apple into quarters

3. Hold up 3 quarters of the apple. What does this represent? ¾ of the Earth (our apple) is covered

with oceans.

4. What fraction of the Earth (the apple) is left? ¼

5. Slice this section in half. What fraction of the apple do we have now? 1/8. This section is the area

on Earth that people cannot inhabit. Why do you think this may be so? What makes land

inhabitable? This land is either too rocky, too cold, a desert, or swamp land. No one can live here.

Set aside.

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6. Hold up the other piece. What fraction of the apple is this? 1/8. This piece represents the land

where people can live. Just because people can live there, however, does not mean that they are

able to grow food there.

7. Slice the 1/8 portion into 4 equal portions, hold up one of these portions. What fraction of the

apple is this? 1/32. Hold up the other 3 portions, or 3/32 of the apple. These represent the areas

that are too rocky, wet, too steep, too cold, too hot, or too poor of soil to grow food. This is also

the space on which humans have had an impact. We have built roads, buildings, schools, etc. We

use this land in other ways, but we can no longer grow food on it.

8. Peel the 1/32 slice of Earth. Show it to the students. This tiny piece represents the surface, the

very thin layer of Earth that can actually grow food. Less than five feet deep, it takes over 100

years for each inch of topsoil to form. If we don’t take care of it, it will be gone. Eat the piece of

apple skin.

9. Lead a discussion about things that ruin farmland. Students should touch on erosion, over-

farming, and building growth.

10. Have students work in pairs to create an informational flyer about things we can do to protect

our farmland.

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Lesson 7: Taped Lesson (completed student work/assessment included)

Biodiversity: Why does it matter?

Grade Level: 4th









Students: ELL, AG, BG, GT, SED

Learning Objectives:

The student will be able to identify the connections between humans, physical systems and

ecosystems.

The students will identify the importance of biodiversity and develop a way that we can prevent

it.

The students will be able to explain the interactions and interdependence between living and

nonliving components of ecosystems.


Materials:

Bill Nye the Science Guy Biodiversity DVD

Biodiversity PowerPoint

Assessment worksheets

Methods:

1. Begin by discussing the definition of Biodiversity. Bio, or biology, is the study of living things.

Diversity is having a wide array of species.

2. Show the following selections of Bill Nye the Science Guy’s Biodiversity DVD to help activate

prior knowledge: Show Clip 1 on how humans change environments, Show Clip 6 on how

everything in an ecosystem is connected. Show clip 8 on how extinction impacts an ecosystem.

3. Show first slides of the Biodiversity PowerPoint, that I have created and posted on google

4. List the ways living things depend on other living things.

5. Discuss the cycle in a thriving ecosystem

a. Producers, consumers, decomposers

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b. Plant life

c. Bacteria

d. Fungi

6. How do we change our environment? What do you think used to be in this area? What impact

have we had?

7. Show the next slides in the PowerPoint, and discuss the effects of humans in rain forests,

deserts, water ecosystem.

8. What happens if we abuse our land? Our water resources?

9. Show next slide with pictures of drought.

10. Define:

a. Endangered, threatened, extinct (in power point)

11. There are 16,306 endangered Species, including both plants and animals. What does this mean

for the ecosystems in which they live? What happens to the ecosystem when animals become

extinct?

12. In the last 500 years, human activity has forced 800 species into extinction.

13. In pairs, students should discuss what they learned, and complete the attached worksheet to

check for understanding. What do the students think we could do to help?

Rationale: With a booming population and growing environmental problems, it is important to get our

students involved in preserving the Earth. This lesson provides them with information and asks them to

think critically to address a world problem.


1. What does the word biodiversity mean? What if we split the word in half, what does bio mean?

What does it mean to be diverse?

2. What interactions do we have with living things in our ecosystem?

3. What does it mean to be threatened/endangered/extinct?

4. If one species becomes extinct, what effect can it have in that ecosystem?

5. How does shrinking biodiversity on the other side of the Earth effect us?

Assessment:

Pre-assessment: Teacher activates prior knowledge and determines prior knowledge through a series of

questions at the beginning of the lesson.

Formative Assessment: Students complete attached worksheet after discussing in pairs. What is

biodiversity, and why is it important? Illustrate one way that we can help preserve biodiversity. Below,

tell me what you can do and how it will help.

Summative Assessment: End of Unit Test, included.

Accommodations:

Provide ELL, BG, and SED students with modified worksheet, attached.

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Name:____________________________ Date:__________________

Biodiversity: Why Does it Matter?

What is Biodiversity?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

What can you do to help preserve biodiversity?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Illustration:

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Lesson 8:

What Can We Do? (Also taught, not taped)

Grade Level: 4th









Reading, Writing and Communicating Standard 2: Reading for all Purposes

2.1 Comprehension and fluency matter when reading literary texts in a fluent way


Objectives:

The student will participate in accountable talk about the book Just a Dream, by Chris Van

Allsburg

The student will be able to use questioning as a comprehension strategy for reading the text.

The student will identify current environmental problems and create their “ideal future”

Time Requirement: 45 minutes

Materials:

Copies of Just a Dream by Chris Van Allsburg (enough for partner-read)

Card Stock (1+ per student)


Methods:

1. Activate prior knowledge by asking what good readers do. Good readers question, predict, re-

read, and check for understanding.

2. Ask students to please stay with the teacher for the shared reading, and to pay close attention

to each of the pictures.

