Content Area: Social Studies

 

Index: 6.2E Grade 8 CPI 8

 

Standard: 6.2 - Civics

 

Strand: E - International Education: Global Challenges, Cultures, and Connections

 

Cumulative Progress Indicator: 8 -  The student will discuss how global challenges are interrelated, complex, and changing and that even local issues may have a global dimension (e.g., environmental issues, transportation).

 

Grade: 8

 

Sample Activities:

 

·        Sustainable Development and Population Characteristics. How do variations in populations contribute to the possibility of sustainable development? Introduce the concept of sustainable development. In small groups, students analyze data on the physical quality of life (an index of life expectancy, infant mortality and literacy rate), per capita GNP, life expectancy, literacy of males, literacy of females, and infant mortality for 10 to 20 countries and ask students to predict which country goes with which data (include data for developed and developing countries in the choices). Discuss the results. Are students surprised by any results? Ask students questions such as the following: What do the differences relate to? Is there a relationship between one factor and another, such as between economic development and high quality of life? What problems do countries on the bottom of the list face that countries at the top do not experience? How will sustainable development practices fare in both cases? Students research countries at the top and bottom of the list to explore the issues and see what practices in agriculture, industrial development, and environmental protection are currently in place.