Indiana Social Studies WG.4.5
The Standard
Assess the changes and consequences of population growth or decline in various parts of the United States based on global migration patterns and determine whether the local community is shrinking or growing.
2026 Indiana Academic Standards: K-12 Social Studies · Characteristics, Distribution, and Migration of Human Populations
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students compare population changes in different U.S. places and examine how international migration affects those changes. They use Census figures to decide whether their own community is growing or shrinking and describe possible effects.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student calculates population change for two states and their town or county. They use migration figures to explain part of a trend and name a possible effect on housing, schools, or jobs.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may assume every population change is caused by people moving from other countries. They may overlook births, deaths, and moves between states, or mistake a higher population for a faster growth rate.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: Use Census QuickFacts to record your county's 2020 population and 2024 estimate, calculate the change, and name one possible effect on schools. Can those two figures show how much of the change came from international migration?
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs printed state population and international migration tables; have them calculate changes and mark growing and shrinking states on a map.
Show a county with rising enrollment and ask students to write which school resources might need to change, using two numbers from a data card.
Give groups cards with state totals for births, deaths, international migration, and domestic migration; have them match each card to a population trend.
Have students find their county's 2020 count and 2024 estimate, then write a two-sentence note to the school board about one possible impact.
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Printable WG.4.5 Worksheet
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