Multiply the two numbers to determine how many people their size the room could hold. The teacher explains the term density and then students provide other examples. Based on their calculations, students decide if the calculated number of people that their classroom could hold would be a dense or sparse population if they were spread out in the gymnasium or on the playground. Students determine if this would be different if that calculated number of people were lined up along the hallway. Use this to define the term linear and have the students provide other examples of a linear pattern.
Linear pattern means following a line.
Students suggest some positive and negative effects of living in areas of high and low population density, living in clusters, living in linear settlements, and of living spread out in scattered homes. For others it might help to talk of living in a village or town, living along a main road, or living on scattered farms. Canada's population in 1998 is 30.6 million people and its total land area is 9.2 million km2. Prepare a list of country names on small pieces of paper selected from the list in Population Characteristics - Selected Countries and Selected Data, Appendix 1.1. Have students select one country at random.