Media Literacy - Learning about Graphs and Statistics!

Two Resources for Teaching Statistics

There’s lots of discussion these days about media literacy and teaching our kids to question, interpret, and understand the information that is presented to them. Some of the trickiest information to dig into are graphs and statistics. What is the graph trying to depict? Where did the data come from? What is left out? Who created the statistic? There are so many questions!

One approach to getting kids comfortable and proficient at deciphering this information is through practice and I have two (free!) resources that will help you do just that. The first is from the United States Census Bureau and the other is from the New York Times Learning Network.

The U.S. Census Bureau has a resource called Statistics in Schools which includes lessons, activities, and games for students from Kindergarten through 12th grade. There are quick data visualizations like this one for elementary kids on National Pet Day and veterinary careers and there are also complete lessons like this one on the setting of the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, which goes in-depth into understanding poverty levels in America in the 1930s by using data from the 1930s Census Questionnaire and the 1937 Unemployment Census.

They have organized resources by grade-level but also by subject area so you can bring statistical literacy into different areas of your studies. Of course, you can also learn about the Decennial Census and its impact on society.

The second resource is from The New York Times Learning Network and is called “What’s Going On In This Graph?” Each week of the school year they share a graph, map, or chart, and invite students to think about it and, if they want to, share their thoughts. Then on Wednesdays, the New York Times partners with the American Statistical Association to host a live moderated discussion about the graph and on Thursdays posts more detailed background information as well as the graph for the next week. There’s also “What’s Going On in This Picture?” which is also fun!

The last “What’s Going On In This Graph?” for the 2023-2024 school year was entitled “Hotter Summer” which talked about changing temperatures in the United States. The in-depth explanation covered questions the students may want to consider, other data that could be looked at to research claims, how density plots are different than histograms, what choropleth maps are, and the difference between normal and skewed distributions among other topics.

This resource is geared towards middle and high school students but could also lead to fun discussions or conversation starters with younger kids.

There are plenty of ways to use resources like these. I personally like sprinkling resources into our homeschool periodically. I’ll keep an eye on the NY Times site and if a topic comes up that we’ve talked about or that I know my kids are interested in I’ll add it to our morning discussions that week. We’re studying American History this year and I’ve found resources from the Census site that will be a nice complement to a couple of our units. If you have a child who loves graphs and statistics I could also see using these weekly as a study of statistics itself and looking at different topics each week. However you decide to use them, these resources will bring an engaging approach to statistics to your studies!

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Learning Through Travel: Why Homeschool Families Will Love The Capitol Collection

By Melissa Robb • February 12, 2026

Some of the best learning my family has done didn’t happen sitting at the kitchen table. It happened walking through old buildings, asking questions, and seeing things with our own eyes. State capitol buildings are among our favorite stops, we learn so much about a state by visiting these unique and beautiful buildings. If your family likes to travel—or even just take day trips— The Capitol Collection is a wonderful way to turn those outings into something meaningful and memorable. It is a souvenir passbook ($15) that helps families keep track of visits to state capitol buildings. Each visit becomes more than just a stop along the way—it becomes part of your family’s story. Turning Trips Into Adventures Kids love having a purpose, and visiting capitols gives them one. Instead of just passing through a city, they’re exploring, noticing details, and looking forward to marking another visit in their book. Over time, those pages fill up with memories, and the learning happens naturally along the way. It doesn’t feel like “doing school”—it just feels like life. That’s one of the things I’ve always loved about homeschooling. Learning doesn’t have to be complicated to be meaningful. Our Family’s Story This means a lot to me because of our own experience. Our family has visited 22 state capitols so far. Our first recorded visit was Pierre, South Dakota in 2009 when my son was 10 years old , and at first it was just something fun to do while we traveled. I never imagined how much it would shape him. One of my favorite memories is a tradition he started. Whenever a capitol had a rotunda, he would lie down on the floor and just look up at the dome. He would study the paintings, the shapes, the light—just taking it all in and thinking what that epic element represented. Those quiet moments often turned into some of our best conversations later. At the Oregon state house we were even able to go up INTO the dome, what a climb! Over the years, those visits led to many talks about history, government, and how laws are made. The experience stayed with him so strongly that he even wrote about it in his law school application essay . Visiting state capitols has expanded to exploring government building internationally such as the Reichstag in Germany and Canada’s Parliament in Ottawa. As a parent, it’s an amazing thing to see something that started as a simple family outing become part of your child’s future. Most recently, we visited Maryland’s capitol during a trip to Annapolis. My son is a young man now and living on his own, but when we travel together, this is still something we do. That’s what makes experiences like this so special—they grow with your children. Why Capitol Buildings Are Such Powerful Learning Spaces State capitol buildings offer a unique blend of subjects all in one place: Civics and government come to life when children see legislative chambers and learn how decisions are made. Local history becomes tangible through exhibits, memorials, and stories tied to each state. Art and architecture surround you, often reflecting the values and culture of the region. Critical thinking and curiosity grow naturally as kids ask questions and make connections. Best of all, these lessons don’t feel forced. They happen through exploration and conversation—often led by the child’s own interests. A Journey Worth Remembering Looking back, I’m so thankful we took the time to stop, explore, and learn together. Those capitol visits weren’t just educational—they were time spent together, sharing discoveries and building memories we still talk about years later. Whether your family visits one capitol or dreams of all fifty, the important part isn’t the number. It’s the time spent learning side by side. (There is a Facebook group for this hobby. It’s small but would be a great way for families to share their experiences!)