1: Development in Countries
Learning Target
Identity the features of the Human Development Index (HDI) and how countries rank on the index
Distinguish the features of developed and developing countries
Examine what life is like in a developing country (living on a dollar a day)
Part One: Understanding the Terms
Human Development Index (HDI) focus on three specific areas to determine a country's ranking in terms of development. We will analyze a country's HDI ranking and how other factors influence a country's development and ability to participate in globalization.
First we will delve into the HDI ranking and how each component is measured before looking at life in each level of development.
Then we will look at other factors that influence a country's development and how these items are interconnected with the HDI. Lastly, population pyramids can tell us stories about a country without needing to look at a bunch of statistics.
Looking at these items within the label of "population" can tell us a lot about the people and their lives. We will come back to these concepts when we study development and how life varies depending on a country's level of development (think about how someone's life would be different if they lived in the US compared to another part of the world).
To look development we need to figure out what are the population pyramids. How does studying the population trends for a country tell us about their present and past situations? Use this short video to get an understanding of population pyramids.
Enrichment: Who is the world's most typical person?
Enrichment: How is the population impacted the world?
Enrichment: Quality of Life/Happiness
Choose a country from the article and explain how people measure happiness in that country (what are the factors?). Do you agree with the factors? Does anything surprise you?
Costa Rica
Denmark
Singapore
There is also an article about how Boulder ranks in terms of happiness. Write a reaction to the article supporting the author's position (why you feel this way also), add to the article (what did they leave out), or argue maybe another city deserves the title.
National Geographic articles
We are going to look at the HDI list for 2016, the differences between developed and developing countries, and then the way we can understand a country's development using population pyramids. Everything we need for ISN #1-5 is included here. Or you can click on the document to the right.
ISN 1: Determine HDI formula and what these terms mean to understanding a country's development. Link to resource
ISN 2: Choose one of the map options and write down two observations you noticed from the map (& connect to one HDI component).
ISN 3: Understand why countries are ranked VERY HIGH, HIGH, MEDIUM and LOW development. Link to statistics
ISN 4: Determine how to compare developing and developed countries (t-chart).
Part Two: Living on a Dollar a Day
We will watch a documentary about a group who decides to live in Guatemala to experience living on one dollar a day. This brief introduction into life in a developing country will help us realize how the systems of PEGS contribute to their lifestyle as well as how the individuals play a role in their level of satisfaction.
ISN Options - Choose ONE and share your work in the ISN. If you have a different idea that is line with this topic please run it by me (:
Write a list of ten questions you would want to ask the 4 guys who went to Guatemala and then a list of ten questions you would want to ask Chino and/or his family, Rosa or member from the community
Research microfinancing. What is it? Where is usually used? What the benefits and drawbacks of microloans? What do you think of this as an option when bank loans are not available? How does Kiva help?
What would you like to experience for 2 months the way these boys experienced living on a dollar a day? Write a plan discussing the problem you would like to learn more about, where you would go, and anything else that would be part of the planning process?
Problem solve for the people of Pena Blanca. How could the village continue to work together and move forward to become more advanced? What is prohibiting them from doing so? Apply what we learned this unit to do so.
Enrichment: Play FREE RICE game. Write a brief reflection to explain the importance of the game and how to educate others about what it is like to live in a developing country.
If you are totally illiterate and living on a dollar a day the benefits of globalization will never come to you. Jimmy Carter
Part Three: Determining How to Assist a Developing Country (Talesh)
For the extension opportunity, you can read about a current event topic that relates to what we are covering in class. Use the options below or find your own.
In your notes, explain how this article enriched what you learned about and helped you further understand the topic. Part 1 - summarize the article. Part 2 - make a connection to what we learned about in class. Part 3 - write a question you have for the author or something else you would want to know more about (what do you wish they would have looked at or explained more).
In the news this week:
- Life expectancy on the rise worldwide, except in the US
- Norway Is the ‘World’s Best Democracy’ — We Asked Its People Why