Lesson plan: Global poverty and double comparatives

Start by playing the song "Cardboard Box City" by The Levellers (you can find it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfWtmCpByYc) and make sure they can read the lyrics.  Ask: What is a cardboard box city?

Ask students if they have ever donated their own time or money to help the poor.

Tell the students about the two following economic theorists and ask them to position themselves on an imaginary line closest to whichever one they agree with most (they can stand in the middle if they wish).  Obviously this is somewhat of a simplification, but in a nutshell:

• Jefferey Sachs points out that solutions to extereme poverty are inexpensive and easy.  For example, a mosquito net is only a few dollars yet can prevent malaria and dengue; vitamin A pills are relatively easy to administer and cost very little and can prevent blindness in a child.  So why don't we all contribute a few dollars and eradicate poverty?
• William Easterly says that we throw loads of money at the poor and yet they're still poor.  So why do we all keep giving money?

Then dictate the sentences below (I find it best to divide the class in 4 groups, have the first take down the first sentence, the second take down the second, etc.)  Have them check the sentences with each other and notice the grammar structure (especially the fact that parallel structure is required).  then have them guess which sentences are true and false (I've put the answers below).  Then tell them the answer and discuss why this may be.

The poorer they are the hungrier they are so the more money they get the more they will spend on calories. F
The heavier the subsidy on rice the more they buy. F
The better a child is fed the more he will earn as an adult. T
The poorer they are the less they spend on weddings and funerals. F
The cheaper the medicine the more likely people are to take it. F
The poorer the country the more likely people are to get malaria. Unknown
The poorer the patient the more likely she is to go to a private doctor. T
The less qualified the doctor the more likely he is to prescribe medicine. T
The more people believe in shaman medicine the less they believe in conventional medicine. F
The more children they have the more likely only the oldest will go to school. f, brightest
The more you go to school the more you will learn. F
The poorer the parents the less likely the children will go to school. T
The lower the child's self esteem the less well he will do in school. T
The better trained the teachers are the better the education they will provide. F
The more teenage girls are educated about HIV the less likely they are to have sex. T
The more school uniforms are given out for free the fewer the number of teenage pregnancies. T
The more telenovelas women watch the fewer children they will have. T
The easier the access to contraceptives, the lower the fertility rate. F

Note: this information is a simplification of the findings from "Poor Economics: A Radical Rethinking of the Way to Fight Global Poverty" by Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo