La Vega High School Lesson Plans
2013-2014
Subject: WORLD GEOGRAPHY / Teacher Name: CHRIS WARDWeek of: 1/13/2014 / Room Number: 211
Monday: Demographics / The learner will be able to…describe the technological innovations, natural resource policies cultural perceptions and conflicts that influence economic activities
TEKS O/SE: WG.5A WG.5B WG. WG.7C WG.10A WG.10B / The learner will learn by…Cornell notes, interpreting a graphic organizer, class discussion
ELPS 2F, 3J, 4F, 3D , 3F, 3G , 1E , 1C , 3B , 4C , 5B , 5C , 1A , 4B , 4G , 4H , 5F, 5G / The learner will have mastered the lesson when…create a graphic organizer that illustrates the relationship between physical features, economic activities and settlement patterns.
Lesson Cycle / Activity / Resources
Engage / 2. With a partner, students compare statistics and deduce the answer to the following questions: What might affect life expectancy and what may have caused it to change over time? (for both countries) What does the difference between the GDP Per Capita say about differences between these two countries? What does having access to the internet, telephones, and cellular phones generally mean politically or socially? What is noticeable about the change over time of telephone main line users in the U.S.? Would someone who is extremely poor be concerned about accessingthe internet? Would that be considered a tool of survival? What is the definition of poverty? What contributes to poverty? What does the life expectancy say about the standard of living in both countries? Which factors likely affect the economic success of a country? Which data best indicates the economic status of a country? 3. Student partners (pairs) join one other pair of students and compare their findings based on the data. 4. Each group of four shares with the whole class at least one response to one of the questions listed above. For each of the responses, facilitate a discussion to involve the whole class by asking questions such as: What else might we add to this response? 5. Say: We have been studying about the history of Russia and the Republics and have learned of the many changes that have occurred. Do you think any of these changes affected the economy? Let’s explore.
Explore / 1. In groups of three, students research demographic data for selected regions and compare the data to earlier data.
2. Distribute to each of the groups the Handout: Economic Data for Russia and the Republics 2012, the Handout: Economic Data for Russia and theInstructional Procedures Notes for Teacher
Republics 2010, the Handout: Population Data for Russia and the Republics 2010 and the Handout: Population Data for Russia and the Republics 2012.
3. Groups research demographic data from the CIA World Factbook at:
4. Explain to students how to navigate through the website. (Hover over the region/country, click and open the page that corresponds to the country. Scroll down to find specific information relevant to economic and population data. Note: some data is not always from the same year. The database will usually note an earlier data collection year. Students should use the most up-to-date information listed in the CIA World Factbook.
5. The countries for research are listed on the handouts as well as below. Groups may be assigned individual or several countries to research for efficiency. The handouts can be jigsawed for all groups to fill in the information for all other countries.
Explain / Student model
Extend / Student apply
Evaluate / Informal/Formal
Ensure / Homework/Tutorial/Remediation
Accommodations / SPED: provide notes, reduced assignments, extra time, opportunity to repeat and explain instructions, reading assistance, no penalty for spelling, check for understanding, seat near teacher, modified assignments / LEP: use of pictures, use of key terms, use of Spanish/English dictionary, multiple choice questions
AVID Strategies / Cornell Notes
Mentor/Inclusion
Tuesday: Demographics / The learner will be able to…describe the technological innovations, natural resource policies cultural perceptions and conflicts that influence economic activities
TEKS O/SE: WG.5A WG.5B WG. WG.7C WG.10A WG.10B / The learner will learn by…Cornell notes, interpreting a graphic organizer, class discussion
ELPS 2F, 3J, 4F, 3D , 3F, 3G , 1E , 1C , 3B , 4C , 5B , 5C , 1A , 4B , 4G , 4H , 5F, 5G / The learner will have mastered the lesson when…create a graphic organizer that illustrates the relationship between physical features, economic activities and settlement patterns.
Lesson Cycle / Activity / Resources
Engage / Bellringer:
Explore / Discovery
Explain / 1. Groups continue to research demographic data for the selected regions/countries.
2. Guide student through a discussion concerning what the statistics may indicate about a country.
Provide the following (review) for students by writing these on the board:
Higher GDP per capita is associated with more developed nations and higher standards of living.
Higher GDP per capita is associated with an economic focus on Services rather that Agriculture.
Higher GDP per capita is associated with lower poverty rates.
Higher GDP per capita is associated with lower growth rates and higher life expectancies.
Growth rates are closely tied to the cultural or social values of a nation, as well as other factors (Access to birth control methods-may be inappropriate to discuss with students).
3. Also provide the following as a guide for analyzing the data:
Economic Data will primarily give students information about the GDP, economic activities, and imports/exports for a country.
Population Data gives students information about the total population, population structure, birth rates, death rates, life expectancy, and growth Land Use Data gives students information about the size of a country and what type of land is available for cultivation.
4. After all the data has been recorded, distribute to each of the groups the Handout: Analyzing Demographic Data (this section will take the remainder of the class period).
Extend / Student apply
Evaluate / Informal/Formal
Ensure / Homework/Tutorial/Remediation
Accommodations / SPED: provide notes, reduced assignments, extra time, opportunity to repeat and explain instructions, reading assistance, no penalty for spelling, check for understanding, seat near teacher, modified assignments / LEP: use of pictures, use of key terms, use of Spanish/English dictionary, multiple choice questions
AVID Strategies / Cornell Notes
Mentor/Inclusion
Wednesday: Demographics / The learner will be able to…describe the technological innovations, natural resource policies cultural perceptions and conflicts that influence economic activities
TEKS O/SE: WG.5A WG.5B WG. WG.7C WG.10A WG.10B / The learner will learn by…Cornell notes, interpreting a graphic organizer, class discussion
ELPS 2F, 3J, 4F, 3D , 3F, 3G , 1E , 1C , 3B , 4C , 5B , 5C , 1A , 4B , 4G , 4H , 5F, 5G / The learner will have mastered the lesson when…create a graphic organizer that illustrates the relationship between physical features, economic activities and settlement patterns.
Lesson Cycle / Activity / Resources
Engage / Bellringer:
Explore / Discovery
Explain / 1. Students create population pyramids for two to three countries.
2. Instructions for creating a population pyramid on Excel may be downloaded from:
3. An example document with data from 2000 is available as Teacher Resource: Example Population Pyramid in Excel.
4. Students will need to research current population levels at Census Bureau at This lesson is similar to research conducted in Unit 3,Lesson 1. Students chose a) from the Select Report dropdown menu “Population by Five-Year Age Groups,” b) from the Select Year list the most current year, and c) from Select Country(ies) the country in the region they are researching. By clicking submit, students may use the data in the
5. Groups also create a table and a population pyramid bar graph in Excel illustrating data collected using Teacher Resource: Example Population Pyramid in Excel as a template if necessary.. If time is limited, student may use a paper version from Handout: Population Pyramid Template
Extend / Student apply
Evaluate / Informal/Formal
Ensure / Homework/Tutorial/Remediation
Accommodations / SPED: provide notes, reduced assignments, extra time, opportunity to repeat and explain instructions, reading assistance, no penalty for spelling, check for understanding, seat near teacher, modified assignments / LEP: use of pictures, use of key terms, use of Spanish/English dictionary, multiple choice questions
AVID Strategies / Cornell Notes
Mentor/Inclusion
Thursday: Demographics / The learner will be able to…describe the technological innovations, natural resource policies cultural perceptions and conflicts that influence economic activities
TEKS O/SE: WG.5A WG.5B WG. WG.7C WG.10A WG.10B / The learner will learn by…Cornell notes, interpreting a graphic organizer, class discussion
ELPS 2F, 3J, 4F, 3D , 3F, 3G , 1E , 1C , 3B , 4C , 5B , 5C , 1A , 4B , 4G , 4H , 5F, 5G / The learner will have mastered the lesson when…create a graphic organizer that illustrates the relationship between physical features, economic activities and settlement patterns.
Lesson Cycle / Activity / Resources
Engage / Bellringer:
Explore / Discovery
Explain / Student model
Extend / 6. Each group shares and explains population pyramids, charts and graphs with one other group.
7. After all groups present their data, each group answers the following:
— How is the character of a place related to its political, economic, social and cultural elements?
— What demographic indicators determine the level of development and standard of living in Russia and the Republics?
— How have the population trends changed over time and why?
— How has Russia been classified on an economic spectrum through time?
— Identify a problem encountered by the country your groups has researched, based on the data you have collected and propose a solution.
Evaluate / Informal/Formal
Ensure / Homework/Tutorial/Remediation
Accommodations / SPED: provide notes, reduced assignments, extra time, opportunity to repeat and explain instructions, reading assistance, no penalty for spelling, check for understanding, seat near teacher, modified assignments / LEP: use of pictures, use of key terms, use of Spanish/English dictionary, multiple choice questions
AVID Strategies / Cornell Notes
Mentor/Inclusion
Friday: Demographics / The learner will be able to…describe the technological innovations, natural resource policies cultural perceptions and conflicts that influence economic activities
TEKS O/SE: WG.5A WG.5B WG. WG.7C WG.10A WG.10B / The learner will learn by…Cornell notes, interpreting a graphic organizer, class discussion
ELPS 2F, 3J, 4F, 3D , 3F, 3G , 1E , 1C , 3B , 4C , 5B , 5C , 1A , 4B , 4G , 4H , 5F, 5G / The learner will have mastered the lesson when…create a graphic organizer that illustrates the relationship between physical features, economic activities and settlement patterns.
Lesson Cycle / Activity / Resources
Engage / Bellringer:
Explore / Discovery
Explain / Student model
Extend / Student apply
Evaluate / Create a multi-media presentation that advises potential international businesses about the economic activities and demographics of Russia and the Republics. Include two demographic population pyramids that illustrate age and gender further supporting how demographic data illustrates the political, economic and social characteristics of a country
Ensure / Homework/Tutorial/Remediation
Accommodations / SPED: provide notes, reduced assignments, extra time, opportunity to repeat and explain instructions, reading assistance, no penalty for spelling, check for understanding, seat near teacher, modified assignments / LEP: use of pictures, use of key terms, use of Spanish/English dictionary, multiple choice questions
AVID Strategies / Cornell Notes
Mentor/Inclusion