Preparing for Population Problems!

Overall expectations: A1. Geographic Inquiry, D1 (Population Issues), E1 (Sustainability of Human Systems)

During your journey through Canadian geography this year you have learned about
various regions, economic activities, sustainability measures, population change and
its impacts, urban and rural development, and environmental sustainability. It is time
to display all this knowledge and skill by preparing Canada for the future!

Your Mission:
You and your partner have been chosen to present on the demographic changes and future trends in
Canadas population to the Canadian government to help them prepare Canada to meet the needs of the
future. Based on what you know about different trends in population examine how the change from
TODAYs population will impact on services, environmental effects, sustainability efforts and its
influence on rural and urban development in the year 2050!

DUE: December 18th 2015 In Class

Worth: 20% of final grade

My Partners Name is: ________________________________________________

Step 1: Choose a Format:

What will this assignment LOOK like?
ASK Yourself: Which style allows me to demonstrate my knowledge best?

Poster
Slow-mation or video of you presenting
Letter to the Government representatives (2 pages in length)
Powerpoint Slides/ Mind Map
Report/Essay (2 pages in length)
Newspaper Article

Moving Forward: What kind of materials do I need to prepare to do this project?

AFTER YOU ARE DONE THIS CHECK IN WITH TEACHER

Step 2: Population Pyramids - Manipulating Data

GOAL: Try and identify any changing trends between the 2015 and 2050 pyramids
Part 1: Find the handout titled Understanding Population Pyramids as well as your good copy of your 2015
Canadian population pyramid.

Part 2: Using the data below, create a population pyramid from for the year 2050.

0-9
10-19
20-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
60-69
70-79
80-89
90-99
100+

Population Statistics for 2050 as percentages (%)

Age (Years)
Male (% of population) Female (% of population)
5.1
4.8
5.3
4.9
5.6
5.6
6.0
6.0
5.8
5.8
6.3
6.1
5.9
6.1
4.7
5.7
3.5
4.2
1.0
1.7
0.0
0.2
Statistics taken from Statistics Canada Projections and World Life Expectancy Canada

Part 3: Examine both the population pyramids using Understanding Population Pyramids as a guideline
1. ASK: What types of pyramids are these and what changes do I notice between the two.
2. Annotate: Write what you notice near/on the pyramids (use arrows, different colour markers ect).

CRITICAL THINKING: What do you think is causing Canadas population to change and why? What are some of
the key factors? (Write some notes below)

AFTER YOU ARE DONE THIS CHECK IN WITH TEACHER

Step 3: Analyzing Potential Problems from a Geographic Perspective:

Using the observations from your pyramids, you and your partner must now decide what are the
major problems Canada faces in the future as a consequence of population changes.
THINK ABOUT: The trends you see, areas impacted by changing populations , long and short
term consequences

HINT: You may want to consider using one of the graphic organizers we have used this year.
Always be thinking about HOW you have to organize this information (remember your format!)

CRITICAL THINKING: How are these changes going to impact Canadian society? Are the
changes positive or negative to different areas of Canadas social, political, economic,
environmental landscape?

Step 4: Problems Solved!

Take the problems you identified in Step 3 and now determine how the Canadian government
should go about planning for the future population problems you have mentioned.
Think About: The strengths and limitations these solutions have in managing the problems and
identify the effects it would have.
Remember: As an excellent geography student you should always be thinking about the
importance of scale, space, relationships, immediate and long-term impacts, and finally

sustainability. Also try to be specific as to how your solutions deal with the problem and always
remember to use GEOGRAPHIC TERMS!

AFTER YOU ARE DONE THIS CHECK IN WITH TEACHER

Step 5: Piecing It ALL Together: Communicate Your Ideas

Take a look back at what you and your partner decided to do for this project back in Step 1. Its
time to assemble all the pieces into a presentation for the Canadian government.
Think About:
1. How are you going to outline and display your information? Does the order make sense?
2. What titles/ subtitles/graphics/photos will you use (Remember to include your 2 population
pyramids)
3. Are you using the appropriate style of writing for your format (check with teacher if
unsure)

Step 6: Final Checks: ALMOST THERE!

Before you hand in your assignment make sure to complete the checklist below:
OUR PROJECT HAS ALL OF THE FOLLOWING INCLUDED:

You and Your Partners Names

Your Teachers Name
A Creative/Informative Title
Canadian Population Pyramid 2015
Canadian Population Pyramid 2050
Discussion on the problems the government faces in the future with respect to population changes

 Information on the solutions and strategies the government could use

All the information present on the poster is our own ideas or has been cited properly
The spelling and grammar has been checked
The information is presented in a way that the intended audience can understand and in the format we
indicated on page one.
We have completed the peer assessment handout on the next page
If all the boxes are ticked: CONGRATULATIONS! YOU ARE DONE!

