Curated OER
Urban Ecosystems 2: Why are There Cities? A Historical Perspective
Second in a series of five lessons, this lesson encourages preteens to consider cities as urban ecosystems. First, they keep a food diary for a few days. They visit the Natrional Agricultural Statistics Service website for current data...
Curated OER
Urban Ecosystems 5: In Defense Of Cities
Students explain that while cities have unattractive features, the density of human life enables energy efficiency, mass transit, recycling, and other benefits which are difficult or impossible in rural areas. This is the fifth in an...
Smithsonian Institution
A Ticket to Philly—In 1769: Thinking about Cities, Then and Now
While cities had only a small fraction of the population in colonial America, they played a significant role in pre-revolutionary years, and this was certainly true for the largest city in the North American colonies: Philadelphia. Your...
Curated OER
Urban Ecosystems 4: Metabolism of Urban Ecosystems
Cities are compared to living, breathing, metabolizing organisms. Fourth in a five-part series of lessons, this one focuses on the flow of materials through a city. Links to interesting websites and images make your delivery of...
Curated OER
Create a City: An Urban Planning Exercise
Students explore the effects of population growth in Arizona. In this history lesson, students work in small groups to create a "perfect" city. Activities include examining the Arizona census results then discussing the importance of...
Curated OER
Population and Productivity: Two P's in a Pod
Students investigate the link between countries' population growth rates and levels of industrialization. They observe that, over time, as a country becomes more industrialized, its population growth rate decreases.
Skyscraper Museum
Changes in a City Over Time
Investigate the growth and development of New York City with the final lesson in this four-part series on skyscrapers. Learners first explore the concept of urban growth by looking closely at a series of three paintings made of Wall...
Curated OER
Urban Planning: Plan a City
Students analyze the concept of urbanization by planning the placement of some of the major urban/suburban features that make up most cities. They arrange the cultural features to benefit the people who live there, and maintain respect...
Curated OER
The Urban Explosion
Students investigate the uncontrolled development of the world's major cities. They define key vocabulary terms, view and discuss video excerpts, and complete a project that involves drawing a "perfect city," developing a plan to...
Curated OER
World in the Balance
Learners make estimates on how many people they believe live on Earth. While watching a video, they take notes on the issues facing Kenya, Japan and India. In groups, they calculate how long it takes for a country to double in size. To...
Curated OER
Rural-Urban Migration in the 1990's
Students consider the reasons why people relocate from one area to another. In this relocation lesson, students read an article that includes research and statistics on which age, education level, etc., of the population moves the most...
Curated OER
Green Spaces
Learners map the green spaces around their school and predict the impact of population growth on green spaces in their region.
Curated OER
The Growth Of A City
Students define what a city is. They investigate the top 10 - 15 most populated cities. SDescribe factors influencing the location and growth of urban sites. They site examples of cities that have grown with different models of urban...
Curated OER
Urban Rivers
Students discuss how urban rivers have shaped the region in which they live. They research river geology and ecology. They examine a case study of life and living along the Delaware River.
Curated OER
Social Studies: Population Distribution
Young scholars create a population distribution map of Goodland Island indicating where people live by marking the locations with dots. After reading a written description of the island, they write short paragraphs explaining and...
Curated OER
Cities
Students examine U.S. Census figures. In this urban centers instructional activity, students compare city populations across the span of 50 years. Students create line graphs based on the data.
Curated OER
Analyzing the Job Market for Babysitting in Your Neighborhood
Learners conduct research on a neighborhood in Canada. In this data analysis lesson, students use data from the 2006 Canadian census to draw conclusions about a population group.
Curated OER
A Whale of a Problem
Students evaluate the possible causes contributing to the decline of the killer whale population from a number of differing perspectives. They present their findings in a talk show format and in letters of advocacy regarding
Curated OER
Modeling Reality
Learners identify what a role model is and what characteristics such a person should possess. They discuss a new trend in character role model figurines, which some believe perpetuate racial and ethnic stereotypes.
Curated OER
Phoenix Growth and Environment
Learners participate in a discussion dealing with the relationship between Phoenix's particular history of growth and the environment issues it faces today. They read and examine various documents and charts to propose possible solutions...
Curated OER
The World's Fair of 1893: A Tribute to Agriculture and Advertising
Students identify connections between agriculture, advertising, and mail order catalogues during 1890s as expressed at World's Fair of 1893. Students interpret photographic exhibit and discuss how reactions of rural fair visitors...
Curated OER
Gwynns Falls
Middle schoolers investigate the question: What is the impact of urban development and expansion on the health of a decidious forest ecosystem and humans? They examine the issue of land development by responding to a specific scenario...
Curated OER
Social Studies: Canadian City Comparison
Learners research Canadian population distribution while comparing and contrasting the quality of life in two cities. They discuss issues and problems that cities and rural towns face. Students apply various methods, such as graphs and...
Curated OER
Transportation in East Asia
Students engage in research about the subject of transportation in Eastern Asia. The size of countries and population pose challenges that are studied and reflected upon in student writings from the information found.