Ssec: How Can a Family Be in Poverty and Not Be Poor? [Pdf]

This investigation helps students examine issues related to measuring poverty. Is reducing poverty an appropriate economic role for government? How do you measure poverty? What is not examined when measuring poverty? What are alternative measures of poverty? Students discuss the role of government in alleviating poverty and examine measures of poverty. They learn that the number of people living in poverty and the poverty rate will vary, depending on which measure is used. (Note: Data in the investigation may be somewhat out of date, and teachers may wish to update it using the data citation.)