2026 Census Teacher's Kit
Activity 5: Survey says: Create your own census

While you can use the current Web version to navigate the Teacher's Kit, each individual activity and handout is available in a downloadable PDF format. We encourage you to access the following PDF version in order to print and complete the activities.

2026 Census Teacher's Kit—Activity 5: Survey says: Create your own census (PDF, 454.68 KB)

Time required:
1 class period (approximately 60 to 90 minutes)

Grade level:
Grades 9–12 (adaptable for upper elementary through high school)

Lesson overview

This lesson introduces students to the concept and purpose of the census. Through class discussions and collaborative activities, students will explore why the government collects population data and considers what types of questions best reflect a diverse society. They will then create their own census questions, compare them to those in an official census, and reflect on the importance of inclusive and representative data collection

Curriculum connections

  • Social Studies / Civics and Citizenship / Geography: Explore the responsibilities of citizenship, evaluate how data collection informs equitable decision-making, and examine how various factors (social, economic, environmental, etc.) influence quality of life.
  • Mathematics: Understand how data is collected and analyzed; assess the effectiveness and inclusivity of survey questions.
  • Language Arts: Develop clear and inclusive survey questions; express and support opinions using evidence and logical reasoning.

Learning objectives

By the end of this lesson, students should be able to:

  • Understand the purpose and function of the census.
  • Identify key types of demographics, social, and economic information that are important for governments to collect.
  • Explain how census data can support communities and inform public policy decisions.

Materials needed

Lesson procedure

1. Class discussion (15–20 minutes)

Prompt:
"If you were in charge of your city, province, territory or country, what information would you want to know about the people who live there?"

  • Facilitate an open class discussion using the prompt.
  • Encourage students to consider the needs of a community—such as education, health care, transportation, housing, and employment.
  • Highlight how collecting this information helps ensure equitable policymaking and fair resource distribution.
  • Discuss how data collection supports decision-making at both the local and national levels, particularly in addressing the needs of vulnerable populations.
  • Use examples to illustrate real-world impact—for instance, if a community sees a significant rise in families with school-aged children, more schools or classrooms may be needed to meet demand.

2. Census question creation (15 to 20 minutes)

Instructions:

  • In pairs or small groups, have students brainstorm 3 to 5 questions they believe a government should ask its citizens in a national census. Examples:
    • "What is your yearly income?"
    • "What are the ages of the people in your household?"
    • "What is your highest level of education?"
  • Emphasize the importance of inclusivity and equity in question design.
    • Encourage students to consider factors that may vary across populations, such as access to healthcare, reliable transportation, internet availability, housing, or programs and services in languages other than English and French.

Wrap-up:

  • Collect and display all student-generated questions, either by writing them on the board, projecting them, or using a word cloud generator to visualize common themes.
  • Facilitate a short discussion:
    • Are there repeated topics or themes?
    • Which questions do students think are most important for informing public policy?
    • Are there any gaps—important topics that may have been overlooked?
    • How do these student-created questions compare to those asked in the official census?

3. Compare with the official census (15 to 20 minutes)

Instructions:

  • Provide students with access to the 2026 Census of Population long-form questionnaire (2A-L).
  • In small groups or as a class, have students compare their own questions with those from the official census.

Discussion questions:

  • Which questions appear on both lists?
  • What themes or priorities did students identify that are also reflected in the official census?
  •  What topics did students suggest that are missing from the actual census?
  • Why do students believe their question(s) should be included? How could it benefit Canadians or lead to better decision-making?

4. Kahoot quiz (10 to 15 minutes)

Activity:

  • Play a Kahoot quiz to reinforce key concepts related to the census and its role in governance, policymaking, and community services.
  • This activity serves as a fun and interactive review of what students have learned throughout the lesson.

5. What did you learn? (Optional – 10–15 minutes)

Option A:

  • Have students complete an exit ticket by responding to a reflection prompt, such as: "What is one thing you learned about the census that surprised you?"
    This encourages personal reflection and helps reinforce key takeaways.

Option B:

  • Have students create a mini poster that highlights their favourite question from the brainstorming activity.
  • Posters should include the question, a brief explanation of its importance, and how it could help improve life for Canadians if added to the census.
  • This option allows for creativity and deeper thinking about the impact of inclusive data.

Opportunities for assessment

  • Participation in class discussion and group work
  • Quality and thoughtfulness of student-generated questions
  • Comparison and reflection on census questions
  • Exit ticket or poster demonstrating understanding
  • Follow-up research projects that use census data

Adaptations and differentiation

  • Simplification: Group students into slightly larger teams to promote peer support. This allows the teacher to circulate more easily and provide targeted assistance where needed.
  • Extension/Challenge: Encourage students to connect one of their census questions to a current event or issue in Canada. Ask them to cite a relevant news article or study and explain how the data could be used to address the issue.
  • Support for Multilingual Learners: Incorporate visual supports such as word clouds, whiteboard brainstorming, and projected key terms. These tools give students more time to process vocabulary and understand key concepts through contextual cues.

Teacher tips

  • Emphasize that Statistics Canada collects and shares census data to support decision-making by a wide range of groups, including Indigenous communities and organizations, governments, local and national businesses, community groups, and farm organizations.
  • Use this lesson as an opportunity to discuss career planning, especially with older students. Census data can help individuals explore employment trends and career opportunities across different regions of Canada.
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