Math+Activity+3+-+Analyzing+Graphs+on+World-Wide+Social+Injustices


 * __Analyzing Graphs on World-Wide Social Injustices__**

Aim: How do we analyze graphs in order to find meaningful and powerful information?

Time Needed: 1-2 Project Blocks

Materials: Laptop, Worksheet – Extracting Information From Graphs

Students will understand:
 * Line Graphs, Bar Graphs, and Pie Charts are all useful ways to display data
 * The differences between Line Graphs, Bar Graphs and Pie Charts
 * How to extract useful and meaningful information from Graphs
 * There are people in many parts of the world who live off of less than $1 a day
 * Startling world events can change the way people see the world and act in it
 * Hate crimes against Muslims dramatically increased in America following 9/11
 * Surveys provide a means of gathering information about peoples opinions
 * Peoples opinions are affected directly by their needs and their unique personal situation
 * People in African countries have a different opinion about corruption than they do

Procedure:

__Part 1__

1. Ask students to complete a survey with the following 2 questions: a. What comes first to mind when you hear the word corruption mentioned in discussions? i. Bribing a policeman ii. Rigging political elections iii. Giving a bribe to pass an exam or to get admission into school/college iv. Politicians stealing government money v. Giving bribes to get medical treatment vi. Politicians giving unqualified family members a job b. How often do you hear conversations/read about corruption in each of the following settings? (each can be answered either NEVER, A FEW TIMES, ABOUT ONCE A MONTH, MANY TIMES A MONTH) i. In classroom with teacher ii. Among students iii. At home with parents iv. In the media 2. When they have completed it, tally the results on the board. 3. Have students go to the following URL: http://info.worldbank.org/etools/docs/library/35972/mod05.pdf 4. Have them look at the two graphs which show the results of the same questions asked to people in 4 different African countries. 5. Explain how to read each graph, having the students eventually estimating percentages for each piece of the pie chart. 6. Have students answer the following questions: a. Did our results differ from those of the people in the 4 African Countries? Why do you think this is? b. Were the types of graph this study used appropriate for the information they wanted to portray? Why or why not? Did they display the results clearly? Were they easy to understand? How could they have improved the graphs? c. What might some affects of corruption be on our city, our country and the world? (Lead this discussion into poverty)

__Part 2__

1. Referring to the poverty percentages for each race from the previous activity, ask how much money the students think someone would need to make each year in order not to be POOR. Whatever their results, ask them if they think $365 a year would be enough. Clearly not. 2. Have students go to the following URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Percentage_living_on_less_than_%241_per_day_1981-2001.png 3. Discuss with them the meaning of the title of the graph. It may be hard to believe. 4. Explain how to read the graph. 5. Have students answer the following questions: