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Statistics in Schools is a free Census Bureau program that uses the data to create resources for K-12 students in a variety of subjects.

Trends in Congressional Apportionment

Trends in Congressional Apportionment

Activity Description

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Students will examine a 2010 Census brief to understand the apportionment process and to analyze the relationship between a state’s population and its number of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, making calculations with a multistep formula. Students will also identify trends in congressional apportionment.

Suggested Grade Level

9-10

Approximate Time Required

45-60 minutes

Learning Objectives

  • Students will be able to understand how to calculate a state’s number of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
  • Students will be able to identify trends in congressional apportionment.
  • Students will be able to analyze the relationship between population and apportionment to understand the distribution of congressional power in the United States.

Materials Required

  • The student version of this activity, 11 pages; it contains images that should be printed in color.
  • Calculators

A teacher computer with Internet access and a projector to display web sites are optional.

Activity Item

The following item is part of this activity. The item, its source, and instructions for viewing it online appear at the end of this teacher version.

  • 2010 Census Brief — Congressional Apportionment

Teacher Notes

Blooms Taxonomy

Analyzing
Blooms Taxonomy

Students will analyze a Census Bureau document containing data tables, a map, and a graph to understand the relationship between the U.S. population and the apportionment of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Subject

High School History

Topics

  • Apportionment
  • Choropleth maps
  • Political representation
  • U.S. House of Representatives

Skills Taught

  • Comparing time periods
  • Identifying cause and effect
Page Last Revised - October 8, 2021
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