POPULATION UNIT

Learning Objectives:

All – Be able to understand the terms population density and population distribution

Most – Describe the global population density and distribution

Some – Give reasons about what factors make some places more or less populated than others

Where in the world do people live?

Starter:

Match up these key terms with the meanings below:

Population density Population distribution

The pattern of where people live all over the world.

How crowded or empty a place is, a crowded place is ‘densely populated’ and an empty place is ‘sparsely populated’.

Xxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx

Xx x

Xx

Xx xxx x xx x

X x x x X Xxxxxx

Population density measures how crowded or empty a place is. It tells us how many people live on every square kilometre of land (people/sq km). Think of your own example…

Densely populated Sparsely populated

Crowded Quite Empty

Where do the global population live?

In your groups, you are going to reproduce this map that shows which places are sparsely and densely populated.

Give one reason for the dense/sparse population of at least one region in each continent.

Continent Region/country Reason

Africa

Asia

Europe

N. America

S. America

Oceania

Number yourselves 1-4.

When told, number 1s will come to the front to look at the map for 10 seconds and try to remember some information from it.

You will then return to your group to add it onto your map.

Then number 2s come up and do the same…

Swap with another groups – use this map to mark how well the group did:

What is the global population distribution?Use the map below to help you complete this paragraph that describes global population distribution:

There are many places that are crowded in the world, for example…

Also…

However, some places are very empty, for example around…

And also…

South America

North America

Africa

Australasia

Antarctica

AsiaEurope

Use continent names and compass points to be more specific

KeyDensely PopulatedSparsely Populated

Why are some places much more crowded than others?

Look at the list of factors on the board– decide whether they make a place crowded or empty. Put the factors into the correct column of this table:

Factors that make a Factors that make a

place densely populated place sparsely populated

Extension: can you explain why you put each one where you did?

Answers:Factors that make a Factors that make a

place densely populated place sparsely populated

Mark your work

PLENARY: Explain why the Sahara Desert is densely or sparsely populated.

What do you think the population density is going to be like:

a. Here in the Nile Delta

b. Here

What evidence do you use to make your conclusions?

What do you think the population density is like around this place? Why?