1. Population A geographic “BIG IDEA” with many consequences in China
Population density helps us understand many other geographic features in China,
including patterns of crop production,
dynasties, inventions, large building projects,
highways, factories, trade, pollution,
disease, and human rights.

2. Population A geographic “BIG IDEA” with many consequences in China
Note to Teachers:
This lesson plan and PowerPoint is one way to adapt the Big Ideas Population in China unit to a specific focus on the geography and population of China. Please refer to the unit on our website (cst.cmich.edu/mga/) to find all the Big Ideas units and much more material than is contained in this lesson.

3. Population A geographic “BIG IDEA” with many consequences in China
OBJECTIVES for students:
Students will:
Compare China and the United States in size, latitude, geography and population
Explain climatic reasons for patterns of population
List and explain some consequences of large, dense populations

4. Population National Standards Michigan Content Expectations
Standard 4. The physical and human characteristics of places.
Standard 9.  The characteristics, distribution, and migration of human populations on Earth's surface.
Michigan Content Expectations
Middle School:
6 – G1.2.3 Use data to create thematic maps and graphs showing patterns of population, physical terrain, rainfall, and vegetation, analyze the patterns and then propose two generalizations about the location and density of the population.
High School: Population
CGI: Explain the causes and consequences of population changes over the past 50 years by analyzing the distributions of population

5. “Using Big Ideas to teach Population in China”
Pretest
“Using Big Ideas to teach Population in China”
1. China has ___ times as many people as the US
2 times
4 times
6 times
10 times
5. The land area of China extends
Farther south than the US
Farther south and west than the US
Farther south, west, and north than the US
2. Land area of China compared to the US is:
Much less
About the same
Much more
6. One positive consequence of a large population:
7. One negative consequence of a large population:
3. Manchuria, China’s northlands, is _____________ than Michigan or Ontario
Wetter and colder
Wetter and warmer
Drier and colder
Drier and warmer
4. The capital cities (Washington DC and Beijing) have climates that are
Very similar
Very different

6. China has about the same area as the United States,
but it has more than four times as many people.
Both countries
cover roughly
the same latitude
and general position
on the east coast
of their continents.
As a result,
many of the environments
in China
are similar to
places in the
United States.

7. The Idea of Analogous Climates
An analogy is a statement of relationships:
e.g., Ford is to the U.S. as Toyota is to Japan.
Analogies are a powerful way
to organize knowledge about the world.
A climatic analog is a distant place
that has a situation similar to one you know,
and therefore is likely to have
weather conditions that are also similar.

8. The Idea of Analogous Climates
By "similar situation" we mean:
roughly the same distance away from the Equator
(therefore both places get roughly the same amount of solar energy in both winter and summer.)
2) roughly the same elevation above sea level
(therefore both places are about the same amount cooler than expected at that latitude.)
3) roughly the same distance and direction from the ocean (therefore both places have about the same general pattern of precipitation (rain and snow).

9. For example,
Hong Kong and Miami are both
- on the east coast,
- near the same latitude,
and
- close to warm ocean.
Not surprisingly,
both cities have
mild winters,
hot summers,
and occasional
hurricanes
in the fall.

10. in China is analogous to:
Which city
in China is analogous to:
Washington DC
Pittsburgh
Reno
Savannah

11. Pittsburgh
Reno
Washington, DC
Savannah
Miami

12. Shanghai and
Savannah, GA,
have almost
identical climates.

13. The capital cities,
Beijing and
Washington,
also have
very similar
weather.

14. have even more similarities – both were centers for steelmaking,
Shenyang and
Pittsburgh are
two more cities
with similar
climates.
These two cities
have even more similarities –
both were centers
for steelmaking, .
and both became hi-tech centers
when the steel
industry faded.

15. The old Silk Road city of Kashgar and Reno, Nevada:
But Kashgar
(also called Kashi)
is a much older city
and has ten times
as many people
as Reno.
The old Silk Road city of Kashgar and Reno, Nevada:
Both are located about 4300 feet above sea level,
in small irrigated oases on major transcontinental routes,
between high mountains to the west and desert to the east.
Reno
Kashgar

16. What are two significant geographic differences between US and China?
Question
for you:
What are two significant geographic differences between US and China?

17. China does not have a west coast
China does not have a west coast. Therefore, it has no places like California, Oregon, Washington, or Alaska.
Differences
And remember,
California is by far
the number one
food-producing state
in the United States.

18. Another huge difference:
China does not have
anything like
the Great Lakes.

19. Another huge difference: China does not have anything like
Manchuria
Mongolia
Another huge difference:
China does not have
anything like
the Great Lakes.
As a result, China’s “northlands”
(Mongolia and Manchuria)
are much colder and drier
than Wisconsin, Michigan,
or Ontario, Canada.

20. The Great Lakes
are a big benefit
for food production
in the United States.
China does not have
any large region
of prime farmland
like the Corn Belt
in the Midwest.

21. What China does have is four giant river systems.
The Amur
on the border
with Russia.
The Huang He -
“He” means
muddy river.
The Yangtze Jiang –
“Jiang” means
clear blue river.
The Zhu Jiang
(also known
by an English name,
the Pearl River).

22. Topography
of China
Does China have more or less land over a mile high than US?
Describe the topography of China from west to east.

23. Precipitation in China
How does this compare to the US pattern of precipitation?
How can you explain the pattern of precipitation in southwest China?

25. First, let’s review some population vocabulary
Let’s combine what we know about the physical geography of China to see how it affects population distribution.
First, let’s review some population vocabulary

26. Total _______ of _______in an _____
POPULATION
Total _______ of _______in an _____
number
people
area
Examples:
United States has a population of 321,267,425
Nebraska has a population of 1,881,503
Lincoln, Nebraska has a population of 268,738

27. The _______ of people per _____ __ _____ within a _______ _____
POPULATION DENSITY
The _______ of people per _____ __ _____ within a _______ _____
number
unit
certain area
of space
Number of people: population
Square miles
Per Unit of space:
Square kilometers
Square yards
In a certain area:
Country
State
Classroom

28. The number of people per unit of space within a certain area
POPULATION DENSITY
The number of people per unit of space within a certain area
This is determined by dividing the number of people by the land area

29. The number of people per unit of space within a certain area
POPULATION DENSITY
The number of people per unit of space within a certain area
Example:
The land area of the United States is 3,536,290 square miles. The United States has a density of 91 people per square mile.
divided by 3,536,290 = 91

30. The number of people per unit of space within a certain area
POPULATION DENSITY
The number of people per unit of space within a certain area
Example:
The land area of Nebraska is 76,878 square miles. Nebraska has a density of ____people per square mile. 24
1,881,503 divided by 76,878

31. The number of people per unit of space within a certain area
POPULATION DENSITY
The number of people per unit of space within a certain area
Example:
If an area of land is 500 square miles, and the population of the area is 4000, what is the population density?
4000 divided by 500 = 8

32. The number of people per unit of space within a certain area
POPULATION DENSITY
The number of people per unit of space within a certain area
Example:
The state senate districts are determined by population. Each district has a population of between 250,000 and 350,000, but is not the same size. Therefore, the density of districts vary from 22 persons per square mile to 1538.

33. POPULATION DISTRIBUTION
How ___________is spread out or ___________over an area
population
arranged
Example:
While Nebraska’s population density is only 24, Lancaster County, Nebraska has a density of 298 people per square mile.
What might be located here?

34. POPULATION DISTRIBUTION
How population is spread out or arranged over an area
Example:
Lincoln has a density of 2974 people per square mile.
Is the population distribution equal in Lancaster County?

35. POPULATION POPULATION POPULATION DENSITY POPULATION DISTRIBUTION
Total number of people in an area
The number of people per unit of space within a certain area
How population is spread out or arranged over an area
LIMITS AND ATTRACTIONS
Why do people live in some areas and not others?

36. Where do you think China’s population is
and why?

37. Shade your map to show population density and distribution
Describe the density and distribution and give geographic reasons for the patterns

41. The floodplains of three rivers have had
large populations throughout Chinese history.
The old capitals
of Luoyang
and Xi’an
are on the
Huang He.
Four great cities
are spaced along
the Yangtze.
Guangzhou (Canton)
and Hong Kong
are near the mouth
of the Pearl.

42. Today, six of these cities are the urban cores of areas
of especially large population.
Beijing
Nanjing,
Shanghai
Chongqing
Guangzhou,
Hong Kong

43. Today, six of these cities are the urban cores of areas
of especially large population.
Remember,
Beijing’s climate
is like Washington
or New York City.
and Chongqing
is like Dallas
(with rainier summers
and drier winters)
Shanghai
is like
Savannah
Hong Kong
is like Miami

44. Describe the population distribution of China

45. Write some consequences of a large, dense population
What are some advantages? Disadvantages?

46. of a large, dense population
Consequences
of a large, dense population
Advantage
Disadvantage

47. of a large, dense population
Consequences
of a large, dense population
Advantage
Disadvantage
More people can produce more products
More chance of developing and spreading disease
More people can defend their territory from attack
Less personal freedom
Many smart people to invent things
More stress on resources and environment
More people to trade with
More pollution

48. Extensions What are some limits on population? Political
Natural Disasters
Disease
How has China dealt with the large dense populations?
One-child policy
Relocation