The Times They Are A Changing

Mathematics

INFUSING EQUITY BY GENDER INTO THE CLASSROOM:
A Handbook of Classroom Practices

Back to Lesson Plans || Back to Handbook Homepage

THE TIMES THEY ARE A CHANGING
By: Kathleen C. Chadwick

STANDARD: All students will be able to explain the effects of gender bias, stereotyping, and discrimination on access, learning, self-esteem, relationships, and behavior.

GRADE LEVEL: 6-9, Mathematics

OBJECTIVE(S): Students will be able to explain federal and state laws prohibiting gender bias and stereotyping by:

1. Learning current statistics about today's workforce.
2. Using reading and listening skills.
3. Solving problems that involve percent of increase or decrease.

TIME: Two to three periods

MATERIALS:

Copy of the Federal Work Force Laws for each student.

Calculators one for each student.

Almanac or the current statistical references for up to date work force information.

Copy of Employment Statistics and wages over the past 20 years.

RESOURCES: Speaker from the State Employment Office.

PROCEDURES:

Students should read the handout that lists the federal laws that affect them as workers. This can be done in small groups, individually, for homework, or aloud with the teacher.
If possible, have a speaker from the state employment office do a presentation and discussion that focuses on the impact these laws have on workers and the companies that employ the workers. Have students give reasons about what might have prompted the need for such laws to be written.
Students work in groups to discuss the laws for increased understanding, research the history of each law and to learn the laws in more detail.
Give students copies of reference materials on employment statistics and wages over the last 20 years. Have students calculate the rate of change for specific areas. (See sample ditto and sample problems).
Students compare the laws and the years of the laws enactment with the statistics on the handout. Can students find any changes in the statistics that correspond to the year that the legislation became laws?

HINTS: Use Almanacs and other reference materials for current statistics or laws related to this standard.

1993 Handbook on Women Workers: Trends & Issues from the U.S. Department of Labor Women's Bureau, is and excellent reference on laws and statistics for this lesson.

Extended Activities:

Students may write plays, make posters, and write reports about the history of each law. Special attention to the use of statistics, graphs or other mathematical objectives can be included.

Students may be assigned journal writings on what they have learned and how it might effect them when they seek employment or become employed.

Students may interview people who have worked in a field for over 10 years to find out how new legislation has impacted them. (For instance, teachers who did not receive credit for maternity leave or stewardesses who had to leave their jobs when pregnant).

ASSESSMENT:

Teachers should design rubrics for assessment of any group projects done on the Federal Laws. Special attention to using mathematical objectives should be done. Assessing Student Outcomes, by Marzano, Pickering, & McTighe, Reston, VA:ASCD, 1993, can provide help in the development of meaningful rubrics.

FEDERAL LAWS PERTAINING TO EMPLOYMENT

Fair Labor Standards Act (1938) Sets minimum wage. When first enacted the rate was $0.05 per hour. In 1991 the rate was $4.25 per hour. In 1996, the rate was raised to $4.75. This act also states that a rate of no less than 1 and 1/2 times the regular rate for all hours worked over 40 hours in any one-work week must be paid. This is generally known as "overtime rate".

Equal Pay Act of 1963 Prohibits discrimination against women and men because of gender. "Equal work" interpreted as substantially equal skills needed for the job.

Civil Rights Act of 1964 (related Amendments 1978 and 1991) Title VII protects employees from discrimination based on race, color, sex, national origin and religion in hiring, compensation, fringe benefits, promotion, and termination. (Students may want to research how the word "gender" was added to this legislation before it was passed).

Title IX (1972) A civil rights law prohibiting sex discrimination in education programs and activities receiving federal funds.

Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (1974 and 1981) Provides support for working families with dependent children. Specifically, the Earned Income Tax Credit treats expenses for childcare as a deduction from the adjusted gross income.

Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 (Title VII amended) Discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions clearly constitutes unlawful sexual discrimination. It is unlawful to refuse to hire or promote pregnant women because they are pregnant, or terminate women because they are pregnant.

Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) Protects men and women workers against employment discrimination on the basis of a disability. Requires reasonable accommodations by an employer of an employee with a disability who is otherwise able to perform essential functions of a job.

Family and Medical Leave Act (1993) Provided for 12 weeks of unpaid job-protected leave for the birth or adoption of a child; adjustment of a foster child; serious illness of a child, spouse, or parent; and the serious illness of the employee.

WORKFORCE STATISTICS AND RATE OF CHANGE

Percent Rate of Change: The percent something increases or decreases from its original amount. Finding percent of change requires two steps:

Subtract to find the amount of change.

Use the equation:

P=amount of change

original amount

The minimum wage in 1971 was $1.60. In 1991 the rate was $4.25 per hour. Calculate the percent of change in the minimum wage from 1971 to 1991.

When first enacted in 1938, the minimum wage was 5 cents per hour. In 1996 the rate was $4.75. Calculate the percent of change in the minimum wage from 1938 to 1996.

In 1981 there were 89,259 women 16 years and over in the labor force. In 1991 there were 98,970 women 16 years and over in the labor force. What was the percent of change in this labor force? What could be factors in this change?

In 1996 there was a total of 126,708 thousand workers, 16 years and older. Of these workers, 58,501 thousand were female. What percent of the workforce was female? What percent were male?

In 1988, there were 16,139 thousand men who held managerial and professional specialty jobs. Women held 13,050 thousand of these types of jobs. The total workforce was 114,969 thousand.
1. What percent of the managerial and professional jobs did women hold?
2. What percent of these jobs did men hold?
3. What percent of all jobs were management and professional?
In 1996 the total work force numbered 126,708 thousand. Of this, men held 18,744 thousand managerial and professional specialty jobs and women held 17,754 thousand of these type jobs.
1. What percent of the managerial and professional jobs did women hold?
2. What percent of these jobs did men hold?
3. What was the percent change in the number of women holding managerial and professional specialty jobs from 1988 to 1996?

Back to Lesson Plans || Back to Handbook Homepage

Mathematics