World affairs: almanac.

• Position: INTERNATIONAL

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LESSON PLAN 4

CRITICAL THINKING

Statistics aren't just masses of numbers. They tell a story--or in the case of a world almanac, many stories--about Life around the globe.

* Read the introduction to the almanac on page 13. What does each of the categories tell us about a country? How are some of the categories related to one another?

* Which categories do you think change most often? Which do you think show the [east change over time?

* Which categories tell you the most about the quality of life in a country? Which tell you something about the culture?

WRITING PROMPT

Choose one of the articles in this issue and took at the almanac information for the related country. How do the statistics provide deeper insights into the article? Write a follow-up essay sharing your ideas.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Look at the dates of origin for North American and South American countries, and sort them chronologically. What does this information tell you about the growth and expansion of the Americas as well as the quest for independence? Use the atlas maps to try to find any geographical patterns that may exist.

How does life expectancy in African countries compare with that in the rest of the world? What other statistics in the almanac might provide insights about why Africans Live relatively short Lives? How are the statistics for the population under age 15 and the population rise per year related?

What factors make up the human development index (HDI)? How are these factors related? Why do you think the HDI is relatively high in the Middle East as compared with the rest of Asia?

FAST FACT

The first printed almanac was made by Yohannes Gutenberg in Mentz, Germany, in 1457.

WEB WATCH

nationmaster.com

NationMaster allows quick comparisons of country statistics from sources such as the Central Intelligence Agency, United Nations, World Health Organization, and World Bank.

QUIZ 4: INTERNATIONAL

WORLD AFFAIRS: ALMANAC (OPEN BOOK)

1 China has the highest number of Internet users--420 million--though that accounts for only about -- percent of its population.

2 Though one of the smartest countries in the world, --, in Europe, has the most people per square mile--40,000. The country itself is only 1 square mite.

3 -- in Asia, is the only country outside of Africa to have a per capita GDP of exactly $1,000.

4 The highest life expectancy for an African man is --, in both -- and --; the lowest is --, in --.

5 In no Asian country (excluding...