Curated OER
Untying the Knot
What are the current trends in divorce? What contributes to this? Examine celebrity relationship trends and how they relate to the general public with this discussion lesson. Middle schoolers analyze the results of a Census Bureau study...
Curated OER
Redistricting: Drawing the Lines
Difficult redistricting concepts are covered in a context that will make it understandable to your government scholars. They begin with a KWL on the term redistricting and then watch a video to answer some questions. They analyze...
Newseum
News About My Community
After researching statistics about their community in local census reports, young journalists interview a resident about their interests and then analyze a local newspaper or homepage to see how similar the stories are to the residents'...
DocsTeach
Exploring America's Diversity: Luther Powell (Beginner)
Luther Powell immigrated to the United States to live the American dream—and create a better life for his son, four-star general Colin Powell. Elementary academics look at documents, such as, ship records to understand the immigration...
DocsTeach
Exploring America's Diversity: Gertrud Danneberg (Beginner)
Everyone is an immigrant in their own way. Young scholars read historic documents to understand one woman's journey from Germany to the United States. The activity uses a mixture of text, discussion, and written prompts to help...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
The Census in US History
The census has been a part of the American landscape since the Constitution was written; however, it does have a history of controversy. Class members use a guided reading and simulation activity on developing census questions to...
US Department of Commerce
Apportionment: Grades 3-4
Apportionment is a big word for young pupils. Use a helpful cartoon video and worksheet with data set to help them understand how the census fuels representative democracy. After examining how the census determines the number of seats a...
US Department of Commerce
Featured Activity: City Planning With Census Data
What's more important ... an ice cream store or a police station? How about a school or a hospital? Using a simulation game, pupils allot resources as the federal government would based on the census. Discussion questions round out the...
US Department of Commerce
The Census Questionnaire: Then and Now
As the United States has changed, so has the census! While required by the Constitution, the questions the government asks to allot representation and federal funding has developed over time. Using images of previous censuses, young...
US Department of Commerce
The Opportunity Atlas
The American dream is to climb the social and economic ladder, but is it really possible? Using an online opportunity atlas, class members explore income and social mobility throughout the country. Discussion prompts allow learners to...
US Department of Commerce
Featured Activity: Exploring Questions for the 2020 Census
Just what is the census for? Using data and census questions, class members explore how officials gather information. Then, they consider how the government uses the answers to determine how it spends its money with a collaborative...
US Department of Commerce
Apportionment: Grades 7-8
One person, one voice ... right? Using a simulation where uneven groups are given the same voice, scholars discover why fair apportionment based on an accurate census is important. Once finished, they use actual data to consider what...
US Department of Commerce
Constitution Day
Give your Constitution Day celebration a timely slant by discussing the census! An activity that includes analysis of the Constitutional call for a census, along with scaffolded worksheets, help pupils understand the connection between...
US Department of Commerce
Community Change
America is a country on the move. Analyzing data from the Census Bureau, class members gauge the people moving in and out of their areas. An interactive web feature allows pupils to see who is moving out and moving in, while discussion...
US Department of Commerce
Featured Activity: How the Census Impacts My Community
Individuals have $50,000 to spend on a program at their schools—what will they do with the money? After looking at the Constitutional mandate, learners use a census simulation activity to consider the question. After conducting their own...
US Department of Commerce
Diversity: Minority Entrepreneurship and the Economy
Using data from the Census Bureau, learners discover the growth in minority-owned businesses over time. After crunching numbers, analytical questions probe the reasons behind the shift.
US Department of Commerce
Diversity: Census Questions Over Time
The story of race in the United States continues to evolve, and the numbers show it. Using data from the last two census counts, learners consider recent demographic shifts. They then analyze the information to hypothesize: What could...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
The Great Elephant Census Modeling Activity
They say elephants never forget—and your class won't forget an insightful modeling activity either! Junior zoologists take part in a mock elephant census using the sample count and total count methods. The included materials provide...
Florida International University
Counting FishStix
How do we count the fish in the ocean? An engaging lesson models how to estimate fish populations with observational surveys. Class members begin by studying the behavior of fish on the coral reef in the oceans. They then become the fish...
Curated OER
Little House in the Census: Almanzo and Laura Ingalls Wilder
How would you use census data from 1880-1900? Here are a set of ways you can incorporate the book Little House on the Prairie and US census data from that time period. Learners will research the validity or the book based on factual...
Education World
The African American Population in US History
How has the African American population changed over the years? Learners use charts, statistical data, and maps to see how populations in African American communities have changed since the 1860s. Activity modifications are included to...
Curated OER
The Minority Majority
Students design a census class and school, then tabulate the results. They respond to a sample census, then reflect on why questions of race and national origin are different.
Curated OER
A look at our larger population
Student team together to tell the story of the U.S.'s rapid population growth. High schoolers research census changes, focusing on changes in the size of the community and the school. Students tell the story by writing articles and...
Curated OER
Student Census
Young scholars collect data from their peers and store the information in a database. As students manage the information they realize the usefulness of a database as a tool to manage large amounts of information in an efficient and...