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Educator Update <br />Census In Schools <br />Communities across the nation receive more than <br />$400 billion every year in federal funds for <br />projects like schools, hospitals, and roads. <br />Because the awards for these community projects <br />are based on census population information, <br />students who learn about the census can <br />understand how their households' responses might <br />affect their own future. The following summaries <br />of lessons at each grade level indicate the <br />activities related to students' understanding of <br />"community." <br />Grades K-2 <br />The lesson begins with students making a choice <br />about crayon colors and placing their choices to be <br />counted in a box. The discussion transitions to <br />counting people so that the government can know <br />the needs of their community. Students identify <br />some of a community's needed services by <br />consulting a map that is based on census data. <br />Creating maps of a fictional town reinforces the <br />students' awareness of community. Students also <br />expand their understanding of location, direction, <br />size, and shape. A worksheet directs students to <br />identify workers and the location of their work <br />within the community. <br />Grades 3-4 <br />Students participate in a role-playing activity to <br />learn the importance of an accurate count of the <br />population in the decision-making process in <br />representative government. Students learn that the <br />population count determines how many <br />congresspersons each state elects to the House of <br />Representatives. Students complete a worksheet <br />comparing the population, number of <br />representatives, and square miles of four very <br />different states. Using a second downloadable <br />worksheet, students participate in a role-playing <br />USCENSUSBUREAU <br />It's about us <br />2010 CENSUS IN SCHOOLS <br />activity that explores community members' <br />concerns about answering the census. As a wrap- <br />up, students create posters, brochures, bulletin <br />boards, and online messages to increase the <br />community's understanding of the importance of <br />the 2010 Census. <br />Grades 5-6 <br />Students employ a role-play technique and a <br />sports theme to collect data and create charts. <br />This lesson illustrates what happens if all people <br />are not counted in the census. Two downloadable <br />student worksheets assist the teacher. The lesson <br />encourages students to use resources to develop a <br />multimedia campaign to teach their community <br />about the importance of answering the census. A <br />possible application includes a presentation to the <br />PTA or in a school assembly. <br />Grades 7-8 <br />The middle school lesson's worksheets, <br />"Community Power" and "It's About You" focus <br />on their local community. After using the Census <br />Bureau Web site to identify the response rate of <br />their state, county, and city, students work in <br />groups to identify their local response rates to the <br />census and to plan how to increase their <br />communities' response rate. Students use a second <br />worksheet to develop a campaign using a variety <br />of media to publicize the 2010 Census and <br />encourage participation by the community. <br />In upcoming issues, we will highlight another <br />strand of the Kindergarten through Grade 8 2010 <br />Census in Schools lesson plans. <br />United Stars. <br />Census <br />2010 <br />