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Population Growth Discussion Worksheet

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Population Growth Discussion Worksheet

Read the town profile and study the population table. Then answer the questions. Population growth means an increase in the number of people living in an area over time. A population can also shrink if more people leave or die than are born or move in.

Year

Population

2010

4,800

2015

5,600

2020

7,200

Read the evidence

Pine Creek is a fictional town in the United States. A new medical clinic opened in 2014, and a food-processing plant opened in 2017. Both created local jobs. Some families moved to town for work, while new homes were built near the town center. The population estimates are shown in the table.

1.Choose the best definition of population in the Pine Creek example.

The number of people living in an area
The number of buildings in a town
The amount of land around a town
The number of jobs in a town

2.Use the table. How many more people lived in Pine Creek in 2020 than in 2010? Show or explain your subtraction.

3.Complete the statement: Pine Creek’s population grew / shrank from 2010 to 2020. Give one number from the table as evidence.

4.Which two details in the town profile could help explain why people moved to Pine Creek?

5.Mark each statement true or false: A. Births can increase a population. B. People moving away can increase a population. C. People moving into an area can increase its population.

TrueFalse

6.Name two resources or services that might need to expand as Pine Creek grows, and explain one reason for each.

7.Pine Creek can fund only one project this year: a new school wing, a water-treatment upgrade, or a larger public park. Choose one project and support your choice with a reason. More than one choice can be reasonable.

8.Give one possible benefit and one possible challenge of Pine Creek’s population growth.

9.A resident says, “The population rose, so everyone in Pine Creek must be better off.” Is this conclusion supported by the information? Explain why or why not.

10.Write one question Pine Creek’s leaders should investigate before deciding what to build next. Explain what the answer would help them learn.