1. Geography Lesson 4: Population Structure
AfL
Share these AfL learning intentions with pupils in your introduction to the lesson.
Share and negotiate success criteria with pupils.
Examples of success criteria
Pupils will be able to:
explain the information they find in population pyramids; and
investigate the population structures for LEDCs and MEDCs and the reasons for any differences.
Make sure pupils understand the term distribution.
Also ensure that pupils recall the definitions of the terms LEDC and MEDC.

2. that a population pyramid can show a country’s population structure
Learning Intentions
We are learning…
that a population pyramid can show a country’s population structure
that we can use population pyramids to interpret information about the distribution of age groups within a population
about the differences in population pyramids for LEDCs and MEDCs and the factors that cause these
AfL
Share these AfL learning intentions with pupils in your introduction to the lesson.
Share and negotiate success criteria with pupils.
Examples of success criteria
Pupils will be able to:
explain the information they find in population pyramids; and
investigate the population structures for LEDCs and MEDCs and the reasons for any differences.
Make sure pupils understand the term distribution.
Also ensure that pupils recall the definitions of the terms LEDC and MEDC.

3. Population structure
We know that the population of the world is rapidly increasing.
AfL
This part of the lesson uses the following strategies:
effective questioning; and
scaffolding reflection
by asking for feedback from pupils; and
by encouraging peer and self-assessment.
Remind pupils that you are asking the questions about the whole world, which includes all types of countries.

4. Population structure
The population structure of a country (or of the world) tells us the number of males and females in each age group.
There is a diagram to illustrate the population structure called a population pyramid.
AfL
This part of the lesson uses the following strategies:
effective questioning; and
scaffolding reflection
by asking for feedback from pupils; and
by encouraging peer and self-assessment.

5. World population pyramid
AfL
This part of the lesson uses the following strategies:
effective questioning; and
scaffolding reflection
by asking for feedback from pupils.
Discuss the main points of this population pyramid to ensure all pupils understand what it shows.

6. Compare and analyse population pyramids
Look at the shape of the population pyramid on Worksheet 4. It was drawn from data for the UK in 2014.
Compare its shape with the population pyramid for the whole world
(see Resource 4a).
Write a sentence to describe any differences.
Now complete the questions on Worksheet 4.
AfL
This part of the lesson uses the following strategies:
effective questioning; and
scaffolding reflection
by asking for feedback from pupils; and
by encouraging peer and self-assessment.
Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities
In this activity, pupils have the opportunity to develop the following skills:
Managing Information;
Thinking, Problem-Solving and Decision-Making;
Being Creative; and
Working with Others.
Give pupils copies of Resource 4a, which shows a world population pyramid, and Worksheet 4, which shows a population pyramid for the UK in They should compare the two before answering the specific questions on Worksheet 4.

7. LEDC and MEDC population pyramids
AfL
This part of the lesson uses the following strategies:
effective questioning; and
scaffolding reflection
by asking for feedback from pupils; and
by encouraging peer and self-assessment.
Give pupils copies of Resource 4b, which shows the two population pyramids represented on this slide. Ask them to work in pairs.
Discuss differences between the two population pyramids with pupils.
The first pyramid represents an LEDC and the second population pyramid shows an MEDC – but do not share this information with pupils until they have completed the activity.
Ask pupils to note the major differences on the resource sheet.
One population pyramid is for an MEDC and one is for an LEDC.
Discuss with a partner which is which and give reasons why you think this.

8. Generate population pyramids
Visit this population pyramid website:
Choose one LEDC using the alphabetic menu.
Repeat the steps above for one MEDC country.
Choose the present year from the drop-down menu.
Comment on the differences.
Note the main features of the population pyramid which you created.
AfL
This part of the lesson uses the following strategies:
effective questioning; and
scaffolding reflection
by asking for feedback from pupils; and
by encouraging peer and self-assessment.
This is a UN website which generates population pyramids for all UN countries for each year from 1950 to the present day. It can also generate projected population pyramids.
It is fairly user friendly so pupils should be able to navigate it independently (using their tablets if available).
If time permits, investigate how the population structure of these countries are forecast to change in the future, using the future year options in the dropdown menu.