Apportionment

Skip Navigation

Apportionment

Activity Description

Students will learn how changes in population across cities and states affect how their community is represented in the U.S. House of Representatives and why an accurate count of the population is essential every 10 years. Students will examine the results from the 2000 Census and the 2010 Census and use that information to predict the results of the 2020 Census in their state.

Suggested Grade Level

3-4

Approximate Time Required

40 minutes

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

Incorporate main and supporting ideas into verbal and written communication.
Use critical thinking skills to organize and use information from a variety of sources.
Make a prediction based on historical data.
Interpret data presented in a table.
Understand how seats are allocated in the House of Representatives.
Understand the role the decennial census plays in apportionment.

Materials Required

Printed student worksheets
A board or chart paper to track class survey answers
A projector or an interactive whiteboard connected to the internet to display 2010 Census: The U.S. Census and the Amazing Apportionment Machine video

Download Teacher Version

Download Student Version