Lesson Plan by Austin Freels
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Lesson: Overpopulation Length: 50 Min Grade: Eighth
Academic Standard
8.4.8 Describe how environmental conditions affect the survival of individual organisms and
how entire species may prosper in spite of the poor survivability or bad fortune of individuals.
Performance Objectives
The students will participate in classroom discussion then complete a WebQuest and answer
100% of the questions asked for participation points.
Assessment
The students will be assessed on the amount of thought and quality the students put into their
answers. As long as they complete all of the questions on the activity with thoughtful answers
they will receive full credit.
Advanced Preparation by teacher
I will have to print out a copy of a world population map for each student prior to class. Along
with that map I will need to print out a blank world map for the students to draw on. I will have
to make sure to reserve the computer lab and ensure that there are enough computers for every
student.
Procedure
Introduction
We will briefly bring up yesterdays lesson and how pollution affected every aspect of an
ecosystem. Then we will talk about overpopulation and how if there are more humans in a
certain area how they would affect that area. What types of pollution would they produce? I
will hand out a blank map to each student and have them use their colored pencils to shade in the
areas they think are the most populated. The darker they shade the more populated that area is.
Then once they have guessed and are done shading they will receive a world population density
map to see how accurate their shading was. We will then watch this video showing the
population growth over the last 2000 years. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRh-XwZlsKc.
(Gardner’s—visual spatial)
Step by Step Plan
1. They will shade the maps to try and decipher the different populations in different regions
(Gardner’s—logical mathematical)
a. After they draw their map they will be given a map to compare with (Bloom’s-knowledge)
b. We will watch the video to see about when population “boomed”
2. We will then discuss the correlation between the amount of people and the air quality in
those regions
3. What factors contribute to the air pollution (Bloom’s Comprehension)
a. More people means more cars.
b. The more people the more litter
c. Big cities destroy natural landscape
d. Inhibit the growth of native organisms
4. We will then go to the computer lab and complete a webquest dealing with human
population and air pollution. (Bloom’s—Applicaiotn)
a. See webquest printout
5. The students will need to answer the questions on the webquest on their own sheet of
paper to hand in the next class period. (Bloom’s Evalutaion) (Gardner’s—
Intrapersonal)
Closure
For closure to the unit we will talk about the environment and how each ecosystem is
affected by pollution. This will tie in everything we learned about kingdoms, food
chains, and pollution.
Adaptations/Enrichments for students with autism
1. For students with autism I might have to read webquest activities aloud to them so they
are able to complete it sufficiently.
2. I would have to provide direct guided instruction along with reading the material aloud.
Such as showing them what to do with the map coloring, or where to click to access other
websites.
3. If an autistic child has trouble using the computer to find the information I would be able
to pair them up with a willing student or even assist them in finding the websites and
navigating the computer. (Gardner’s—Interpersonal)
4. It might be necessary to re-teach the child the material. While other students are
independently working on their webquests I will have time to go back over pollution nd
why it is bad for the environment.