A. FORCES THAT SHAPE CITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS
- What's Here in the Neighborhood?
An investigative walk through the neighborhood to observe and measure physical, and biological factors and interactions to observe and measure physical,and biological factors and interactions. This hands-on activity can be done in any neighborhood in any city or town. Data is collected on spreadsheets and interpreted through graphs. Web site: Urban Safari: Elementary, Urban Safari: Secondary, UCLA California Science Project- Shaping the City: Natural and Human Factors that Influenced the Growth of Los Angeles
Physical factors such as flooding, fires, low rainfall, earthquakes, soil liquifaction, mild climates and biological factors such as population size, vegetation, transportation, wildlife have shaped the creation and history of the city. From 1769 to 1913 the only source of water for Los Angeles was the Los Angeles River. Using web sites, students can study the climatic and geological factors that influenced the city from the Pueblo era to the present. Students view historic photographs to understand the placement of the early settlement and later development of the central city. In cooperative groups, students do an in-depth investigation on one natural or human factor that has influenced the growth and shape of the city using a variety of resources including field investigations and report back electronically.Informational Websites:
Other Lessons:
- Los Angeles: Past, Present and Future- USC
- Los Angeles River Connection-Target Science, Los Angeles Educational Partnership
- The LA Story Virtual Field Trip, UCLA California Science Project
- Southern California Earthquake Center- USC, Caltech, UCLA
- Los Angeles Region Seismic Experiment, US Geological Survey
- Fire and Chaparral, Target Science, Los Angeles Educational Partnership
- Bringing Water to LA, UCLA California Science Project
- Water Resources of LA County, US Geological Survey
- Rainfall of Los Angeles since 1877
- Map of Los Angeles County Drainage Area
- Southern California Geology
- Southern California Climate
- Shaping Cities: What are the factors that have helped shaped your city?
Visit the following web sites to see if and how climate, earthquakes, hurricanes and other factors have influenced the growth of your city. Write a short essay to describe how a particular factor has influenced the growth and shape of your city. Selected essays will be posted online.
B. MAPPING
- Urban Open Green Space Mapping Activity
Using a map of their neighborhood that may be found online, on a CD or from the Thomas Brothers Guide, students use a grid to calculate the amount of green space in their neighborhood including parks, cemetaries, golf courses, town squares, etc. They calculate the ratio of green space to total area. They "walk" the neighborhood in groups to sample and determine other green spaces including parking strips, median dividers, lawns and predict the percentage added to the green space. Students email the ratios for their neighborhood to the Life of Cities web site. Ratios will be posted for comparison and to find the average per neighborhood in a particular city.Yahoo City Maps
Plan of New York City
Washington DC Plan
Cities from Above CD
US Atlas CD- Getting Across Town: Corridors and Barriers
Using the same map that students used in the Green Space Mapping Activity, students are assigned an animal to determine what are the barriers for this animal movements, taking into consideration the mode of locomotion and other habits of the animal. For example, telegraph wires may be a corridor for squirrels, but a barrier for the California condor. Unusual corridors should be considered such as coverts, drains, underground tunnels, etc. Students write a scenario to describe their animal moving across town to get to the park and the hazards it faces.Students study basic types of city plans and determine in which category their city most resembles. They determine which allow for greater animal movement and which present the most hazards. They design a newly developed town in the valley of a mountainous area to solve the problems wildlife encounter when new developments cut off animal trails. Visuals of selected designs will be published online.
City Types
- Road Kill Studies
Using the data available online and from the local animal shelter or animal pick up department, students compare whether country or city roads are more hazardous to animals, which animals are killed with greater frequency, effect of median dividers and/or fences along side the road.C. DEMOGRAPHICS
D. LIVABILITY
- Population Studies
Students use animal population data to find the relationship between predator and prey, and the population compared to the carrying capacity of the ecosystem. They determine where Americans live: rural or urban. They also graph data for the human population data for world, United States and their city across time to determine the factors that influence population size including mortality, natality, immigration and emigration and the specific factors that influence human populations including war, famine, depression, disease, and standards of living.- Population and Space
Students study classic cases of overcrowding in rat populations and discuss implications for human populations in crowded conditions: in ghettos, in housing projects, etc. online in newsgroups.
- Highway to Nowhere
Role playing simulation involving library and Internet research and debate utilizing an interdisciplinary approach. The building of the El Toro Toll Road serves as a case study for background information. Students are divided into interest groups that come together over an issue: the building of a highway to shorten the commute between two major cities. The groups include:Group positions are formed after research using a variety of tools and presented to the "city council".
Historical Preservationists who do not want ruins of a "ghost town" to be destroyedEnvironmentalists who wish to protect habitat and established animal corridors.
Highway contractors and town business owners
Native American tribal council whose sacred grounds will be divided
Neighborhood residents whose homes will be lost through eminent domain
Students identify a real world development issue in their city such as the building of a sports arena; the extension of a rapid transit line; building of a new school. They determine what the issues are, do a cost benefit analysis, form opinions, and write position papers which are posted online.
El Toro Toll Road, Project ISSUES, UCLA
- How Livable is the City?
Students analyze the livability of their city by surveying the livability negatives including"Brownsides" in their neighborhood, trash sites, "vacant lots", etc. livability neutral factors and compare livability positives including green space (see Green Space Mapping Activity above), schools, libraries, urban vegetable gardens, supermarkets, etc. They then propose suggestions on how to increase the livability of their neighborhoods and do a feasibility study and cost analysis to choose an action project that they will implement.Green Communities, US Environmental Protection Agency
IDEAS Homepage
City Beautiful
Transportation, Land Use and Sustainability
Land Use Issues, Project ISSUES, UCLA
Center for Sustainable Communities
The Los Angeles Family and Neighborhood Survey- Action Projects
Students plan and implement an action project in their neighborhood to make it more livable.Student projects and photographs will be posted on the web site. The action projects may include inner city vegetable gardens, tree planting projects, beach or river cleanup, pulling weeds from a native habitat, waste and recycling program at school, painting over graffiti, etc.
Science In The City is a part of LAEP Learning Exchange.
