NOTE: It is important NOT to distribute Graph # 6: Median Annual Earnings and Educational Attainment Levels of Full Time Workers, By Gender (1997) until Step # 4 in the simulation.

Materials:

· An overhead transparency or copies of Graph # 6

· Transparency of employment information from Step # 6

· One standard die (numbered one to six) per person

· One copy of Gender Education and Income Game Sheet

Procedure: Explain to students that they will play a game to predict how much income they could earn in the future. In the game, their fate will be determined by the roll of the dice, but in reality, life is not a game of chance.

Step 1: Distribute a game sheet and die to each student. Have each student roll the die. The result will indicate their gender for the simulation (even = female; odd = male). They should check the appropriate box on their game sheet.

Step 2: Students roll one die again to determine their level of education, and check the appropriate box on their game sheet). Note that the highest number results in the lowest level of education.

Step 3: Tell the students that they are now at least twenty-five years old and employed full time. Ask them to predict the annual salary for their full-time job, based on their gender and educational level. You can also ask them to write down the occupation that they might have. Have students share their predictions as a whole class or in small groups.

Step 4: Distribute Graph # 6: Median Annual Earnings and Educational Attainment Levels of Full Time Workers, By Gender (1997). Review the notes at the bottom of the graph. Be sure that the students understand that the statistics are based on information about full-time workers who are at least 25 years old. Have students find the median salary for their work, based on gender and educational level. Then, discuss the degree to which their predictions were accurate, and any questions or conclusions that they have.

Step 5: Remind students that there are many unemployed people in the United States whose incomes were not included in these statistics and are considerably lower. As them to predict the percent of their group that is employed in full-time work, based on their gender and years of school.

Step # 6: Create the following table on the board, chart paper or an overhead transparency. Explain that the employment population ratio is the proportion of the population employed.

Employment Status (25 years and over)
by Education Status, Gender, Race (1997)

Employment-population ratio (1997)

	Total	Males	Females
Less than High School Diploma	38.8%	51.1%	27.7%
High School Diploma	63.0%	73.3%	54.4%
Associate Degree	77.2%	84.0%	72.0%
Bachelor’s Degree	78.9%	83.4%	73.8%

Source: U.S Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Employment and Earnings,” Volume 45, # 1, Table # 7, January, 1998, page 170.

Have students locate their group on the table and record the actual percent that is employed in full time work, based on the information. Be sure that the students understand the connection between this table and Graph # 6. For example, approximately one half of males with less than a high school diploma are unemployed and earn considerably less than the $19,291 salary on Graph # 6. Only a quarter of females with the same level of education are employed full time.

The following questions will stimulate further discussion:

Ø How does information about people over age 25 relate to your lives and decisions as middle and/or high school students?

Ø Do you think that all students have equal access to education and to jobs? Explain your reasoning.

Ø If this table included statistics about different races of people, what patterns might you see? Explain your conclusions.

Ø How does the information from Graph # 6 and the table connect to information from the previous graphs?

Ø What further questions do you have? Where could you find the answers?

© 2002 by Jan M. Goodman