Census in schools
Welcome to our School Resources Page
These resources were designed by practising teachers and are aligned to the current curricula. The goals of the lessons are to help our students understand what the census is about, to learn how and why a census takes place and the value of census information to society, our communities and our daily lives. We hope that you will enjoy these lessons.
Primary School
Lessons are provided for Junior Infants to Sixth Class and are based on specific themes relevant to the particular stage of the Primary Curriculum.
- Myself and My Family – Junior and Senior Infants (PDF)
- Myself and My Community – First and Second Class (PDF)
- My Place in the World – Third and Fourth Class (PDF)
- My World in the Past – Fifth and Sixth Class (PDF)
- The Census Cycle Posters (PDF)
- The Census Explained Posters (PDF)
The CSO thanks Rachael O’Sullivan for her work in producing these resources.
Secondary School
Resources have been developed for CSPE, Geography and History.
Civic, Social and Political Education (CSPE)
These CSPE lessons will seek to help students and teachers access and understand the broad range of important, useful and interesting information that the census provides. They show how this information helps to shape and reform our communities and society through policy related to all aspects of our lives. The resource has been written to engage and inspire students to be curious and interested in interpreting, evaluating, gathering, recording and analysing data as a way of understanding our ever-changing world.
The CSO wishes to thank Dara Belledent for her work in producing these resources.
- Introduction (PDF)
- Lesson 1– The Census and Equality (PDF)
- Lesson 2 – The Census, Human Dignity & Diversity (PDF)
- Lesson 3 – The Census and Economics (PDF)
- Lesson 4 – The Census, Development and Sustainable Development (PDF)
- Lesson 5 – The Census and Climate Change (PDF)
- Lesson 6 – The Census and Democracy and Government Policy (PDF)
- Lesson 7 – The Census and the Law (PDF)
- Lesson 8 – Time Capsule (PDF)
- Lesson 9/10 – Activity Weeks (PDF)
Geography
These lessons have been developed to enable students and teachers to explore and discuss what a census is, why we fill in the census on Census Night and how this information is used in shaping communities and society in Ireland into the future.
Specific resources are provided for Junior Cycle students. Further specific resources will be added in the coming weeks.
The Central Statistics Office thanks Edmond Hussey for his work in producing this resource.
Geography Resources
- Geography – First Year Lesson Plans (PDF)
- Geography – First Year Teacher Resources (PowerPoint)
- What is the Census of Population Handout (PDF)
- Junior Cycle Introduction (PowerPoint)
- Junior Cycle Lesson 1 (PowerPoint)
- Junior Cycle Lesson 2 (PowerPoint)
- Junior Cycle Lesson 3 (PowerPoint)
- Junior Cycle Lesson 4 (PowerPoint)
- Junior Cycle Sample Questions (PDF)
History
These lessons are provided for Third Year and Leaving Certificate students. The third year resources examine the changing role of women in Irish life, including through use of the 1901 and 1911 census returns. The Leaving Certificate resources focus on the lives of the signatories of the Proclamation, including through information from their census returns.
Further specific resources will be added in the coming weeks.
The Central Statistics Office thanks John Ryan for his work in producing this resource.
History Resources
- Examining the changing role of women (PDF)
- Women in Ireland 1900 (PDF)
- Homework (PDF)
- 7 Signatories Project Information (PDF)
- 7 Signatories Project (PDF)
Other CSO Resources
There are other schools resources available on the CSO website, available here.
Census data is available for everyone to use. The results of Census 2016 are published online on the CSO website at www.cso.ie/census, where you can also find results from previous censuses. All of this data is searchable and is free for use by anyone.
