Land and Food Availability and Consumption
Introduction
This page introduces global patterns of food and land availability as well as consumption through a number of well chosen graphics and maps. Students follow a number of skill based questions to identify patterns as well as explore strengths and weaknesses in the graphics. Through a series of thinking skills questions students develop their understanding and ability to synthesise. Students use the fantastic National Geographic site to produce their own infographic on changing middle income diets, before looking at the reasons for this change through a news item and question sheet and finally a supported discussion exercise.
Enquiry Question
Where is the food and where does it go?
Lesson Time: 1 Hour
Lesson Objectives:
- To describe the global pattern and trends of food availability
- To describe and explain the global patterns and trends of food consumption
- To describe and explain the trends of changing diets in some middle income countries
Teacher Notes:
Starter_Changing Seattle Diets_Place and Processes_Students should study the graphic showing changing Seattle diets and answer the questions. This can be discussion based. The third question on food availability requires students to consider inequality and nutritional imbalances
1. Slideshow_Synthesis_Show the slideshow of graphics to the class and for each graphic ask the students to comment on its link to the changing diets already observed in Seattle
2. Graph Evaluation_Mapping Food Availability_Synthesis_Show the slideshow to the students on mapped food availability and students can discuss the questions. In this activity students are really evaluating the method of presentation rather than describing patterns.
3. Exam Question_Assessment_Spatial Interactions_ Project the graph on available land and students should describe the pattern of land availability for farming
4. Infographic_Changing Middle Income Country Diets_Assessment_Processes and Spatial Interactions_Students need to work independently and go to the National Geographic What the World Eats site to make an infographic of changing diets using screen shots and text. If they want they can use a specialised infographic making tool such as
Their infographic should include a variety of questions including evaluative questions.
5. Video Comprehension_Rising Obesity Rates in Developing Countries_Places and Spatial Interactions_Show students the video on increasing rates of obesity in developing countries and they can answer the questions on the worksheet provided
6. TOK Thinking - Students can then discuss the complexity of factors causing an increase in obesity rates in developing countries
Starter Activity-Places and Processes-Changing Diets
Study the following diagram, which shows the change in diets in Seattle from 1970 to 2005.
- Describe how diets changed?
- Suggest reasons for this change?
- To what extent is food availability an issue in regard to this observed change?
Source: seatlelocalfood.com
Study the following gallery of images
- State one strength and one weakness in the first map showing global food availability
- Discuss the extent to which the second map relates to food availability
- What problems can you see in terms of food availability in relation to calorie intake shown in the third map?
Explore the following interactive map of undernourishment from the FAO to identify patterns at of undernourishment at the regional and national scale
Study the following graph, which shows available land for farming by region
Analyse the global pattern of land available for farming (4)
- Analyse requires deeper description of the data presented
- Data should be used in the response. A level of sophistication should be used to compare. Students could establish the mean or some other measure of central tendency
- The proximity of land to market should be included in the analysis
Source: IB Exams
Discuss the factors other than availability of land that you think influence the availability of food
- Increased grain price volatility;
Policy decisions and changes in lifestyles and incomes in China and India, the world's two most populous countries;
- The impact of short-term weather patterns and long-term climate change;
- Constraints imposed by water scarcity
- Negative trends in fertilizer use;
- Outcomes of ongoing globalization efforts, including the upcoming WTO trade negotiations;
- Investments in agricultural research and the outcome of the current debate on the use of modern biotechnology for food and agriculture
Use the National Geographic site to make an infographic on changing diets in selected middle income countries. The following cgiar site is also full of data and graphics on world diets have changed in diversity and balance
Use the timeline for selected middle income countries and:
- Capture selected screenshots of 1961 and 2011 to show the change
- Include written description of the change
Description needs to be visually impressive rather than limited to written paragraphs. Data description could be integrated into the graphics.
Specialised infographics making tools can also be used such as:
In addition, students should prepare sample exam questions based on their infographic
Source: National Geographic
Changing availability of meat
Watch the following video on changing diets and obesity in developing countries
- Make notes on the reasons why obesity is rapidly growing in developing countries.
- What lessons can be learnt from South Korea?
- What could be the consequences if countries don't respond?