AICE Environmental Management AS – Managing Human Population Day 2

3. Managing Human Population Day#2. Lesson plan

Boost Your AICE Environmental Management Teaching Success

As teachers of AICE Environmental Management, one of our core objectives is to ensure that our students not only understand the material but excel in their exams. One area that often poses a challenge is teaching about population dynamics, specifically describing populations in terms of their size and age composition and defining and calculating the dependency ratio. Here are some strategies to make these topics engaging and comprehensible for your students, leading to higher exam passing rates.

Lesson Outline

Hook

• Start your lesson with a captivating hook to pique your students’ interest. Present them with the current population pyramids of two contrasting countries—one with a youthful population and another with an aging population. Ask your students to predict the potential challenges and advantages each country might face based on their age compositions. This visual and comparative approach sets the stage for deeper exploration of population dynamics.

Instruction

• Bell ringer#2
• Lecture/Notes –Lecture (Chapter 3 PPT – slides 16 -21)
  • Population structure refers to the distribution of people in a given population according to their age groups and gender. It provides valuable information about the demographic makeup of a country or region. When comparing the population structures of HICs and LICs, we often observe significant differences.
  • One reason for these differences is the level of economic development. HICs generally have better access to healthcare, education, and economic opportunities, resulting in lower death rates and higher life expectancies. This leads to a larger proportion of older individuals in their populations. On the other hand, LICs often experience higher birth rates and higher death rates, resulting in a larger proportion of younger individuals.
  • Another factor contributing to population structure variations is the level of urbanization and migration. HICs tend to have higher rates of urbanization and attract more migrants, which can lead to a more diverse population structure. LICs, on the other hand, may have higher rural populations and experience more emigration.
  • Changes in birth rates, death rates, and migration rates can significantly impact the size and composition of a population. For example, a decrease in birth rates can lead to an aging population with a higher proportion of older individuals. Conversely, an increase in birth rates can result in a “youth bulge” and a higher proportion of younger individuals.
  • The dependency ratio is a crucial measure that helps us understand the economic implications of population structures. It calculates the ratio of dependent individuals (usually children and the elderly) to the working-age population. A high dependency ratio indicates a larger burden on the working-age population to support dependents. This can pose economic challenges for a country, such as a strain on healthcare and social security systems.

• Use Guided Notes – This year, I’m using Version B Guided Notes with my students, as I’ve noticed they benefit from having more structured support during class.
  • It features fill-in-the-blank prompts for key vocabulary and concepts, making notetaking faster and more accessible, especially for English language learners or those with processing difficulties.
• Group activity – The power of the pyramids -activity
  • Day 1: Students will begin by independently doing the population pyramid of their selected country from the list of four provided on the slip. They will collaborate to attach these pyramids onto a poster paper and collectively respond to the questions outlined in the handout.
  • The objective of this activity is: students will be able to create and analyze population pyramids, identify demographic trends, and draw conclusions about the population structure of various countries.
  • Divide the students into groups of four, ensuring diverse compositions if possible.
    Activity Part 1: Creating Population Pyramids (30 minutes)
  • Distribute graphing paper and markers/colored pencils to each group.
  • Provide each group with a slip with four examples of countries.
  • Instruct students to each choose one of the four countries to research and create a population pyramid for. Explain the guidelines for constructing the pyramid and labeling the axes.

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By incorporating these strategies into your teaching, you can make the topics of population dynamics and dependency ratios more engaging and understandable for your students. Engaging lesson hooks, interactive activities, and real-world applications will not only improve comprehension but also enhance your students’ performance in the AICE Environmental Management exams. As teachers, our goal is to empower our students to succeed, and with these methods, we can help them achieve higher passing rates.

Homework – high level/flipped classroom

• Version A – For High-Level Students:
  Ideal for independent or advanced learners, this version requires students to copy all notes by hand as homework before class. This flipped-learning approach helps students come to class prepared, freeing up time for application activities, discussions, and AICE-style practice questions.
• For this assignment have students fill in the blanks using the PPT Presentation. 

By implementing these strategies, you’re not only preparing your students for their exams but also equipping them with a deeper understanding of essential concepts in environmental management. Happy teaching!