Math+Activity+2+-+Examining+Census+Tables


 * __Measuring Social Justice__**

Aim: How do we gather information from the Census Bureau and other data tables?

Time Needed: 1 - 2 Project Blocks

Materials: Laptop, Worksheet – Gathering Information

Students will understand:
 * how to read and interpret information from various Census Bureau data tables
 * data tables contain information which helps us understand important issues within social justice
 * the population of the United States is distributed unevenly by race
 * the percent of poverty within each race in the United States is highly unequal
 * data can be misleading if it is not understood and thought about carefully
 * the percent of people in prison within each race in the United States is highly unequal
 * a percentage is calculated by dividing a portion of a whole by the whole itself and then multiplying by 100
 * a percentage of a population represents a portion of an overall population

Procedure:

__Part 1__

http://www.census.gov/prod/www/statistical-abstract.html
 * 1) Explain to students what a population is and ask them to guess what they think the current population of the United States is.
 * 2) Reveal the correct population (about 300 million)
 * 3) Ask students to write down what percent of the U.S. population they believe to be
 * 4) African-American
 * 5) White
 * 6) Hispanic
 * 7) Asian
 * 8) Ask students: How could we find out how close we are? Take answers.
 * 9) Tell students about the Census Bureau and have them go to:
 * 1) Have students click on __Section 1: Population__
 * 2) When the PDF opens, have them go to __Table 13: Resident Population by Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin Status: 2000 to 2005__
 * 3) Explain to the students how to read the table, focusing on the **Totals** row and the corresponding break down by race. **DO NOT FORGET TO MENTION THAT THEY MUST ADD 3 ZEROS TO EACH NUMBER TO OBTAIN THE CORRECT POPULATION FIGURES**
 * 4) Teach/review percents and have the class calculate the percents for the races they guessed at earlier.
 * 5) Have students compare the real values to their guesses and reflect on any differences.

__Part 2__

http://www.census.gov/prod/www/statistical-abstract.html i. Has there been improvement? ii. What was the year of highest percentage living in poverty for each race? iii. What might be some factors that caused each of your answers above?
 * 1) Talk to students about scope and explain that that the goal of Part 1 was a breakdown of the ENTIRE United States. The goal in Part 2 is to look inside the population of each race SEPERATELY and break it down according to certain criteria.
 * 2) Ask students to review their definition of poverty. Talk about how the Census Bureau determines whether a family is POOR by definition.
 * 3) Ask students to write down what percent of the U.S. families they believe live in poverty.
 * 4) Reveal to them the correct value: 10.2% (almost 8 million FAMILIES)
 * 5) Ask them to consider each race separately: What percent of families from each of the following races lives in poverty?
 * 6) African-American
 * 7) White
 * 8) Hispanic
 * 9) Asian
 * 10) Tell students about the Census Bureau and have them go to:
 * 1) Have students click on __Section 13: Income, Expenditures and Wealth__
 * 2) When the PDF opens, have them go to __Table 696: Families Below Poverty Level and Below 125 Percent of Poverty by Race and Hispanic Origin: 1980 to 2004__
 * 3) Explain to the students how to read the table, focusing on the **Percents** column and the corresponding break down by race. Focus on the most current year (2004)
 * 4) Have students answer the following questions:
 * 5) How close were your guesses? Did these numbers surprise you?
 * 6) Looking at the percentages from 1980 to 2004:
 * 1) Do you think most people know about this? If more people knew, would that motivate them to take action to change it? Why or why not?

__Part 3__

http://www.census.gov/prod/www/statistical-abstract.html Lesson by Harry O'Malley
 * 1) Ask students how fair they perceive the criminal justice system to be. Do you think the system treats all races equally?
 * 2) Ask students which race has the most people behind bars.
 * 3) Tell students about the Census Bureau and have them go to:
 * 1) Have students click on __Section 5: Law Enforcement, Courts and Prisons__
 * 2) When the PDF opens, have them go to __Table 336: Jail Inmates by Sex, Race and Hispanic Origin: 1990 to 2004__
 * 3) Explain to the students how to read the table, focusing on the RACE breakdowns for 2004**.**
 * 4) The table will show that WHITES have the most people in jail. This may or may not be a shock to the students. Either way, you should take this opportunity to point out a possible misconception. Although more whites than blacks or Hispanics are in jail, the PERCENTAGES of these racial subgroups in jail tells a different story.
 * 5) Review with students how to calculate percentages.
 * 6) Have them calculate what percent of the following racial groups are in prison:
 * 7) White
 * 8) African American
 * 9) Hispanic
 * 10) The African American and Hispanic percentages will be higher.
 * 11) Have students answer the following questions:
 * 12) Do these results imply that the criminal justice system is unfair? Why or why not?
 * 13) Did looking at the percentages change your perspective? Why or why not?
 * 14) What questions do you have after completing all 3 parts of this activity? How might you find the answers to these questions?
 * 15) How could you inform others of what you have learned in a meaningful way?