August is when I get serious about prepping lessons for the fall. I plan to start with Ecology, specifically food webs. Along with Ecology is the topic of populations. This is an opportunity to slip in some Demographics. Early in the school year, my emphasis is on building skills and introducing a wide range of topics. My kids are going to create histograms. The Power of the Pyramids introduces histograms, cohorts, and interesting demographic profiles, especially India and China. Look at the male to female ratios. The Washington Post article and one from Forbes have some information on the unintended consequences of China's One Child Policy. (These article do not discuss forced abortions or forced sterilizations.) Many European countries are experiencing a 'baby bust', while African and South American countries have 'baby booms'. What are the implications? You may want to provide a few news articles. Remember that countries, such as France, Spain, and Italy have serious immigration issues and a 'baby bust'.
Why would I start with this? One reason is the activity has some math and another is that populations, cohorts, etc. are related to Ecology. Lastly, controversial issues provide kids with an opportunity to consider our faith in the context of these issues, especially for devote Catholics. I'm anticipating a lively class!
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