Post on 15-Dec-2015
transcript
Experiencing the City
We would appreciate hearing back from you about your experiences, successes and challenges.
Please e-mail us at: info@portlandlandmarks.org
Introduction Experiencing the City is an introduction to urban
planning. Using the concepts and activities in this unit, teachers can take their students through a process involving evaluating and analyzing a city or neighborhood from multiple perspectives. Students will have the opportunity to learn how cities came to be, what infrastructures are needed to keep them running, and how cities respond to the needs of people and organizations that use them.
Although many of the activities relate to Portland, there are lessons such as mapping your own neighborhood that apply to all towns. Lessons can be adapted for other cities such as Lewiston or Bangor. In addition, teachers and students can survey or research their own community to identify an issue or local need in which they may want to get involved.
Links to resources can be found at the end of this presentation.
Experiencing the City
Activities 1. What are the Physical Elements Which Make Up a City?
( brainstorming) 2. Introduction to the Issues and Vocabulary to Urban Planning 3. Illustrations of Urban Development (slide show of Portland) 4. Identifying Key Components of a Neighborhood (mapping) 5. Results of Urban Planning (walking tour) 6. Analysis of Neighborhood (old maps of Portland) 7. Primary Source Research (new maps of Portland) 8. Who is Responsible for Changes? ( Guest speakers)
Experiencing the City
ACTIVITY 1
What are the Physical Elements Which Make up a City?
Purpose: To identify the basic building blocks that make up a city as well as identify the cultural elements which give a city its character
Goal: Students will come up with a list of physical and cultural elements of a city from which students will develop the vocabulary of urban planning
Activity: In groups or individually, students will develop lists of the physical and cultural elements of a city that they share with the class. A master list will be developed using urban planning vocabulary.
●Physical examples: Transportation: Roads, railroads, bridges, walkways, bike paths.,
buses. Buildings: Hospitals, churches, schools, homes, town or city halls. Signage: Road signs, store signs, directional signs. Open Spaces: Parks, yards, waterfront, plazas, trails. Infrastructure: Water, sewer, electric, gas, phones, cable. Neighborhoods
●Cultural Examples: Climate, diversity of people, language, economy.
After sharing information they have gathered information have then answer the following : After developing your lists, what do you think urban planning is?
The student’s original lists and class master list should be saved for activity 2.
Experiencing the City
Activity 2
Introduction to the Issues and Vocabulary of Urban Planning
Purpose: To reinforce urban planning vocabulary and issues.
Goals: Students will create a collage that draws from the information on their flip charts and master list from Activity 1.
Activity: Students will collect magazines, journals, and newspapers that contain images of urban planning vocabulary and issues. Using the lists from Activity 1, students will create collages illustrating the vocabulary.
►Hang the collages around the room so that they can serve as visual reminders of urban planning concepts and provide “talking points” for continuing discussion. Students may start to collect written articles on urban planning issues.
See vocabulary lists on next page
Experiencing the City
Activity 3
Purpose: To illustrate the urban planning vocabulary by viewing visual examples of Portland’s development.
To introduce the effects of urban planning in Portland.
Goal: Students will identify the effects of urban planning.
Students will compare and contrast urban planning issues.
Activity: Students will view a slide show presented by the teacher or on their laptops and participate in discussions pertaining to individual slides. Slide show can be accessed on our website at :
1914
2009Congress Street
Experiencing the City
Activity 4Identifying Key Components of a Neighborhood
Purpose: To begin looking at neighborhoods and communities in terms of urban planning.
Goal: Students will identify key elements and cultural traits in their own neighborhoods. Students will complete a map of their school to be used as a template for their own neighborhood map that will include elements such as a road, buildings, infrastructure and transportation/parking.
Continued
Experiencing the City
http://www.usm.maine.edu/maps/k-12-lesson-plans
Other Map Resources:www.googleearth.comwww.aaa.com
Experiencing the City
Activity 5
Results of Urban Planning
Purpose: To reinforce what students have learned about urban planning.
Goal: Students and a teacher or Greater Portland Landmarks docent will identify the real results of urban planning.
Activity: Students and teachers will complete a walking tour through certain neighborhoods of Portland, starting at the corner of India and Commercial Streets on the water-side. Worksheets can be printed out from our website:
Walking Tour
Experiencing the City
Walking Tour
Today, we will be taking a walk in Portland, looking at the real results of urban planning. As we stroll along, think about the elements we saw in the slide show that make a city welcoming, usable and friendly.
