Population Pyramids

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Population Pyramids
Teacher Guide
Population pyramids allow demographers and
geographers to interpret the dynamics of
populations. Population pyramids are bar graphs
that illustrate the proportions of males and
females in age categories for a given population.
They show if a population is growing (through
birth and immigration) or declining (through
death and emigration). This exercise shows the
usefulness of population pyramids in
understanding the world dynamic population groups
and teaches students how to construct their own
population pyramids.
Overview
NCGE Standards
The World in Spatial Terms STANDARD 1 How to
use maps and other geographic representations,
tools, and technologies to acquire, process, and
report information. Human Systems STANDARD 9
The characteristics, distribution, and migration
of human populations on Earth's surface.
STANDARD 1. The student will use maps and other
geographic representations, tools, and
technologies to analyze relationships between
people, places, and environments of world regions
from a spatial perspective. STANDARD 4. The
student will evaluate the human systems of the
world. STANDARD 6. The student will analyze
problems and issues from a geographic perspective
using the skills and tools of geography.
PASS Objectives
Grade Level
7th grade.
No GIS skills are needed for this activity
GIS Skill Level
Two 50-minute class periods.
Time
Materials
No materials are needed beyond the activity
hand-outs for the students and a high-speed
connection to present the dynamic population
pyramids.
Sources
Census Bureau - www.census.gov Population
Reference Bureau www.prb.org National
Geographic www.nationalgeographic.com
Population Pyramids
Teacher Guide
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Population Pyramids
Part 1
Introduction
Population pyramids allow demographers and
geographers to interpret the dynamics of
populations. Population pyramids are bar graphs
that illustrate the proportions of males and
females in age categories for a given population.
They show if a population is growing (through
birth and immigration) or declining (through
death and emigration).
Constructing Population Pyramids
Part 2
First, lets take a look at a PowerPoint that
will introduce us to population pyramids and
related issues
Now that you have seen a variety of dynamic
population pyramids and we have discussed some of
the different factors that influence their
shapes, we are ready to make some population
pyramids of our own. We will do the first one
together.

Whats going on here? (Describe the
pattern) Why? (Try to explain the pattern.
Remember we talked about factors such as MDCs
vs. LDCs, war, frontier locations, education,
health care, infanticide, etc.)
Population Pyramids
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Whats going on here? Why?

Whats going on here? Why?

Whats going on here? Why?
Population Pyramids
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Whats going on here? Why?
Part Three - Matching
Draw a line from the description to the correct
pyramid
This state has a large number of young people
because of its frontier qualities.
This country was affected by the loss of life
from a war.
This state has a large number of retirees because
of its nice weather.
Population Pyramids from AgeWorks.com
Population Pyramids
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