Welcome to the Research Unit!

1. You Need Today: Research Notebook, something to write with, a growth mindset.Homework: Web Evaluation due Day 1 Welcome to the Research Unit!

2. WEB EVALUATION due Day 1 • http://www.smes.org/main/library/Tutorials/Web_Eval_Assignment.html • Go to St. Margaret’s Library e-resources • Choose from middle school menu: Web Evaluation Comic Strip posted with permission from author. (Cravens, Greg.  Buckets. Jan 4 2008.)

3. Welcome to The Research Unit • Challenging, but worth it. • A challenging task is an opportunity to build dendrites. • Persistent effort drives success. • Further your skills as a researcher • Your teachers will assume you know researching skills and tools. Research is the process of answering questions.

4. Unit Overview: The next 13 weeks • Research Training and Techniques • Practice accessing, evaluating, processing and analyzing information from a variety of resource types. • Two Outlines >>> Two Essays • Formal Debate!

5. Adjust your Mindset • Advice from past 7th graders. • Stay organized. Stay organized. Stay organized. • I wish I spent more time doing notepackets well. It would have saved me a lot of time later • Don’t procrastinate!!!!!! • Don’t give up, doing well on the debate will be worth it. • Don’t just research the side you like. Research BOTH sides! • Whatever you do don’t loose your Research Binder!

6. RESOLVED: The United States federal government should increase social services for persons living in poverty.

7. Process is IMPORTANT!!

8. Figure out the questions • Ask yourself “What do I know or what do I think I know?” • Gather a little info to get started • Brainstorm/generate questions RESOLVED: The United States federal government should increase social services for persons living in poverty.

9. St poverty

10. What is Poverty? • Poverty is the deprivation of food, shelter, money and clothing that occurs when people cannot satisfy their basic needs. Poverty can be understood simply as a lack of money, or more broadly in terms of barriers to everyday life.(Wikipedia) • In 2011, the official poverty rate was 15.0 percentand there were 46.2 million people in poverty. • Who are these people? http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/data/incpovhlth/2011/table3.pdf • US Census website

11. Game Question #1 1. What is the FPL? (Federal Poverty Level is the minimum amount of money a family of 2 can live on in America) • A. $25,000/yr • B. $14,000/ yr • C. $12,000/yr • D. $39,000/yr • E. $52,000/yr

12. Game Question #1 1. What is the Federal Poverty Level? (or the amount of money a family of 2 lives on) • A. $25,000/yr • B. $14,000/ yr • C. $12,000/yr • D. $39,000/yr • E. $52,000/yr

13. Federal Poverty Level • The federal poverty level (FPL) is the set minimum amount of income that a family needs to meet the basic needs, such as food, clothing, transportation, shelter. • The FPL is developed by the Department of Health and Human Services, and is updated yearly. Family Size Gross (Pre-tax) Income 2 people = $14,710/ yr 3 people = $18,530 4 people = $22,350 U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/11poverty.shtml

14. In comparison

15. Children in Poverty • 21% of children in the U.S. live in families that are considered officially poor. • Child poverty rates are highest among black, Latino, and American Indian children. • Across the states, official child poverty rates range from 9% in New Hampshire to 31% in Mississippi. • Two most prevalent outcomes: academic failure and poor health. National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP). http://www.nccp.org/topics/childpoverty.html

17. Game Question #2 1. What is the average yearly salary in the USA? • A. $55,000 • B. $38,000 • C. $69,000 • D. $43,000 • E. $75,000

18. Game Question #2 1. What is the average yearly salary in the USA? • A. $55,000 • B. $38,000 • C. $69,000 • D. $43,000 • E. $75,000

19. How much does it cost to live?

20. A different perspective

21. What does Poverty look like?Google image search on “poverty united States”

22. St Social Services

23. Game Question #3 What does our government spend the most $$ on? • A. Social Services • B. Defense • C. Education • D. Social Security • E. Medicaid/Medicare

24. Game Question #3 What does our government spend the most $$ on? • A. Social Services • B. Defense • C. Education • D. Social Security • E. Medicaid/Medicare

25. Where the money goes

26. Where does the money go?

27. What are Social Services? • Synonyms: Welfare, public services, • Government spending intending to aid people in the society. • Income supplements • Food stamps • Housing assistance • Medical costs • Education access • Child-care subsidies • Transportation • Tax credits

