This animated video on overpopulation details how Earth's population has changed over time, why these changes have occurred, and what this might mean for our future.
Increasing women's access to education is described as a key solution to curb population growth in parts of the developing world.
The video ends with a short interview of Bill Gates where he describes the relationship between improving health and curbing population growth.
Teaching Tips
Positives
The video is optimistic when addressing the future health of our population and solutions for curbing population growth.
Women empowerment is highlighted as a climate change solution that also slows population growth.
Additional Prerequisites
There is an ad at the start of the video.
At 5 minutes, 50 seconds the first portion of the video ends and the interview with Bill Gates begins.
Differentiation
The interview with Bill Gates at the end of the video could be used in a health class to discuss life expectancy and the counterintuitive connection between improving health standards and decreasing fertility rates.
The video briefly introduces ethical issues around access to education, wealth inequality, and health in the developing world, which could be expanded on by the teacher.
The resource explores the consequences of population growth, giving historical evidence. It explores the underlying factors and the measures that check future population growth. There is no contradiction in the video and this is recommended for teaching.
Standards
English Language Arts
Speaking & Listening (K-12)
8.SL.2 Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and formats and evaluate the motives behind its presentation.
Science
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
6.ESS3.3 Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.
8.ESS3.4 Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact Earth’s systems.
