Geography and Population ( PDF file)

Objectives:


As a result of this lesson, students will be able to:

  1. label the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, Lakes Managua and Nicaragua, the San Juan River, and cities (Managua, Leon, Granada) on a physical map.
  2. describe Nicaragua’s physical features.
  3. infer where most people live based on a map.

back to top

Materials:

  1. Student Handout: Blank Map of Nicaragua (Courtesy of Geosystems)
  2. Student Handout: Population Density Map (Extracted from Nicaragua: A Guide to the People, Politics and Culture. Interlink Books. 2002)

back to top

Activities:

  1. Distribute the s Blank Map of Nicaragua to each student. (You may wish to group students together for this exercise.)

  2. Direct students to label each of the following on their Nicaraguan map:

    a. Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
    b. Lakes Managua and Nicaragua
    c. San Juan River
    d. Cities of Managua (capital), Léon, and Granada

  3. Using the map, ask students to infer where most Nicaraguans live and to give evidence to support their beliefs. Example:

    a. The three major cities are in the west.
    b. There are mountains that divide the country almost in two.
    c. The lakes are important for transportation, fishing, and water.
    d. Therefore, most people must live in the western part of the country.

  4. Distribute the Population Density map to each student (or group).

  5. Direct students to answer the questions on the handout and to use the population map to check their inferences.

  6. Based on the population map, ask students to identify and explain other factors that appear to influence where people might live.

    back to top