From the Introduction: "This study guide is designed to enhance students' mastery of key content and skills in social studies through examination of recent statistical data about the United States collected from congressional districts, states, and regions of the United States. It is intended to be used in conjunction with The Measure of America: American Human Development Report 2008 -- 2009 by Sarah Burd-Sharps, Kristen Lewis, and Eduardo Borges Martins, along with the United States Constitution and other materials. The lessons will compliment curriculum in the social studies, particularly U.S. government, civics, and U.S. history. Each lesson is designed with multiple objectives in mind to make the most efficient use of a teacher's time. "The guide consists of five lesson plans drawn from topics investigated in The Measure of America:

• * Who are we, the people of the United States?
• * Preamble to an American dream
• * The census, Apportionment, and congressional districts
• * The U.S. government and human development
• * A personal action plan to secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity

"Within each lesson plan you will find all or most of the following information:

• * Synopsis of each lesson
• * A description of national standards met by this lesson (based on themes and high school performance expectations outlined in Expectations of Excellence from the National Council for the Social Studies)
• * List of necessary materials
• * Time required to complete each lesson
• * Lesson starters, procedures, and related worksheets
• * Resource notes
• * Assessment strategies and rubric

"The study guide is designed so that the five lesson plans may be introduced individually at the appropriate point in your curriculum to meet content and skills objectives, although they may be presented together as a focus unit. Recognizing the time and accountability constraints facing classroom teachers, it is not essential that students complete all the lessons or listed activities. Teachers may assign selected activities to their classes, allow pupils to choose an activity for themselves, or set up independent learning centers with the material needed for suggested activities. We encourage you to select and adapt the activities that best meet your students' needs and abilities, curriculum requirements, and teaching style."

Those who advocate for greater investment in education often make the economic argument: more education leads to higher wages and is critical for financial stability and independence. They're right. Robust evidence supports the view that higher levels of educational attainment are linked to higher incomes, less unemployment, less poverty, and less reliance on public assistance.

But education is about more than just better jobs and bigger paychecks, important though they are in making families and individuals more financially stable. More education is also linked to better physical and mental health, longer lives, fewer crimes, less incarceration, more voting, greater tolerance, and brighter prospects for the next generation. More education is good for individuals who stay in school to earn their high school degree or who enter and graduate college, but it is also good for all of us, paying big dividends in the form of increased civic engagement, greater neighborhood safety, and a healthy, vibrant democracy.

This report is a companion piece to the online Common Good ForecasterTM, a joint product of United Way and the American Human Development Project. It takes a closer look at the ten indicators featured on the Forecaster and makes the case for why education matters to each of these critical areas. The Common Good ForecasterTM is an online tool available at www.measureofamerica.org/forecaster and www.liveunited.org/forecaster.

Those who advocate for greater investment in education often make the economic argument: more education leads to higher wages and is critical for financial stability and independence. They're right. Robust evidence supports the view that higher levels of educational attainment are linked to higher incomes, less unemployment, less poverty, and less reliance on public assistance.

But education is about more than just better jobs and bigger paychecks, important though they are in making families and individuals more financially stable. More education is also linked to better physical and mental health, longer lives, fewer crimes, less incarceration, more voting, greater tolerance, and brighter prospects for the next generation. More education is good for individuals who stay in school to earn their high school degree or who enter and graduate college, but it is also good for all of us, paying big dividends in the form of increased civic engagement, greater neighborhood safety, and a healthy, vibrant democracy.

This report is a companion piece to the online Common Good ForecasterTM, a joint product of United Way and the American Human Development Project. It takes a closer look at the ten indicators featured on the Forecaster and makes the case for why education matters to each of these critical areas. The Common Good ForecasterTM is an online tool available at www.measureofamerica.org/forecaster and www.liveunited.org/forecaster.

Those who advocate for greater investment in education often make the economic argument: more education leads to higher wages and is critical for financial stability and independence. They're right. Robust evidence supports the view that higher levels of educational attainment are linked to higher incomes, less unemployment, less poverty, and less reliance on public assistance.

But education is about more than just better jobs and bigger paychecks, important though they are in making families and individuals more financially stable. More education is also linked to better physical and mental health, longer lives, fewer crimes, less incarceration, more voting, greater tolerance, and brighter prospects for the next generation. More education is good for individuals who stay in school to earn their high school degree or who enter and graduate college, but it is also good for all of us, paying big dividends in the form of increased civic engagement, greater neighborhood safety, and a healthy, vibrant democracy.

This report is a companion piece to the online Common Good ForecasterTM, a joint product of United Way and the American Human Development Project. It takes a closer look at the ten indicators featured on the Forecaster and makes the case for why education matters to each of these critical areas. The Common Good ForecasterTM is an online tool available at www.measureofamerica.org/forecaster and www.liveunited.org/forecaster.