Chapter 3

"The German Occupation"

RATIONALE:

"The U.S. Census is an important headcount of Americans taken every ten years.  This survey, which is called for by the U.S. Constitution, has undergone many changes throughout the years.  There are numerous positive and valuable uses for the information collected, including allocating funding for various state and local government programs and determining accurate apportionment of representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives.  However, there are some citizens who are worried about the potential invasion of privacy that the U.S. census questions raise.  During the Holocaust, the Germans required many Europeans in conquered territories to register with the government.  Much of the information provided to the government, including individuals’ religion, ethnicity, and physical or mental handicap, was then used to persecute these individuals.  This lesson plan encourages students to investigate the origin and evolution of the U.S. census, and evaluate the pros and cons of conducting and participating in such a survey."

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVE(S):

The student will be able to:

- Identify who uses U.S. census data and how

- Use reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of informational texts

- Analyze and evaluate conflicts over privacy related to the U.S. census

- Describe how participation in civic and political life can help bring about the attainment of individual and public goals

- Understand the origins of the census and its role in U.S. history

- Recognize the political importance of apportionment based purely on population