Remember! Hand these sheets in with your project

Peer Assessment
Hand in with Assignment:
As you are handing in your assignment take time to think about how you and your partner worked
together, what you experienced and felt while working together.
1. Overall how effective did you work together on this project? *Circle the best answer*
Challenging

Adequately

Great

Extremely Well

2. How did you decide to split up the work?

3. What were two ways you worked well as a team?

4. Were there any challenges you had with your partner (explain?)

5. What is one thing you would change to improve on the project?

Levels of
Understanding

Level 4:
Exceeds Expectations

Skills being assessed:

Level 3:
Meets
Standards

Level 2
Approaching Standards

Req

Knowledge and Understanding:

D1:Population Issues:
Assess the impact on
Canadian communities
of changes in the
characteristics of
Canadas population and
describe ways of
responding to these
changes.

Student demonstrates an
exceptional understanding of
the population issues facing
Canada in the future beyond
what was discussed in class.
Student consistently uses
accurate and appropriate
terminology.

Student demonstrates a considerable

knowledge of the major population
issues facing Canada in the future.
The student has incorporated a
variety of perspectives from areas
such as economics, politics,
infrastructure, environment and
social into their project.

Student demonstrates some attempt

to describe the population issues
but lacks key details or
consideration of different areas.
Student occasionally uses correct
terminology but is not consistent.

Student d
understan
problems

Student p
the geogr
used cons

Student uses appropriate

terminology.

Guiding Questions: Have I identified the major issues associated with population change in Canada and the problems it could have
E1: Sustainability of
Student demonstrates a level of
Student has indicated
Student has made some references
Student h
Human Systems:
mastery over the factors which
considerable knowledge of the
to the effects to Canadas
considera
Analyze issues relating
affect Canadas communities in
factors which effect the short
sustainability but does not provide
effects of
to the sustainability of
the immediate and distant
term and long-term
enough details or content on its
sustainab
human systems in
future.
sustainability of Canadas
impact on different communities.
Canada
communities
Students
Students have presented in their
Students have some understanding
examples
project a comprehensive
Students have also demonstrated
of the scale of the problems and
faced by
understanding of the
an understanding of national
mention some supports or problems
effectiveness of national,
scale supports/initiatives or
associated with the pressures on
regional and local level
problems associated pressures on
Canadas human systems.
impacts..
the human systems.
Guiding Question: What impact does population change have on Canadas human systems? What areas would need to be adapted to deal with these
within Canada?

Thinking
A1: Geographic

The student has used the data

The student uses the data from the

The student uses the data with some

The stude

Inquiry
Use the geographic
inquiry process and the
concepts of geographic
thinking when
investigating issues
related to Canadian
Geography

from the population pyramids

to an high degree of
effectiveness.
Students use multiple concepts
of geographic thinking and try
to link them together when
analyzing the data.

population pyramids to effectively

support their judgements.
Students have used the concepts of
geographic thinking (spatial
significance, patterns and trends,
interrelationships, geographic
perspectives) when analyzing the
data.

effectiveness to support their

judgements, but neglects key factors
that led to the potential problems
Canada will face in the future.
Students use some geographic
concepts of thinking to analyze the
data.

effectiven
and have
number o

There are
of thinkin

Guiding Question: What does our population pyramids tell us about Canadas population changes over the next 35
Have I used the inquiry process to explore the findings from our data?
D1:Population Issues:
Assess the impact on
Canadian communities
of changes in the
characteristics of
Canadas population
and describe ways of
responding to these
changes.

The student demonstrates an

advanced capability to
interpret the population trends
and link them to numerous
spheres and is able to process
the data with a high degree of
effectiveness.

The student is capable of

interpreting the population
trends and linking them to the
economic, social and
environmental impacts on Canada
and provides considerably
effective recommendations for
appropriate responses to the
government.

The student demonstrates some

capability of interpreting the
trends and tries to link them.
Student is somewhat capable of
processing the data and providing
some recommendations for
responses.

