Unit Six Plans: Cities of Despair/Cities of Hope

Learning Objectives

Oregon's Common Curriculum Goals:

History

• World History
1. Understand and interpret events, issues and developments in four spheres of human activity (i.e., economic, social, political, cultural) within and across eras of world history:
• Era 5: 1000 - 1500
• Era 6: 1450 - 1770
• Era 7: 1750 - 1914
• Historical Relationships
1. Analyze cause and effect relationships, including multiple causations.
2. Interpret and reconstruct chronological relationships.
3. Understand relationships among events, issues and developments that cross spheres of human activity (i.e., economic, social, political, cultural).

Economics

• Understand that resources are limited.
• Understand economic trade-offs and how choices result in both costs and benefits to individuals and society.

Geography

• Physical and Cultural Characteristics of Places and Regions
1. Understand the social, cultural and economic processes that change the characteristics of places and regions over time.
2. Compare physical and human characteristics of places and regions.
• Distribution and Migration of People, Ideas and Products
1. Compare and contrast one area of settlement to another.
2. Understand the functions, sizes and spatial arrangements of urban areas on Earth.
• Interaction Between Physical and Human Systems
1. Describe the consequences of humans changing the physical environment and how human changes in one place affect other places.
2. Describe how physical charcteristics of places and regions affect human activities.
3. Understand the geographic results of resource use and management programs and policies.

Social Science Analysis

• Analysis
1. Define and clarify an issue so that its dimensions are well understood.
2. Identify, analyze and select a course of action to resolve an issue.

Content Goals:

• Students will identify the factors contributing to the rise of cities.
• Students will identify the functions and purposes of cities.
• Students will identify the common problems faced in cities.
• Students will identify possible solutions to many of the problems of cities.
• Students will become familiar with Power Point presentation techniques.
• Students will organize and present information using public speaking skills.
• Students will apply their knowledge of cities to an analysis of Portland's Metro 2040 Growth Plan.

Content Resources

Readings:

• Chapter 14 in Clive Ponting's A Green History of the World (pp. 295-314)
• Individual Activity (Linguistic, Mathematical - Logical) -

Have students create a detailed written outline of the chapter.

• Individual Activity (Spatial) -

Have students create a chart or diagram which shows how at least two kinds of cities might have been layed out. Illustrate these examples of cities using the information from the chapter. For example, students would show a Roman city with its marketplace and Washington D.C. with its governemnt buildings as prototypes of market and capital cities.

• The Gaia Atlas of Cities: New Directions for Sustainable Urban Living by Herbert Girardet. Anchor Books. New York. 1992.
• Small Group Project (Linguistic, Interpersonal, Spatial, Mathematical - Logical) -

Divide the book into sections according to the number of groups in class. Assign students the task of reading, understanding, synthesizing, and presenting the material from the book

The project will focus on the development of cities, their problems, and possible solutions to those problems. the students' job will be to use the information available to create a small group presentation for the class. Each group will be given a particular aspect of the topic to cover, so no two groups' projects will be exactly alike.

In the small group students will analyze the available information, combine it with their own thoughts and ideas and then share it with the class in a short (15-20 minute) presentation. Each group should include every group member in the presentation and must have some unifying theme, style, or elements. The point is for the group to develop a seamless presentation of the major ideas covered in the primary material.

Grading for the project will be based on the actual presentation (75 points) and on supporting material you develop (25 points). The 75 points for the presentation will be based on content (25 points), professionalism (25 points), and teamwork (25 points).

See Cities Project Guidelines, Cities Power Point Slide Show, and Cities Project Evaluation Form

Links:

Portland Metro Regional Government

History of Cities and Planning

Cyburbia - Internet resources for the built environment

Planning Resources on the Internet: URBAN HISTORY & DESIGN

• Individual Activity (Linguistic, Mathematical - Logical) -

Using the information available through the links above, have students write an essay that summarizes the Portland Metro 2040 growth plan and discusses the multiple views regarding the urban growth boundary. Students should take a position on whether the boundary should be expended or not, then explain their rationale. Students should recommend any changes to the plan and justify their rationale, or support the plan and justify its rationale.

• Small Group Activity (Spatial, Mathematical - Logical, Bodily - Kinestetic) -

Have students consult the Metro 2040 Ubran Growth Boundary and Urban Reserves map (available on the Metro 2040 web site) and study its information. Ask students to construct a map showing any changes they believe would improve the plan. If group members do not believe the plan could be improved by changing it, have them construct a map from a special interest group's perspective.