Lesson Plan:

Census Math

Content Area: American History, Math

Grade: 3rd- 6th  

Tech Needs: Whiteboard or Projector, laptop

Estimated Time: 50 min.

Essential Question: 

How can census data be used to interpret, analyze, and display information?

Objectives: 

(1) Introduce students to the concept of varying frameworks
(2) To understand cultural norms for various immigrant groups
(3) To analyze the historical role of women

(3) To analyze the historical role of those within the LGBTQI community
(4) To learn about the discrimination faced by those who were not cis-men
(5) To acknowledge the presence of diverse people in nineteen-century railway towns
(6) To evaluate how legacies of gender and sexuality are remembered and narrated
(7) To consider potential similarities/differences to contemporary issues within the United States today 

Materials:

• Google Slides

• mentimeter ( To see graph results, enter an email address)

• table

• primary sources

• pre-labeled table

• White paper

• Composition notebooks/journals

• Pencils

• Clipboards

Learning Context:

The census data is an essential resource that offers valuable insights into a population's demographic, social, and economic characteristics. It enables us to understand the population’s size and distribution, gender, age, ethnicity, race, employment status, education level, income level, and other critical factors. This information is vital in helping policymakers make informed decisions about resource allocation and planning.

An excellent illustration of using census data is determining the ideal location to build schools or hospitals based on the number of children or older adults in a given area. Additionally, it can help identify regions with high poverty or unemployment rates, which may require extra resources to improve the livelihoods of their residents.

In addition, census information can offer valuable insights into long-term trends. Through data analysis from various censuses conducted across different years, we can observe how populations have evolved regarding migration patterns and demographic shifts, including changes in age distribution.

In addition, census information can offer valuable insights into long-term trends. Through data analysis from various censuses conducted across different years, we can observe how populations have evolved regarding migration patterns and demographic shifts, including changes in age distribution.

Utilizing census data in math lessons is an excellent teaching resource for educating students about statistics and data analysis. This data provides much information about the population, including demographic data such as age, gender, race, and ethnicity. By creating graphs and charts using this information, students can understand patterns and trends within the population.

Teachers can use census data to teach students how to create frequency tables and histograms. Furthermore, the data can be used to educate students on necessary measures of central tendency, including mean, median, and mode. Additionally, teachers can incorporate census data into lessons on probability by asking questions such as, “What is the likelihood of selecting an individual above the age of 65 from this particular population?”

Census data helps predict election results and study consumer trends. It can also help students develop analytical skills for future economic or social sciences pursuits.

Lesson Sequence:

1.     Present the learning context and the Google Slides to introduce the concepts of the census, archives, primary sources, polls, and data.

2.     Discuss different ways information can be displayed. Some examples include bar graphs, line graphs, word clouds, 2x2 graphs, and pie charts. Explain to the class that this is how information collected can be clearly understood, viewed, and interpreted.

3.     Have students survey each other using this mentimeter (enter email address to see graph results).

4.     Next, allow students to come up with their survey questions and poll each other.

5.     Once they’ve recorded the responses in a table, they must select three ways to display their data. Some examples are pictured at the bottom of this page.

6.     Then, have students analyze the following primary sources from Winnipeg Junction. Make observations and fill out this pre-labeled table.

7.     Again, use the data from the table to display the information.    

Extensions/Adaptations:

1. Answer the following questions in an essay format (about a paragraph per answer):

1. What demographic information can you tell about Winnipeg Junction?

2. Have you been surprised by any of this information? Why or why not?

3. Do you feel that some graphs are better at displaying certain types of information than others? Give examples.

4. How can demographic information collected from census data help governments make decisions?

5. How can demographic information collected from census data help companies make decisions?

References Cited

Alcock, Nat.Tracing history through title deeds: A guide for family and local historians. PEN & SWORD, 2018. 

Bureau, US Census. Census.gov, June 14, 2023. https://www.census.gov/. 

“Home.” Hawley Herald, October 26, 2022. https://www.hawleyherald.net/.