LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE

Your Name: Jailyn Jenkins

Title of Lesson: SUPERCALIFRAGILISTIC Exponential Growth & Decay
Grade: 8th

STANDARDS
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSF.LE.A.1.C: Recognize situations in which a quantity grows or decays
by a constant percent rate per unit interval relative to another.
NGSS Science: MS-ESS3-4.: Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in
human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact Earth's systems.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.6: Acquire and use accurately gradeappropriate general academic and
domainspecific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase
important to comprehension or expression

LESSON SUMMARY/OVERVIEW
During this lesson, the students have the opportunity to apply all they have learned about exponential
growth and decay and its representative equation to the world around them. Through the compilation of
data and inferences, the students will be able to assess which continent has the highest population growth
rate, while also reflecting on how a population that is growing or declining at an exponential may affect
the accessibility to and supply of resources. Sustainability encompasses the conservation, preservation,
and consumption moderation of resources, and areas that experience an exponential growth or decline in
population directly affect the resource supply. That being said, by exposing the students to this concept,
the significance of this lesson is increased, due to in-depth discussions and real-world application. This
lesson is sequenced to progress from the initial question, to cooperative learning as the students explore
and explain their understanding of the concept, and ending with reflective class discussions.

OBJECTIVES
Students will be able to apply exponential growth formulas to various population scenarios by using a
table to predict and record population data.
Students will be able to analyze how factors like exponential population growth affects certain
resources like food and water by completing a table that measures a continents overall population
growth rate and by engaging in a class discussion on the possible consequences that the continents
people may face as a result.
Students will be able to appropriately use newly acquired academic vocabulary terms by engaging in
class discussions and group presentations

ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION
Data Tables reflecting application and calculation of various countries populations
Group presentations on continents population growth rate
Appropriately used vocabulary during group discussions about populations and resources

PREREQUISITE KNOWLEDGE
Exponential growth/decay equation
Not everything lasts forever, thus meaning that resources (i.e. food, water, energy, fossil fuels, etc.)
do not have endless supplies

MATERIALS
1. Calculators
2. Writing Utensils
3. SCN 400: Population video
4. Continent population growth rate charts
5. Population Changes in the World data tables

VOCABULARY/KEY WORDS
1. Resources: a stock or supply of assets that is useful
2. Exponential Growth: something that grows at a rapid rate
3. Exponential Decay: something that declines or decreases at a fast rate
4. Sustainability: maintaining, moderating, and conserving the current resources so that future generations
do not have to sacrifice their way of living
TEACHING PROCEDURES
Opening
Say So weve been learning about exponential growth and decay. Aside from bacteria, what can grow
or decay exponentially? (Discuss with students)
Today we are going to focus on population and whether or not we are living sustainably as a human
race. Does anyone know what sustainability is? Give me an educated guess. (Allow students to share,
then present the actual definition)
Sustainability: maintaining, moderating, and conserving the current resources so that future generations
do not have to sacrifice their way of living (compare to predictions and clarify the meaning of
resources)
Turn on Population video from SCN 400 (first 5 minutes) then discuss any questions and comments.
Ask Why is it important for there to be both predators and prey in animal populations? How might the
populations be affected if there were no predators or prey? (Allow discussion and address the
importance of checks and balances so overpopulation or extinction does not occur)
Instructional Input: I Do
Teacher Will:
Students Will:
Say: After this activity, you should be able to
Work together in their groups to calculate
the various time lengths it takes for six
conclude which continent has the highest population
random countries populations to double
growth rate and infer or explain why. Work with
(based on a 10-year growth rate).
your groups and calculate at least one country by
Find the average population growth rate
yourself and then collaborate with your peers to
for their groups continent.
record the rest of your data. Once you have
Calculate how long it will take for the
calculated how long it will take for each countrys
continents population to double in size.
population size to double, find the mean of the
countries and use that number to represent the
continents overall population growth rate. Once you
have calculated the overall population growth rate,
work with that to calculate how long it will take for
the continents population to double in size.
Model expectations by working as a class to
hypothesize and calculate the population doubling
time on the Doc Camera.
Say: Now apply what we just did to the countries on
your continent and be ready to present your
information and findings.
Guided Practice: We Do
Explain that each group is expected to present
Present their findings about their continent
their continent, the six countries they selected
(how many decades it will take for their
and their growth rates, the hypotheses, the county
continents population to double)
population doubling time, and the average
Note: every student will present some

continent population growth rate.

Randomly select groups to present
Call on group members to present information
(popcorn style)
Say: Based on what we learned about the
different continents, how can a high population
growth rate affect the citizens access to different
resources like land, water, and food?
Independent Practice: You Do
Allot 3 minutes for the students to finalize the
information on their Population Changes in the
World data tables.

piece of relevant information

Brainstorm how large population growth
rates may affect their access to resources.
Discuss the different effects.

Add which continent has the highest

population growth rate and how long it will
take for the continents population to
double to their data tables.
Pass in their data tables

Collect all data tables

Closing
After hearing each continents population growth rate, which continent has the highest growth rate?
(Students answer) Why do you think (Africa) has the highest population growth rate? How might that
affect their access to resources? What if Australia had the same population growth rate? Which one
would be experience worse effects? Why?
The goal of this activity was for you all to be able to apply the exponential growth and decay equations
to the world around you, specifically with population scenarios. In addition, you should also be able to
analyze the different effects of exponential population growth rates. Showing me with your thumbs up,
thumbs to the side, or thumbs down, were you able to accomplish these?
(Allow students to respond, explain, and assess themselves, then collect the data tables)
RESOURCES

Hartwell, L. (Director) (2015, January 18). Population. Sustainability Science for Teachers.
Lecture conducted from Arizona State University, .
World in the Balance. (2004, April 20). Retrieved February 20, 2015, from
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/education/programs/3108_worldbal.html
WAYS OF THINKING CONNECTION
Using Futures Thinking, the students should be able to observe, collect data, and compare both the
benefits and drawbacks of a population experiencing growth or decay at an exponential rate. Through
their development and practice of scientific argumentation, the students will be able to establish a
standpoint on whether population growth is beneficial or not and present valid and relevant evidence to
support their claim, thus strengthening their overall rationale. By advocating for both perspectives, the
students should be able to see that the population of an area directly affects the resources and conversely,
the population is directly affected by the amount of available resources. This lesson should encourage the
students to look beyond the present and think about how the supply of and accessibility to resources may
be affected by the population growth or decay rates of different areas. In addition to recognizing the
importance of balanced populations and their growth rates, the students should also be able to recognize
the importance of moderation and conservation of resources, by prioritizing and evaluating the difference
between wants and needs. By differentiating between wants and needs, we as a human race can have
enough resources to sustain mankind through population growth or decline, due to planning ahead and
utilizing Futures Thinking. During the closing of the lesson, have a class discussion and highlight the
importance of making positive decisions today, because not only does that affect how we live tomorrow,
but it also affects the quality of life of the future generations.