Love That Move!

Changing Demographics

A WebQuest for 6th-7th Grade integrating Social Studies and Mathematics

Introduction:

You are a top salesman for Nike Shoe Company. The company has just introduced a brand new basketball sneaker. Nike is considering selling it in Florida. You have been selected to determine which part of the state of Florida, people are most likely to buy your sneaker. There is information about the population of the different parts of the state of Florida, which you must know before you can make a decision. Demographic studies can tell us a lot about changes in a country's economy and culture. For example, government can use this information to plan for roads and schools. In addition, businesses can predict the size of the market for their product. What information would you need to know about the population of the different parts of the state before you start selling?

The Tasks:

A salesman for Nike's shoe company utilizes reasoning and conceptual understanding skills to develop a PowerPoint presentation. To do this, you will need to use all the information gathered:

Define the following terms: demography and population.

Identify factors that affect populations.

Identify three main categories that limit population expansion and explain each.
Find the temperature for two cities in Florida and decide if temperature is a factor in considering if the people who would wear the sneakers.

Develop a PowerPoint presentation to present to your company to support your ideas.

The Process:

To accomplish the objectives, you will work through a series of tasks.

1. Let's begin our task by defining population and demography using the Britannic encyclopedia, and explain the meaning to your partner in your own terms and give examples. To understand changing demographics, it is important to understand these terms.
2. There are factors that affect given populations. To begin our study on Florida, learn the three ways in which population growth can be reduced. Find out which counties are predicted to have zero population growth within the next 20 years and place the findings in your journal.
3. Develop a chart of the top ten population districts in Florida, and find the average and explain. Find the temperature of Tallahassee and Miami using the blinking indicators on the map. According to question number 2, is temperature important in deciding if sneakers can be sold in this area?
4. Using the census report, give possible explanations for the population shift using 1940 and 1960 charts of the southern and western regions of the United States. Compare and contrast information found after clicking on the year indicated. Upon completion of this task, determine which facts about Florida would be helpful in making your decision and develop a questionnaire using word processing for your classmates. (More facts on Florida)
5. Complete the development of the sample PowerPoint presentation to present to your company to support your ideas.

The Evaluation:

Upon completion of all tasks, you can get a possible score of 100 by obtaining a score of 20 points in each category. The scale points are outlined per each row which is scaled from 5 points to 20 points.

	Beginning 5	Developing 10	Accomplished 15	Exemplary 20
Knowledge of demography and population	Can define terms and was not able to use language to define terms in own words to partner	Can define terms and was limited in explaining to partner the terminology	Can explain in their own terms and able to explain to partner without ability to give examples	Can explain in their own terms and able to give examples of demography and population
Finding factors that effect the population and Identify Zero Population Growth Prediction	Can only provide one or two of the population factors, and can not list the counties predicted to have zero population growth, and findings is in journal	Can list all the population factors, and can not list the countries predicted to have zero population growth, and findings is in journal	Can list all the population factors, and can not list all of the countries predicted to have zero population growth, and findings is in journal	Can list all the population factors, and can list all of the countries predicted to have zero population growth, and finding is in journal
Create a chart of the population ten top district, Find the average	Lots of errors in the chart and many computational errors made in finding the average	Some errors in the chart and computational errors in finding the average, but allowing for accurate conclusion	Few errors in the chart with virtually no computational errors in finding the average with accurate conclusions	No errors in creating the chart and and found average with reasonable assumptions about the situation
Interpreting Population using the census charts	Few interpretation of the factors on the census report as it relates to the population shift	Limited interpretation of the factors on the census report as it relates to the population shift	Some description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting mastery of performance as it relates to the population shift using the charts	Demonstrated mastery in interpreting the factors on the census report as it relates to the population shift using the charts
PowerPoint Presentation	Did not complete the PowerPoint presentation or impossible to follow the logic	Completed the PowerPoint presentation with no amount of persuasion factors and difficult to follow logic	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting mastery of performance	Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting the highest level of performance

Conclusion:

Students should know a lot about Florida. You should be able to select another state and determine factors about the population when deciding to sell a particular product. As a salesman, it is very important to be able to sell or market goods by presenting the facts. Sometimes through your investigation, you can determine if it is a good idea and to possibly persuade others.

Credits & References:

The images resources were acquired from the following websites: earth, hula dancers, compass, porthole, dolphins, and the fish coming over the waves. Thanks to Dr. Bruce Lewis for providing me with the experiences that will be so helpful as I help teachers in preparing students for the 21st century. I am truly thankful to my partner, Shelly Bruce, for finding and help me to download this background.

Teacher Advice:

This is an introductory lesson in 6th and 7th grade social studies and integrates TCAP math skills: finding the average, creating a chart and making inferences. It is designed to encourage students in becoming aware of population shifts and marketing strategies.

This is an interdisciplinary WebQuest that can be taught in two class periods. It is designed to introduce facts about the population of a given region that can be used to determine demographic changes as a basis for making decisions.

Students must keep up with all their findings to produce a PowerPoint presentation. They must be able to persuade Nike's shoe company that they have made the right decision or that they need to reconsider due to their findings. It will be to student's best interest to keep all journal entries and all final products such as the charts, temperature findings, average, census report implications, and questionnaire.

A novice teacher can do this lesson. There are no additional skills need to do this particular WebQuest.

Created for EDU 506 @ FHU School of Education by Mrs. Frankie L. Briggs on July 31, 2001.