This critical thinking skill is included because of how frequently students must use charts, graphs, or tables to extrapolate information and draw conclusions. Have students practice frequently with the template using data located in their government textbooks.

The lesson plan and sample student response sheet were developed to match:

Government Core Learning Goal Indicator 3.1.1

Students will explain the influence of demographic changes on government policies.

Skills for Success Indicator 3.2.1

Students will gather, manage, and convey information using a variety of skills, resources, and technologies.

Below is the graph “U.S. Life Expectancy” that students will use in this lesson. Make an overhead transparency or individual copies.

Information is often presented in chart, table, or graph formats. Data in chart form might show the structure of something, a certain process, or common items in one category. Tables usually list data in a specific order. Graphs are visual illustrations of data for specific purposes:

Line graphs - to see changes or trends
Bar graphs - to make comparisons
Circle graphs - to show relationships
 

• What is the title of the chart, table or graph?
   
   
• What is the purpose of this chart, table, or graph?
   
   
• What do the labels/headings tell you?
   
   
• What key information does the data provide?
   
   
• What is your main conclusion about this data?
   
   
• How were you able to interpret this chart, table, or graph?
   
   

Students will explain the influence of demographic changes on government policies.
 

Students will gather, manage, and convey information using a variety of skills, resources, and technologies.

Lesson Objective: Students will be able to:

• Analyze graphs to evaluate the impact changing age demographics will have on Social Security

• Assess current congressional legislation meant to solve the Social Security crisis

Preparation/Motivation

Have a copy of an employee’s pay stub on a transparency. Ask students “Who is this Mr. FICA and what is he doing to you?” Conclude by asking students where they think this money is going.

Lesson Procedures

1. Define demographics and factors that influence them (i.e. gender, age, race, religion and population).
2. Show students the Life Expectancy Graph and give them the Data Interpretation Skill Sheet to complete. Review student responses and any questions that they have.
3. Write the following statement on the board: “In 1990 Social Security faced a severe cash shortage as outgoing payments rose faster than incoming payroll taxes.” Have students explain why based on their data interpretation. Ask the students how this could possibly impact them.
4. Place students in cooperative groups and have them use classroom texts and news magazines to locate information on Congressional efforts to deal with the Social Security crisis. Ask each group to propose a solution to the Social Security crisis.
    

Have students write their proposed plan on a large sheet of paper to share with the class. Have students vote on the most “sound” solution to the problem and explain their choice. Send the class proposal to their congressional representatives.
 

Students will explain the influence of demographic changes on government policies.
 

Life Expectancy for Males and Females
 

to show the change this century in how long people live
 

ages on the vertical axis, and decades on the horizontal axis the key shows which line is men and which is women
 

the average age when men and women died each decade
 

all people are living longer, but women live longer than men
 

by understanding that the numbers were the age at death and looking at the change each decade