This lesson discusses population growth, both in the United States and in the world. Topics include factors that influence population growth, such as government policy, religion, education or economic levels, energy use per capita, and whether a country is agrarian or industrial. The lesson includes an activity in which students research an online resource on population growth and answer questions ... Full description.

This lesson reinforces the idea that Earth's population, including the population of the United States, is gowing at a dramatic rate. It discusses some of the basics of demography, the study of population and its changes, and introduces key terms used to describe a population. The lesson inlcudes an activity in which students use an online reference to look up some population statistics and answer ... Full description.

This lesson introduces students to the concept of ecological footprint, the overall impact of an individual on the environment. Topics include how ecological footprints are calculated, how individual footprints translate to entire nations or to the Earth, and the connection between ecological footprint and biodiversity. The students will consult some online resources on ecological footprint and use ... Full description.

This lesson provides an introduction to the problems associated with ground-level ozone ('smog'). It reinforces the idea that ozone at ground level is harmful while that in the upper atmosphere has a beneficial effect. There is also discussion about how ozone is formed and some of its effects on air quality and human health. Students can listen to two National Publc Radio (NPR) shows that discuss ... Full description.

One of the primary tools that demographers use to understand population is the age structure diagram, a graphic representation that shows the distribution by ages of females and males within a certain population. This lesson describes how these diagrams are constructed and interpreted. It includes an activity in which students use online data on Native American populations from the United States Census ... Full description.

This lesson presents a comparison of the outlook for energy independence between the United States and France. Topics include the average per capita energy usage between the two countries, differences in types of energy usage, and the strong reliance by the French on nuclear generation of electricity. There is also a discussion of the future of nuclear power in France, as environmental and economic ... Full description.