28. Two Types of Social Services

29. Game Question #4 How many people in America receive benefits from means-based social services? • A. 1.2 billion • B. 18 million • C. 106 million • D. 898 thousand • E. 59 thousand Hint: Current US Population is 314,885,189

30. Game Question #4 How many people in America receive benefits from means-based social services? • A. 1.2 billion • B. 18 million • C. 106 million • D. 898 thousand • E. 59 thousand Hint: Current US Population is 314,885,189

31. A Confusing System? • Seven different Federal Agencies • Program overlap • 126 different programs • Funding sources blend federal, state, local and private funds Source: Michael Tanner, “The 15 trillion dollar war on poverty is a failure”

32. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) • (1) provide assistance to needy families so that children may be cared for in their own homes or in the homes of relatives; • (2) end the dependence of needy parents on government benefits by promoting job preparation, work, and marriage; • (3) prevent and reduce the incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies and establish annual numerical goals for preventing and reducing the incidence of these pregnancies; and • (4) encourage the formation and maintenance of two-parent families.” • income assistance (including wage supplements for working poor families); child care; education and job training; transportation; and a variety of other services to help low-income families.

33. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) • Formerly known as food stamps, SNAP helps low-income people buy food. • Includes funds for training people on how and where to use food stamps • Transportation to and from food stamp stores.

34. Medicaid Services • Covers all or part of medical services for low income. • Medical • Dental • Pharmacy • Mental/emotional • Transportation • Hospital/Institutional/Home care • At-home care

35. Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) • Provides health coverage to children in families with incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid, but can’t afford private coverage.

36. Game Question #5 How many hours do Americans spend in their cars? • A. 10 hrs/wk • B. 11hrs/wk • C. 15 hrs/wk • D. 17 hrs/wk • E. 20 hrs/wk

37. Game Question #5 How many hours do Americans spend in their cars? • A. 10 hrs/wk • B. 11hrs/wk • C. 15 hrs/wk • D. 17 hrs/wk • E. 20 hrs/wk

38. Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) • Allows low income workers a tax credit Income must each be less than: • $43,998 with three children • $40,964 with two children • $36,052 with one child • $13,660 with no children Maximum credits: • $5,751 with three children • $5,112 with two children • $3,094 with one child • $464 with no children 2011 Tax Year Source: http://www.irs.gov/

39. Child Tax Credit • With the Child Tax Credit, qualifying households may be able to reduce federal income tax by up to $1,000 for each qualifying child under the age of 17. • Qualifying Households = Married families with income $110,000 or below (approximately).

40. Pell Grants • Provides money for college/university to those qualify based on income and schooling costs. • Max benefits $5,550.00 /year Annual Tuition/Room/Board Costs for Higher Education Source: National Center for Educational Statistics

41. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) • It is designed to help aged, blind, and disabled people, who have little or no income • It provides cash to meet basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter.

42. Game Question #6 Amount that federal welfare spending has increased in last 4 year. • A. 59% • B. 41% • C. 30% • D. 15% • E. 2%

43. Game Question #6 Amount that federal welfare spending has increased in last 4 year. • A. 59% • B. 41% • C. 30% • D. 15% • E. 2%

44. Costs of Largest Welfare Programs Source: Michael Tanner, Cato Institute

45. Mixed opinions… • “Since President Obama took office, federal welfare spending has increased by 41 percent, more than 193 billion per year... Clearly we are doing something wrong. Throwing money at the problem has neither reduced poverty nor made the poor self-sufficient.” • --Michael Tanner, CATO Institute • “The passage of economic recovery legislation that includes funding for basic needs and other supports is crucial to helping poor and low-income families weather the current financial crisis.” • --Joy Moses, Center for American Progress

46. WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW TO MAKE A DECISION? Should the United States federal government increase social services for persons living in poverty?

47. Define Your Terms! Resolved: The United States federal government should increase social services for persons living in poverty.

48. Define Your Terms! Resolved: The United States federal government should increasesocial services for persons living in poverty.

49. Define Your Terms! • US federal government : The President, the House and the Senate. • increase :Raising of payments, goods and services. Decrease in taxes? Raise exemptions? • social services :food programs? housing programs? educational programs? medical services? insurance? • living in poverty : what definition are you using?

50. Presearch: Make a Plan YOUR RESEARCH BINDER File materials immediately. File materials in the correct category. Know where your binder is at all times.