The student d
interpret the
limited abilit
provide reco
the problems

Guiding Question: Did I think/write about the relationship between the population pyramids and the social, political, economic and en
the recommendations I am providing effective and likely to resolve the issues related to population change?
E1: Sustainability of
Human Systems:
Analyze issues
relating to the
sustainability of
human systems in
Canada

The student identifies complex

relationships and demonstrates
creative processing skills to
identify problems and solutions
relating to the sustainability of
Canadas human systems for
both pyramids

The student uses critical and

creative processing skills to
identify major problems and
solutions relating to the
sustainability of Canadas human
systems for both pyramids

The student demonstrates some

critical and creative processing to
identify major problems which
somewhat relate to the
sustainability effort of Canadas
human systems in both pyramids

The student d
thinking abo
to the sustain
human syste

Guiding Questions: What are the advantages and disadvantages of the solutions to our identified problems? What are the factors behin
the population pyramids?

Communication:
A1: Geographic
Inquiry
Use the geographic
inquiry process and the
concepts of geographic
thinking when
investigating issues
related to Canadian
Geography

The student has presented a

highly organized finished
piece which displays their
ideas in a methodical manner.

The student is able to organize

their ideas and information in a
clear and logical manner.
The student has selected a format
that is appropriate to the
intended audience
(government) and is able to
communicate their purpose,
arguments and conclusions
cohesively.

The students project is somewhat

organized, but their ideas and
information are not always clear.
The student has selected a format
which is satisfactory to the intended
audience and is able to
communicate their arguments,
purpose and conclusions with some
cohesiveness.

The students
and their ide
always clear
The student h
not appropria
has difficulty
arguments, p
cohesively.

The student has demonstrated

an understanding of the
intended audience and has
selected the most appropriate
method to convey the
information
Guiding Questions: Does my project communicate my purpose to my intended audience? Is it expressed in an organized and logical manner that som
topic could understand it?

Application

D1:Population Issues:
Assess the impact on
Canadian communities
of changes in the
characteristics of
Canadas population
and describe ways of
responding to these
changes

The student exhibits a high

degree of understanding in
creating population pyramids
from data provided.
The student demonstrates a
mastery of the topic by
utilizing information from
class and applying it to both
pyramids

The student has effectively taken

the concept used to create the
2015 population pyramid and
utilized the same skills and
techniques with new data for
2050.

The student shows some

understanding of how to apply the
skills of creating a population
pyramid in creating the 2050 one;
however a few mistakes remain.

The student s
of how to cre

The student h
information
discussion to

The student has some ability to

The student has effectively used
apply information from different
information discussed at a
contexts to the consideration of
global context and applied it to
Canadas future population
the analysis of the 2015 and
problems.
2050 pyramids to assess the
future conditions.
Guiding Questions: Have I followed the steps necessary to create the 2050 population pyramid? Have I examined other case studies or example
information can help me in predicting the problems and solutions for Canadas future population trends?
E1: Sustainability of
The student is highly effective The student is able to recall
The student is able to recall some
The student h
Human Systems:
at applying and using
sustainability measures and
sustainability measures in familiar
sustainability
Analyze issues relating sustainability measures and
responses in familiar contexts and contexts and is able to loosely
and is challe
to the sustainability of
responses in familiar contexts
able to apply knowledge gained
apply knowledge from local and
knowledge f
human systems in
and is able to expertly
from looking at local and
regional responses to a national
initiatives to
Canada
examine solutions from
regional responses to the
scale.
multiple levels.
broader national initiatives.
Guiding Question: Did I examine Canadas current population difficulties and issues and have I critiqued the ability for local and regional scale
national level?

Considerations Made for IEP:

In the case of the IEP I was given, the student exhibited strength in oral expression, word recognition
and visual learning. For this assignment, the assessment has been broadened so as to limit the necessity
for the student to express themselves through written fluency or expression, but in multiple different
formats.
The student is also noted as having an area of need regarding executive functioning and attention which
is why the assignment has been laid out in such a manner that the student can receive steps at a time. An
accommodation for all that was made which would also provide support to this student is the checkpoint
system. With this method, students will have to meet with the teacher who can keep track and make sure
that students are meeting deadlines at the rate that they should be. This will aid in his organization,
initiation and ability to organize a project such as this and for them to build up confidence as they go
through the work.
When looking specifically at the accommodations this student has in terms of assessment, as a teacher I
have strived to meet each of the suggestions. In this instance, the assignment has intentionally been
broken down into smaller chunks for the benefit of all students. Depending on the type of format the
student wishes, the student would have access to a computer and the use of his Inspiration software. In
the case that this student was falling behind, extra time could be given to assist with the summative task.
Overall, I feel that the way that this assignment has been laid out would assist these students in
achieving as well as provides strategies that would benefit all students to succeed on this assignment.