Measuring Poverty in the U.S.

Abstract

According to official government statistics, the poverty rate in the U.S. is 14.5% (2013). But what exactly does that mean – for example, how low does your income have to be in order to be considered ‘poor’? A PowerPoint presentation and a class exercise teach students how poverty is measured in the United States and some current debates about the...

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Details

Subject Area(s):

Public Policy

Resource Type(s):

Class Activity, Lecture, PowerPoint

Class Level(s):

Any Level

Class Size(s):

Any

Usage Notes

This PowerPoint presentation (with lecture notes included) and class exercise could be used at any course level, and is suitable for Intro to Sociology, Social Problems, or a course on inequality. It requires one class session for the lecture with PowerPoint, and at least ½ of another class session for a group exercise (though this exercise could easily...

Learning Goals and Assessments

Learning Goal(s):

1. Students will learn how poverty is measured in the U.S.
2. Students will understand current debates about how poverty should be measured, and will develop their own policy positions on this issue.
3. Students will understand the difference between absolute and relative measures of poverty.

Goal Assessment(s):

1. Group exercise
2. Exam questions