People, People, and More People |
Introduction | Task | Process | Guidance | Resources | Conclusion
Introduction
Have you ever looked around you and wondered just how many people live in the United States? How many of them live in your state? Are there more males or females? How ethnically diverse is our nation? Well, put on your researching gear, because we are about to jump into a sea of data in search of the answers to these and other related questions. You'll look at our nation's population, past and present, and make some predictions about its future. So prepare to learn more about your neighbors and your nation than you ever thought possible.
The Task
Below is a brief description of each challenge you will encounter in this WebQuest. The Process section has a detailed description of each activity. Also, the Guidance section has some helpful hints, and the Resource section has useful Web sites for you to use.
Population Challenge 1:
First, gather data about the number of males and females in the United States in 2000. Also, find data about the ethnicity of those living in the United States at that time. Then create two graphs that appropriately represent the data.
Population Challenge 2:
Next, find the population of each state in the United States in 2000. Find measures of central tendency for this data. Use this data to estimate the population of the United States. Find the actual population of the United States and compare to your estimate. Then predict the population of the United States in 2015.
Population Challenge 3:
Last, create a presentation that includes your data and graphs from Challenges 1 and 2.
The Process
Below is a detailed description of each challenge.
Population Challenge 1:
Find data on the number of males and females in the United States, as well as the ethnicity of the population of the United States in 2000. Print out Worksheet 1 and record your findings.
Worksheet 1
Name:_____________________________________
Date:_________________
Fill in each chart with the appropriate information.
Ethnicity and U.S. Population in 2000
Ethnicity | Number |
Caucasian | |
African American | |
Hispanic | |
American Indian and Alaska Native | |
Asian | |
Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander | |
Other |
Ethnicity and Gender in 2000
Ethnicity | Number of Females |
Number of Males |
Caucasian | ||
African American | ||
Hispanic | ||
American Indian and Alaska Native | ||
Asian | ||
Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander | ||
Other |
Population Challenge 2:
Worksheet 2
Name:_____________________________________
Date:_________________
State | Total Population |
Alabama | |
Alaska | |
Arizona | |
Arkansas | |
California | |
Colorado | |
Connecticut | |
Delaware | |
Florida | |
Georgia | |
Hawaii | |
Idaho | |
Illinois | |
Indiana | |
Iowa | |
Kansas | |
Kentucky | |
Louisiana | |
Maine | |
Maryland | |
Massachusetts | |
Michigan | |
Minnesota | |
Mississippi | |
Missouri | |
Montana | |
Nebraska | |
Nevada | |
New Hampshire | |
New Jersey | |
New Mexico | |
New York | |
North Carolina | |
North Dakota | |
Ohio | |
Oklahoma | |
Oregon | |
Pennsylvania | |
Rhode Island | |
South Carolina | |
South Dakota | |
Tennessee | |
Texas | |
Utah | |
Vermont | |
Virginia | |
Washington | |
West Virginia | |
Wisconsin | |
Wyoming |
Population Challenge 3:
Create a presentation that includes the following:
Choose one state, research its gender and ethnic make-up in the year 2000. Create two graphs similar to those done in Population Challenge 1 and write a few sentences comparing the gender and ethnic make-up of that state to the gender and ethnic make-up of the United States as a whole.
If you are having difficulties with a particular challenge, take a look at some of the helpful hints below.
Population Challenge 1:
Population Challenge 2:
Population Challenge 3:
Some of the presentations that you could create are:
Listed below are two Web sites that you will find very useful in this WebQuest.
U.S. Census Bureau
U.S. Historical Census Data Browser
Conclusion
Congratulations! Only a sophisticated and intelligent student could complete such a challenging task! You have successfully completed your job as a Data Analyzer, Researcher, and Sociologist. As you can see, it is important for everyone to be able to analyze and properly display information. You have proven your ability to graph data, find and interpret measures of central tendency, and research real-life problems. We hope you have enjoyed learning about the people that make up our nation.