This is an activity that is divided into three parts. The first part of the activity is an in-class discussion and computer tutorial. The second part of the lesson is a homework assignment that will take 3-5 evenings to complete. The third part of the activity is a brief oral presentation made by the students to the class.

Lesson Objective: Students will explore the concept of indicators of the wealth of a region. Each student will analyze one regional indicator in-depth. Students will become familiar with researching data sources, developing formulas to determine rate of change, using spreadsheets, and creating graphs. Students will analyze what the indicator means to their region and what the strengths and weaknesses of the region are.

• Computers with access to the internet and the "Microsoft Excel" program

Student handout masters included in this lesson packet:

1. Indicators and Where to Find Them
2. Excel Tutorial

Explain to the students that they will each be exploring in-depth one indicator of the wealth of the Humboldt County region in this activity. Remind the students of their class discussion of what an "indicator" is and of the three categories of indicators described in this lesson unit -- people, environment and economy.

Explain to the students that they will be required to use the internet and a spreadsheet application (Excel) in this activity. They will need to find data for their indicator on the world-wide-web. They will then be required to put the data into a spreadsheet and create a graph of their data illustrating how the data has changed over time. Tell them not to worry if they are unfamiliar with spreadsheet programs, they will be given a tutorial for the Excel program that will walk them through the basic features of the program. From the data and their graph, students will be asked to briefly analyze the strengths and weaknesses of our region. Tell the students that they will have several days to complete this assignment.

Give each student Handout 1, "Indicators and Where to Find Them." The handout lists potential indicators that the students can use and the URL address where the data are available. Individual indicators can either be assigned to students by the teacher or the students can choose based on their interest area. It may be useful or interesting to them to see the entire list of indicators and the URL addresses, regardless of how indicators are assigned.

Once students have been assigned or have chosen an indicator, it is important to explain to them what data they should look for and why.

Rate of change over time is a key element to analyzing data of many varieties and in many contexts. Rate of change is, simply, by what percentage a set of data has changed (positively or negatively) from one point in time to another. Students should be familiar with the concept of "slope" from their mathematics courses. Explain that slope and rate of change are synonymous.

Rate of change is calculated by taking the most current data available, subtracting the previously available data, dividing the result by the previously available data, and then multiplying by 100 to get a percent of change. (An explanation of rate of change and an example of how it is calculated is included in Student Handout 2, "Excel Tutorial.")

Explain to the students that they will be expected to find and graph data from a range of years. Give each student a copy of Handout 2, "Excel Tutorial." The tutorial is a step-by-step procedural description of how to use the Excel program to create a graph of data.

Explain that the students need to briefly analyze what their indicator means to Humboldt County. They should identify what the strengths and weaknesses of our region are in relation to their indicator. Students may want to compare the indicator for our region with other nearby counties, the state, and the nation in their analysis.

Teachers may refer to Professor Steve Hackett's web site "The Wealth of the Klamath-Siskiyou Region" at http://www.humboldt.edu/~envecon/Indicators. The site is the culmination of an assignment given by Professor Hackett to his HSU students in the course "Economics of a Sustainable Society." The web site should not be mentioned to students until after their assignments are turned in.

Explain to the students that they are expected to turn in a printed version of their graph, as well as a brief written analysis. They are also expected to make a brief oral presentation of their findings to their class. They should plan to make an over head transparency of their diagram to assist their presentation.

Students are prepared to begin looking at an indicator of the wealth of their region. They have been asked to graph their data, analyze the data, and prepare a brief written and oral report of their findings.

The next part of the activity will give the students the opportunity to present their findings. The combined results of the class presentations will give the students an idea of the strengths and weaknesses of the Humboldt County region. This snapshot will allow the students to consider how to foster change in their communities -- first by looking at the role the various levels of government play in their community and then by considering the importance of civic participation in community building.