Modeling Population Growth

Will all the people be able to fit? Using historical population growth rates for continents, pupils determine estimates for the future population. The second day, pupils investigate whether a linear, quadratic, or exponential function...

Students explore the concept of population growth. In this population growth lesson, students graph the population growth of a 'calcumite' which is a made up species whose population grows exponentially. Students plot the data over the...

Here learners get to flex some serious algebraic muscles through an investigation of logistic growth. The properties of the constant terms in the logistic growth formula are unraveled in a short but content-dense activity. Moving...

Modeling population growth gives learners an opportunity to experiment with real data. Comparing the growth rates in this real-life task strengthens learners' understanding that exponential functions change by equal factors over equal...

It's scary how fast bacteria can grow — exponentially. Class members solve exponential equations, including those modeling bacteria and population growth. Lesson emphasizes numerical approaches rather than graphical or algebraic.

How do you make a penny grow to $5,000 in just 15 days? Use the examples in this lesson to explore the concept of exponential growth and its comparison to linear models. Pupils come to understand that exponential growth eventually...

Show how exponential growth can look linear. Pupils come to understand the importance of looking at the entire picture as they compare the US population to the world population. Initially, the populations look linear with the same rate...

Through the exploration of population growth of a bacteria population, students learn about and observe bacteria population over a 20 hour period.  Students graph the population growth using a scatter plot and discuss its logistic...

Learners explore population growth in the United States and the impact it has had on society. First, they brainstorm the reasons for population growth and the results of these increases. Then, they design surveys, record results, and...

Students examine both historical and recent estimates of world population. They identify regions of the world that have had significant population growth in the last decade and speculate on reasons for this.