3. Read Just a Dream by Chris Van Allsburg

4. Pause at pictures, ask for predictions. Model questioning while reading, and ask for student

input.

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5. At the end of the book, lead a discussion about whether or not the future that Walter had

dreamt about is possible. Is that the future that they want for themselves? Their family? Their

kids?

6. At the end of the book, Walter wakes and realizes that he can make a difference. What can the

students do to make a difference? What kind of future do they want to see?

Rationale: Students access the information they have been learning in a literary way, and are then

allowed to create their view of what they would like their future to be.


1. What are some of the skills good readers use while reading?

2. How do we know what is a dream and what is reality?

3. What are some of your dreams for the future?

4. What are some character attributes of Walter at the beginning of the book? At the end? What

caused this change?

Assessment:

Students create the “image of their future.” What do they want their future to look like? How can we

help get there? Students type a description of their future and the steps necessary to get there. Pages

are compiled with pages from lesson three to complete a book of potential futures.

Questions Good Readers Ask While Reading:

I wonder…

I predict…

I like/don’t like…

What would happen if…?

How is ….similar to….?

Do you believe…?

How would you feel if….?

Do you agree/disagree with….?

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Name:____________________________ Just My Dream Date:___________________________

What does your ideal future look like? What do you want to be? How do you want your community and

your world to look?

Tell me about your dream future:

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

How can YOU help make it happen?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Illustration:

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Name________________________________________________

Using Questioning as a Comprehension Strategy for Just a Dream

With a partner, create questions for Just a Dream, using the prompts below. Then, using the text, find or infer what the answers might be, and provide supporting evidence from the text. What helped you figure out the answer?

Type of Question: Question to be asked: Answer and evidence from text:

I wonder why….

I have a question about…

I agree with….

That reminds me of…

Questions to Ask: Answers to Questions: Evidence from the Text:

I don’t understand…

I disagree with…

I predict….

I liked/ didn’t like….

I figured out…

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Reflection on Application of Lesson(s) in the Classroom:

The fourth grade students have been learning about ecosystems in their science unit,

and having been very compelled by the presentation by the Population Connection trainer that

joined us in class, I thought that a unit on population growth and its effects on ecosystems

would be a perfect fit. Unfortunately, I created a great deal of unnecessary stress in trying to

get my unit and the science unit to correspond (despite the fact that I wasn’t teaching the

entire unit). Despite the massive workload that I created for myself, I found the creation of this

unit to be very beneficial. It is my goal to incorporate language arts into every subject in my

classroom, and because students learn more when they have background knowledge of a

subject, it is also my goal to incorporate work from other subjects throughout the day.

I began the “Biodiversity: Why does it matter?” lesson with three clips from Bill Nye the

Science Guy’s Biodiversity DVD. These clips introduced the human connection to all things living

and nonliving in ecosystems, and the impact that we have on them. In addition, students

became familiar with how intricately linked every living and nonliving thing in an ecosystem is;

if one thing disappears, it has a profound impact on the rest of the ecosystem, even leading to

further extinction. With this background, I began presentation of the PowerPoint (available on

the disc with the taped lesson). Students discussed the connections that humans have with

things in their environment before viewing the effects that our lack of care and booming

population have had on the Earth. The massive deforestation of the rainforest, oil spills, over-

mining, over-farming, and careless disposal of garbage are just a few of the toxic actions we

have taken out on our planet.

As the lesson and the PowerPoint progressed, the students became increasingly

interested. Humans have caused more than 800 species to go into extinction in the last 500

years. There are over 16,615 species currently on the endangered species list. The dwindling

numbers of these plants, insects, and animals has a huge impact on the ecosystems in which

they are found. The students were appalled with the massive numbers, and many expressed

distress when they saw a selection of the animals on the list. At the end of the lesson, I led a

discussion about the information covered, and what it made the students feel. Then, in small

groups, the students discussed ideas to help preserve biodiversity. I completed the lesson by

having the students define biodiversity, create a plan to help preserve biodiversity, and provide

an illustration of their plan in action.

The students were very engaged and very interested. Several said that they were upset

by all of this, but felt that they couldn’t make a difference because they are just children. It is,

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however, all of the small steps that we take that make a better world; including the recycling

efforts made at the school, students choosing to walk or bike ride to school, and opting for

healthy food choices over packaged, processed, refined garbage. Many students said that they

were going to go home and talk to their families about recycling and minimizing driving time. A

group of us picked up trash around the school at the end of the day.

The following day, I taught a corresponding lesson that followed the students’ author

study of Chris Van Allsburg. In that lesson, we conducted a shared reading of Chris Van

Allsburg’s Just a Dream. We continued our discussion from the previous day while working on

questioning as a comprehension strategy. The students were held accountable for academic

talk in small groups as they created and answered questions from the text. We then discussed

what we would like our futures to look like. The students created an image of their ideal future,

and wrote a short statement about it and how they can help attain their ideal future.

All in all, both lessons went very well. The students were actively engaged, interested,

and learning. They were asked to synthesis and evaluate information before creating their own

plans. I successfully incorporated language arts, social studies, and science into both lessons.

This type of “double-dipping” improves student comprehension in all subjects, and further

cements information that is learned. I do feel that I need to work on making my transitions

smoother, as there was some wasted time in moving from one activity to another.

the effects of population growth -...

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