Introduction

Exponential Growth, what is it and what is it all about? Is it the concept that Thomas Maltus brought to the King of England with a warning that he must do something about the ever increasing population? Is it some obscure mathematical theory thought of by the ancient Greeks? Through this exercise in inquirery learning, your group is going to find out what it is and how it relates to the human population. If Mr. Maltus was right about exponential growth and the number of people on the Earth, how will it affect you, your family, and even when you start your own family. In an effort to help others who do not understand the perceived problem of too many people as well as you do; your job is to come up with methods to inform and educate the general population using the resources available to you.

Back to Top

The Task

In an effort to show your understanding of the effects of exponential growth and the increasing world population your group will do the following:

1- Each group will "Create a Claris Slide Show" depicting your group's view of the world's population growth and its affect on you

2- Each group will choose two (2) additional items, of their choice, from the list below.

• Create an artistic color poster depicting your group's position on "The World Population" based on what you have learned through this Web Quest.
• Choose a position, that you can support with facts, for a class debate concerning a country's right to regulate the size of it's population.
• Create a chart which compares and contrasts the population growth between first world and third world countries.
• Create a song, to be performed in class, relating your group's view of the world's population growth and its affect on you.
• Create a fictitious news article depicting the affects of overpopulation where you live.
• Create a political cartoon depicting your group's position on exponential growth and the "population crisis".

Back to Top

The Process

In the Process block, you might also provide some guidance on how to organize the information gathered. This advice could suggestions to use flowcharts, summary tables, concept maps, or other organizing structures. The advice could also take the form of a checklist of questions to analyze the information with, or things to notice or think about. If you have identified or prepared guide documents on the Web that cover specific skills needed for this lesson (e.g. how to brainstorm, how to prepare to interview an expert), link them to this section.

1. You will be assigned to a team of 5 students to form a collaborative working group.

2. Decide your group's position about the "population crisis" based on the theory of exponential growth.

3. Decide, within your group, which two optional assignments your group will chose to do.

4. Assign tasks for each team member to complete which will benefit the group in completing this WebQuest.

5. Set "bench mark" dates for the group to complete the various tasks which will lead to the completion of this WebQuest with the allotted time.

6. Use the resources which have been linked to this page or, others at your disposal, which will support and defend your position or help you complete your chosen tasks. While looking through these web sites you might keep in mind some of these questions:

• What is the world's population and where are the population centers?
• Are there any problems with where the population centers are?
• What are the birth rates and death rates for Developed countries and Undeveloped countries?
• What are Developed and Undeveloped countries doing differently in relation to their population control?
• How can we, as a world community, control our birth rate if it is a problem?
• How is the human population affecting the world's resources?
• Are resources being depleted or not? If they are, what part does human population play in the depleation of the resources?
• What is the population in your state or city?
• How is the population in your city/state affecting you?
  • Do you live in a large migration area?
  • Are crime rates a problem in your area?
• What actions can you do as a group or individual, do to change the population trend?

Back to Top

Resources

The following is a list of resources which will aide you in your quest to understand what exponential growth is and how it affects everyone living on space ship Earth. All names of sites labeled in blue, are active links to a location outside of the school computer and onto the "World Wide Web". There may be some links within a site you have chosen which the school district "fire wall" will not let you access because the site may be too controversial for this grade level.

Site 1: Global Resources This site deals with scientific investigations and efforts related to human overpopulation.

Site 2: Progress and its Sustainability This is a series of opinion papers with links which support person's opinion about the sustainability of human populations.

Site 3: Population and Human Development Several useful links to population issues.

Site 4: World Population 1998 Great graphic depicting population size between 1st world and 3rd world countries.

Site 5: Logistic Growth This has a good explanation of exponential growth with excellent links to graphics and graphs depicting exponential growth.

Site 6: United Nations Populations Information Network (POPIN) You will find this to be an excellent jumping off page for world information relating to human populations around the world.

Site 7: US Census Bureau Another good starting point to reference various indicators and effects of populations, primarily within the United States.

Site 8: 1999 United States Population Data Sheet: This is a very useful site to determine populations within various states.

 Back to Top

Evaluation

.	Beginning 1 point	Developing 2 points	Accomplished 3 points	Exemplory 4 points	Score
Visual Presentation	very weak visual component	some pictures or diagrams, but poorly planned	adequate visuals but not very interesting	visually attractive: includes colorful pictures & diagrams, uses space well
.	very weak visual component	some pictures or diagrams, but poorly planned	adequate visuals but not very interesting	visually attractive: includes colorful pictures & diagrams, uses space well	.
Oral Component	one main speaker, little participation from other group members	most group members participate	all group members have significant participation	well-balancecd, participation by all group members	.

.	Beginning 1 point	Developing 2 points	Accomplished 3 points	Exemplory 4 points	Score
Presentation	not aware of audience	aware of audience	connects with audience	holds audience 's attention	.
.	inaccurate information given	most information accurate	information accruate	accurate in-depth information	.
.	has no opinion	has opinion, but is weak	has a stance about a belief	has a stance about a belief and is supported	.

 Back to Top

Conclusion

Now that you have completed this WebQuest you hopefully will have a better undersanding of the issues and concerns the world faces in relation to it's population. Through your efforts and discoveries through this exercise you have learned what you can do to ease some of these concerns. Remember, each person can make a difference.