Finding Data About Us

Activity Goals

In this activity learners will practice nding information about topics that are relevant to them. Students will gain skills to conduct searches online. They will have the opportunity to practice new skills and learn that there are no wrong answers. There will be opportunities to discuss their ndings as well.

Key Objectives

UD.4 Identify a need for data
SD.6 Explain and interpret data
PD.3 Gather information
DS.6 Make your voice heard
CC.6 Display leadership by trying new things

Steps

1. Teacher explains that for this activity we will be searching for information that is relevant/important to us (related to our own lives).

2. Students are put into groups and asked to discuss and choose 1 or 2 topics that they are all curious to learn more about: Discuss with your group and find 1 or 2 topics you would like to know more about. Example: Trabajadoras del hogar en Alameda county o Mujeres latinas dueñas de su propio negocio en San Francisco.

3. What do you want to know about this topic? Learners will come up with 2 or 3 questions to help guide their search. Inform students that having clear questions will help you lter all the information.

   1. Ex: What percentage of Latinas go to college in San Francisco?

   2. Ask students to come up with search words (explain that the specic words which are chosen will

      define what you find).

4. Students should then discuss how they will collect, analyze, interpret and then share the information that

   they find. Teachers should remind the class that they will report back to the class what they have found. After conducting research, students prepare to report their ndings to the class. In order to do this students should:

   1. Write a list of important ideas

   2. Prepare to show images

   3. Be ready to share screen (if in Zoom environment)

5. Finally, students will make presentations to the class. The teacher can explain that sometimes search results can be discouraging. Encourage students to discuss with their group:

a. How was this experience/activity for you as a group?

b. Please explain, how is your search connected to themes of today’s class: representation, lackof representation, misrepresentation, and stereotypes? (if relevant to your own class and how you framed this activity)

6. Afterwards, encourage a whole class discussion related to issues that came up.

a. Talk about why these issues are important to you as an individual (student), as a whole class, and as a community?
b. In thinking about stereotypes that may have been uncovered, what implications does this have in terms of perceptions and attitudes towards equity and social justice?