Make Portuguese Count

in the Classroom™

for the 2020 U.S. Census

Why Make Portuguese Count in the Classroom™?

To promote civic education and engagement about the 2020 Census among Portuguese-American students attending Portuguese Language Programs;
To promote Portuguese Pride through self-identification of one’s own ancestral origins;
To be the "messengers" sharing information with family and friends about the importance of the 2020 Census and how to participate and respond to Question #7: Race / Origins;
To nurture the value of civic engagement and community service.

Thanks to the collaboration of Dr. Silvia Oliveira and the Institute for Portuguese and Lusophone World Studies at Rhode Island College, the PALCUS Make Portuguese Count™ Campaign is able to provide resources and lesson plans specific to topics about the 2020 U.S. Census for the Portuguese classroom. The lessons were adapted from resources found on the U.S. Census website "Statistics in Schools" by the teachers attending the "Encontro de Professores de Português" last October at Rhode Island College. After a feedback period, they were refined by Dr. Oliveira and translated by her and the Institute interns. This project would not have been possible without her work.

Many thanks for the cooperation of the Portuguese Language Programs and Education Affairs in the U.S.A. for supporting and promoting this project:

João Caixinha, Coordinator (Boston)
José Carlos Adão, Deputy Coordinator (Newark)
Duarte Pinheiro, Deputy Coordinator (California)

Camões, Instituto da Cooperação e da Língua, I.P.,

Ministério dos Negócios Estrangeiros/Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs

DEAR TEACHERS OF PORTUGUESE:

Make Portuguese Count in the Classroom™ is live!

Census Week in the Classroom: March 2-6,2020!

You can now access the lesson plans developed at the Encontro de Professores de Português at Rhode Island College last October at the Digital Commons of the James P. Adams Library at Rhode Island College at this link:

https://digitalcommons.ric.edu/mpc2020/

The lessons use accepted ACTFL, Common Core State and Teaching Tolerance Social Justice Standards and integrate curriculum areas of Mathematics, Social Studies, Geography and Portuguese. Feel free to adapt to your classrooms exploring the themes of using data for planning for resources, awareness of diversity, exploring ancestry, and developing responsibilities of civic engagement all while expanding application of the Portuguese language.

During the week of February 3, 2020, envelopes were sent to 145 teachers of Portuguese at public, private, charter and community Portuguese schools in California, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The mailing contained information about the program, an 11" x 17" bilingual poster and a bilingual flyer printed back-to-back.

If you did not receive this mailing or know of a teacher or administrator who would like one, please contact Marie Fraley, PALCUS National Census Director at marie.fraley@palcus.org

HOW CAN YOU PARTICIPATE IN MAKE PORTUGUESE COUNT IN THE CLASSROOM™?

1) Between February 1st and March 12th, schedule time to present one or more lessons about the 2020 Census and inform your students about how their families can write “Portuguese” on the Race/Origin question of the 2020 Census form.

2) Post the bilingual poster in a highly visible location at your school where parents can see it.

3) Please distribute the bilingual flyer (printed back-to-back in English and Portuguese) to each student as a “take home” and encourage them to explain to their parents what they have learned about the 2020 Census and how to “Make Portuguese Count” by writing “Portuguese” on the Race/Origin question. Make as many copies as you wish.

4) Please send us your feedback, stories and photos of working with your students on these topics.

We'd love to share your experiences to inspire others to "Make Portuguese Count™" !!

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: