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Julia Masur, Jenny Bilash, Laura Bilash Period 2 Honors English III

Homelessness
 * Big Idea: **

What does it mean to be homeless in America?
 * Essential Question:**

To find the causes and effects of being homeless in America.
 * Challenge:**

1. What are the central causes? 2. What regions of the country have the highest homeless population? 3. If the U.S. is portrayed as such a privileged country, why is there such a significant number of people homeless? 4. What effects has the economy had on the growth of homelessness in America? 5. Does gender, age, and ethnicity have a direct relation in the population of homeless people?
 * Guiding Questions:**

1. Find accurate statistics (on the growth of the population of homelessness, etc.) 2. Watch Itunes U lectures 3. Interview or visit homeless shelter
 * Guiding Activities:**

1. Over the last year, http://usmayors.org/pressreleases/documents/hungerhomelessnessreport_121208.pdf
 * Guiding Resources:**
 * 68% of single adults reported homeless was caused by substance abuse
 * 60% lack of affordable housing
 * 48% with a severe mental illness
 * 44% poverty
 * 28% unemployment
 * 20% other
 * 20% family disputes
 * 12% low paying jobs
 * 4% emancipation from foster care.

2. The homeless population in America ranges between 2.3 and 3.5 million people with 58% living in some type of shelter. Top three states with the highest homeless population: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-07-09-homeless_N.htm
 * California- 0.4% of population- 157,277 people
 * Oregon- 0.5% of population- 20,653 people
 * New York- 0.3% of population- 61,125 people

3. http://www.homelessamerican.com/ []
 * Organizations collect billions in donations and grants money but this money is spent a lot on administrative cost, fund raisers, and expensive advertising in replace of helping those in need.
 * Small organizations provide efficient assistance are low-income because they are usually run by churches, coalitions, or concerned individuals.
 * Homelessness is rarely publicly addressed by the media so many people do not know about the increase of homeless people in America.
 * The focus of the country is put towards other things that are considered "more important."
 * This problem is left for the states and local communities to solve on their own, making it even more difficult without help from the country.

4. Study surveyed of 25 cities: http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/526/homeless-facts.html
 * 83% reported an increase in homelessness.
 * Over the next two years the recession will cause about 1.5 million more people to become homeless.
 * Since 2007, cities reported a 12% increase of homeless people.
 * The recession has caused many people to lose their jobs, homes and money, therefore putting them onto the streets.

5. Percentage of different ethic groups that are homeless: Teens and Homelessness: http://baltimorechronicle.com/2010/052110Lendman.shtml http://www.homelessamerican.com/ http://www.panhandleparade.com/index.php/mbb/article/homelessness_up_among_women_and_children/mbb7711987/
 * 39% non-Hispanic whites
 * 42% African American
 * 13% Hispanic
 * 4% Native American
 * 2% Asian
 * 44% single men
 * 13% single woman
 * 36% families with children
 * 7% unaccompanied minors are homeless.
 * 1.6 millions teens ran away from home and slept on the streets in the past twelve months.
 * The causes of many of these teens becoming homeless are physical, substance, or sexual abuse, or being thrown out by their parents.
 * 33% of teens were in foster care, 51% had been physically abused
 * 60% of girls and 23% of boys had been sexually violated.
 * more woman than ever before
 * 46-65 years 40%
 * 36-45 years 35%
 * 26 to 35 years 23%
 * 18 to 25 years 2%


 * __ItunesU Lecture and Interview__**


 * __Solutions and Actions__**


 * Publishing:**
 * iMovie

http://www.ysop.org/statistics.htm http://www.theeconomicadvisor.com/economy/top-causes-of-homelessness-in-america/