Divorce trends in Canada

Overview

Students locate and interpret data on divorce trends in Canada. Students present their findings in small groups; group analysis comes about by means of discussion. The teacher ensures that the conclusions drawn are logical and accurate, and that the students consciously examine the value objective (the third item under 'Objectives' below).

Contributor: Ann Cunningham, Statistics Canada Support Teacher.

Objectives

• To become familiar with Canadian demographic data relevant to the issue of trends in divorce in Canada.
• To develop skills in locating and interpreting data, including the ability to analyse Statistics Canada articles, tables, charts and graphs.
• To appreciate the factors (social, economic, legal, etc.) involved when Canadian couples divorce.

Suggested grade levels and subject area

Secondary
Families in Canadian Society

Materials

• E-STAT. If computer access is limited, students can work from teacher-generated graphs, perhaps taking turns trying out the instructions.
• Student worksheet.
• Reading selection, including tables, charts and graphs from Health reports.

Resources

• "Divorce in the 1990s" in Health Reports, Autumn 1997 (Vol. 9, No. 2), Statistics Canada, Catalogue No. 82–003–XPB

Classroom instructions

(Duration: approximately 90 minutes)

1. Hand out to students:
   1. the Student worksheet.
   2. the reading selection ("Divorce in the 1990s" — 6 pages).
   Instruct the students to use E-STAT to generate the graph, examine it, and briefly answer question 1 on the worksheet.
2. Instruct the students to read the selection, being sure to read the 'Methods' section and examine the included tables and graphs. Then the students will briefly answer question 2 on the worksheet.
3. Finally, the students will meet in small groups of three or four, review their answers, and draw conclusions. They will then submit their groups' conclusions. (Questions 3 and 4 on the worksheet)

Evaluation

Mark your students' responses to the questions in the Student worksheet using these answers:

1. A drop in the early 1980s, followed by a sharp increase, then a levelling off.
   Question for discussion; answers will vary.

2. Discussion questions:

   1. The Divorce Act made it easier to get a divorce. Divorces decreased between 1982 and 1985 as many people held off in anticipation of the new law. This was followed by a sharp increase from 1985 to 1987, then a gradual levelling off. Question for discussion; answers will vary.
   2. The increasing number of divorces freed people to remarry. Question for discussion; answers will vary. Note the increase in common-law unions; studies show that children whose parents were divorced are more likely to enter common-law unions.
   3. The graph has two peaks, referring to two very different groups of men. Generally, it was the first marriage for the first group and not the first marriage for the second group. Question for discussion; answers will vary.
   4. Some students may feel that not all of these suggested factors are related to divorce.
      Question for discussion; answers will vary.

Enrichment

In E-STAT, generate other graphs and tables to get statistical support for responses made to question 2. (e.g., relationship between decreased attachment to religion and rise in divorce rate).

Working with data collected at different intervals (Using CANSIM data since 1946)

Please e-mail comments or examples of how you used this exercise in your class.

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