This Pass or Prepared? is based on a graph on Annie E. Casey Foundation site: Casey Foundation's 2000 Kids Count Data Online. Let's look at the graph showing
Percent of teens not attending school and not working (ages 16-19):

Based on your perusal of this graph, answer the following questions:

1. What can we tell just by looking at the graph itself?

   One Plausible Answer

   By just looking at the graph, we can tell that there were five separate variables measured because there are five separate lines. We can also tell that each line is represented by a different color and a different symbol. And we can tell that the graph shows change over time.

2. What more can we tell by looking at the Geographic Area information to the left, above the graph?

   One Plausible Answer

   By looking at Geographic Area, to the left, above the graph, we can tell that the different colors, symbols represent California, Iowa, Kansas, New York, and Washington. So that the different lines represent different states. The lines show changes in percents over the years for each of the five states.

3. Do the data suggest that the lines could be grouped?

   One Plausible Answer

   Yes, the data suggest that California, New York, and Washington form one group. And Iowa and Kansas form another group.

4. How might you explain this grouping?

   One Plausible Answer

   One way to explain the grouping is that California, New York, and Washington tend to have similar metropolitan centers and may have large numbers of "disconnected youth" in those centers. Iowa and Kansas, on the other hand, are primarily rural Mid-West, and have fewer large metropolitan populations.

5. If you had to write a paragraph of interpretation about this graph, what could you say?

   One Plausible Answer

   Table 1, Percent of teens not attending school and not working (ages 16-19), shows that California and Washinton have shown the highest percentage of "disconnected youth" during the period from 1990 through 1997. California and Washington states seem to alternate, with New York following. California has shown a consistently lower percentage over this time period, while Washington has shown a consistently higher percentage.

   Iowa and Kansas, on the other hand, have maintained a consistently low rate of "disconnected youth" with little fluctuation during this time period. Iowa has had about 5% of its youth neither in school nor working, while Kansas, with about 7% of its youth disconnected, has maintained the rate of 6% since 1991, with a temporary drop to 5% in 1993.

   Finally, you might try linking to the profiles of the various cities to see if you could explain the findings.

   ---

   Figurine by Rudiger Appel. Notice that you can see three effects in the animation. Either the Variation on the Kandinsky figurine appears to turn in a clockwise direction, or in a counterclockwise direction, or it appears to open and close. Can you see all three effects? Try. Fascinated? Link to Appel's site and then link to the background he provides. Scroll down until you find a link to background.

Copright: Jeanne Curran and Susan R. Takata, June 2000. "Fair Use" encouraged.