Calculating population growth for a region

Overview

Intermediate students select, retrieve and print data from a database. This activity will help students become familiar with the components of population growth.

Objectives

• To retrieve and print data from a database.
• To develop an understanding of the components of population growth.
• To appreciate the importance of the components for civic planning.

Suggested grade levels and subject areas

Intermediate
Mathematics, Social Studies and Computer Science

Outcomes

Students will

• produce a table of the components of population growth for a specific region of Canada;
• define the components of population growth;
• describe the major trends in the components of population growth for a region; and
• analyse the population growth in a region.

Vocabulary

Births — refers to the number of live births observed in a population during a given period.
Deaths — refers to the number of deaths occurring in a population during a given period.
Immigration — to become a permanent resident of a country other than one's native land.
Emigration — to leave one's own country to settle in another.
Interprovincial Migration — movement from one province or territory to another involving a permanent change in residence.
Focus questions — questions designed to guide research projects.

Materials

• Access to E-STAT.
• E-STAT Instructions.
• Student worksheet 1.
  • Canada
  • Newfoundland
  • Prince Edward Island
  • Nova Scotia
  • New Brunswick
  • Quebec
  • Ontario
  • Manitoba
  • Saskatchewan
  • Alberta
  • British Columbia
  • Northwest Territories
  • Nunavut
  • Yukon
• Student worksheet 2.

Classroom instructions

Depending on class size and the number of computers, students may work individually or in pairs.

1. Review the concepts related to the components of population growth.
2. Demonstrate how to retrieve data from E-STAT.
3. Students complete Part A on the worksheet 1 using E-STAT or teacher-generated tables.
4. Before starting Part B, review the five types of focus questions using the blackline master provided.

Please e-mail comments or examples of how you used this exercise in your class.

Recommend this page!