PRB

Welcome to the training manual for the set of lesson plans called “Making Population Real.” This is a trainer’s resource for demonstrating select student activities from five of the seven Making Population Real lesson plans.

Background

The “Making Population Real” teaching package, especially designed for the population unit of AP Human Geography,* helps students understand and master key population concepts, demonstrate research skills, and create charts and graphs. Through lesson plans, background readings, and classroom activities students learn about the following seven topics:
1.  Population Fundamentals
2.  Populations in the Path of Natural Hazards
3.  The Demographic Transition
4.  HIV/AIDS
5.  Population Policy
6.  People on the Move
7.  Global Migration Patterns.

Overview

The training manual provides teacher trainers with a set of training materials on five of the above population topics, using select student activities from the “Making Population Real” curricula. The materials include an Overview PowerPoint presentation introducing participants to the lesson plans, as well as presentations explaining five of the lesson plans in detail. The anticipated audience for these training sessions is secondary educators. A brief overview of the content of each training session is provided in the attachments called “Facilitation Tips and Handouts.”

Downloadable Sections of the Training Manual

Presentation on The Demographic Transition (PPT: 646KB)
Facilitation Tips and Handouts on The Demographic Transition (PDF: 369KB)

Presentation on Populations in the Path of Natural Hazards (PPT: 539KB)
Facilitation Tips and Handouts on Natural Hazards (PDF: 1.98MB)

Presentation on HIV/AIDS and Contemporary Population Dynamics (PPT: 788KB)
Facilitation Tips and Handouts on HIV/AIDS (PDF: 603KB)

Presentation on Population Policy (PPT: 1MB)
Facilitation Tips and Handouts on Population Policy (PDF: 1.63MB)

Presentation on Global Migration Patterns (PPT: 494KB)
Facilitation Tips and Handouts on Migration (PDF: 739KB)

Training Sessions

Each presentation includes a hands-on activity so the participants can see the topic unfold and become more familiar with the lesson plan materials. The handouts for these activities are included in the corresponding “Facilitation Tips and Handouts” file (provided in PDF format). The sessions can easily be carried out using pen and paper (specific material requirements are detailed in the “Facilitation Tips and Handouts” packet). With some minor modifications, these sessions could also be conducted in a computer lab, providing participants with an opportunity to browse the lesson plans online. The sessions on the demographic transition and global migration patterns would be especially well suited for use in a computer lab as they include graphing exercises (Excel files are provided in the actual lesson plans). To carry out any of the training sessions, we provide you with guidelines for conducting a 45-minute training workshop or a three-hour training workshop.

45-Minute Workshop

Goal: Engage teachers in a particular population topic.

Choose any of the provided PowerPoint presentations (besides the Overview) to conduct an inter-active and informative training session. A suggested agenda for each session is included in the corresponding “Facilitation Tips and Handouts” packet.

Three-Hour Workshop

Goals: Engage teachers in three population topics and provide more detail about the curricula these activities are based on and the creators of “Making Population Real.”

Choose any three of the five topics provided below to introduce participants to a range of issues and tools for the study of population.

Suggested Agenda:

15 minutes: Introduce yourself. If participant numbers allow, ask participants to introduce themselves by name, school or community, grades taught, and subjects taught. Explain the agenda for the day. Ask participants to identify their learning goals for the workshop and list these on a flip chart.

15 minutes: Use the Making Population Real Overview PowerPoint to provide background on the source of the curricula about to be demonstrated.

45 minutes: 1st module (Recommend: The Demographic Transition session)

15 minutes: Break.

45 minutes: 2nd module. (Recommend: HIV/AIDS and Contemporary Population Dynamics session)

45 minutes: 3rd module. (Recommend: Global Migration Patterns session)

Acknowledgments

PRB would like to acknowledge Rich Cairn for working with us in developing these Training of Trainers materials. He is the social studies coordinator at Hampshire Educational Collaborative in Northampton, Mass. Support for this training manual comes from the World Population Fund of the Minneapolis Foundation.

*AP and the Advanced Placement Program are registered trademarks of the College Entrance Examination Board, which was not involved in the production of these lesson plans.