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Content Area: Social Studies
Index: 6.6D Grade 8 CPI 2
Standard: 6.6 - Geography
Strand: D - Human Systems
Cumulative Progress Indicator: 2 - The student will analyze demographic characteristics to explain reasons for variations between populations.
Grade: 8
Sample Activities:
· Students investigate questions such as the following: What is the importance of the physical and human characteristics of New Jersey geography in history and in economic life?
· Using the telephone book, students locate a map of New Jersey showing the various area codes. Thirty years ago, we had two area codes: 201 (which was the nation’s first) and 609. Today we have six. Ask the library media specialist to review with the class the use of atlases, almanacs, statistical resources such as Census Reports, and electronic sources of statistics such as the SIRS Government Reporter and Execy. Discuss with the class and assign them to research the following questions: Why has New Jersey grown to six area codes? What parts of the state have these new codes? Are all the additional area codes related to population trends or is there another explanation, perhaps related to technology? (Hint: Survey the class to determine how many telephone lines, fax lines, Internet access lines, and cellular lines have been added to their households in recent years.) What can we learn about population patterns and culture from the telephone directory?
· Students predict the distribution of population characteristics, such as gender, origin, language, and religion, in a representative world village of 1,000 people. They compare their individual and group predictions with actual data by creating graphic representations and analyzing differences. Next, students identify the distribution and characteristics of populations at different scales (e.g., a village of 100 people) and use different charts (e.g., chloropleth maps, pie charts, bar graphs) to display the information. Encourage them to visualize and draw a typical scene in the world village (e.g., market, housing, office). Ask students to research answers to questions such as the following: What problems would exist in terms of communication? How could these difficulties be overcome? What kind of government (e.g., democracy, republic, dictatorship) would most likely develop? Why? Students design a flag for the world village and explain why they chose the colors and design that they did.
· 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.
Inspiration Templates:
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