Ethical and Respectful Minds: Population Growth

Using Discovery Education’s Board builder, I was able to create a board to be used in my Algebra II class when studying Exponential Growth and Decay. One of the most common examples of exponential growth is population growth. I enjoy discussing this topic in my class because students tend to have an opinion on either side of the issue, that is, is population growth a problem and, if so, how do we ethically and legally combat the issue? This board present students with some facts, and asks them to think critically about the issue of population growth. There is an excellent video that briefly summarizes how we go to this point and allows students to see how the growth of medicine, agriculture, and other variables affect the growth of population.

The assignment section has a second video that really challenges several of the minds described by Howard Gardner. The video offers a great deal of information, so students need to be able to synthesize. Furthermore, this video is on the topic of China’s One-Child Policy and requires students to consider both the pros and cons of the law. The writing prompt does not allow students to choose only one side of the issue. Rather, they are forced to find the positive aspects of both sides of the enacted law. How is this policy favorable AND how is it unfavorable. This will challenge students to think ethically and morally about a law that has been around since before their birth.

The board also includes a ‘Food for Thought’ section that asks students to consider questions surrounding population growth that challenge their morals and will certainly spark debate. I plan to use this in my classroom and have a thorough discussion about students’ thoughts on the issue and what they thought specifically about the law in China. Students will learn that mathematics can represent the data, but the only respectful and ethical minds of our population can lead to a solution.

Gardner, Howard. (2007). Five minds for the future. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

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