You will be looking at:
●Sidewalks and crosswalks
●Types of buildings such as commercial, residential and retail
●Examples of adaptive re-use
●Types of infrastructure
●Availability of amenities
●Parking solutions
You will be given a worksheet that you will use throughout the tour to answer questions and sketch.
Experiencing the City
Activity 6
Analysis of Neighborhood Maps
Purpose: Students will analyze maps of their own neighborhoods.
Goal: Students will compare and contrast key elements of their neighborhoods and also begin to look at their neighborhoods like urban planners would.
Activity: Students will display their neighborhood maps. They will be asked to look critically at each of their maps and discuss similarities and differences in their neighborhoods.
Challenge them to identify what is missing. For example: Do all neighborhoods have public parks? Is there adequate parking? What are the people like in each neighborhood?
Ask students to think about use. Are there examples of public and private use within their neighborhood?
Next, students will write an essay on the things that they feel work and don’t work in their neighborhood in regards to urban planning issues.
www.portlandmaine.gov/neighborhoods3.pdf
Click on the following link for access to
Portland Neighborhood maps
Experiencing the City
Activity 7Primary Source Research
Purpose: To review the concepts of primary source and secondary source information, as well as explore the results of urban planning over time.
Goal: Students will discuss their answers to the following questions about the city using primary sources.
Activity: Students will compare and contrast information on urban changes by using both historical and present day maps of Portland. (Photographs and documents may also be used.)
QuestionsWhy is Portland located where it is?
Why did it become a city?What are some differences you see
between old and new maps? Similarities?Do you think urban planning has worked
in Portland?What are some changes that you think
should occur in the future?Who is responsible for the changes in
urban planning?
See the next slide for resource information and historical maps.
Experiencing the City
Activity 7 Resources
The links to the right represent
added resources
for students to
access when
completing Activity 7.
Osher Map Library: www.usm.maine.edu/maps Google Earth: www.googleearth.com Portland Maps:
www.portlandmaine.gov/neighborhoods3.pdf Map Memory Network: www.mainememory.net
Experiencing the City
Activity 8
Who is responsible for Changes?
Purpose: To introduce the people, the organizations and the institutions responsible for urban planning.
Goal: Students will meet with key individuals responsible for urban planning in the area. They will discuss urban planning issues and
interview these key people.
Activity: Students will prepare questions pertaining to urban planning. Students will be responsible for creating a list of
individuals who may be contacted to participate in a discussion with the class. Students will contact key individuals within their
neighborhood, city or town to participate in these discussions. Participants will be asked to speak about their role in urban
planning, followed by a question and answer session.Examples include: City Planner
Mayor Greater Portland Landmarks
Preservation Officer
Experiencing the City
Resources for EducatorsLOCAL ORGANIZATIONS
Cape Elizabeth Land Trust: http: www.capelandtrust.orgGreater Portland Landmarks: www.portlandlandmarks.org
Greater Portland Council of Government: www.gpcog.org/home/index.phpnts
TRAILS ORGANIZATIONSFalmouth Trails: www.falmouthtrails.org
Portland Trails http: www.trails.orgGorham Trails: www.gorham-me.org
East Coast Greenway: www.greenway.orgEastern Trails Alliance: www.easterntrail.org
ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCESCenter for Understanding the Built Environment: www.cubekc.org
Center for Architecture and Preservation at Greater Portland Landmarks: www.portlandlandmarks.org
SMRT: www.smrtinc.com
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTUREMaine Olmsted Alliance: www.maineolmsted.com
URBAN PLANNERSMaine State Planning Office: www.maine.gov/spo
Portland Planning Office: www.portlandonline.com/bpsAmerican Planning Association: www.planning.org
CONTINUED
Experiencing the City
Resources for EducatorsTRANSPORTATION
METRO Bus: www.gpmetrobus.comMaine Department of Transportation: www.maine.gov/mdot
RIDESHARE: www.erideshare.com/statecity/ME.htm
BICYCLESBicycle Coalition of Maine: www.bikemaine.orgBike The Coast of Maine: www.bikeinmaine.com
Alliance for Transportation Choice: www.thebikeshop1.org/ATC.html
CITY OF PORTLAND http://www.portlandmaine.gov/departments.htm
(This link will provide contact information for every department in the City of Portland)
NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONSMunjoy Hill Neighborhood Organizations: www.munjoyhill.org
Friends of Deering Oaks: www.deeringoaks.orgWest End News: http://thewestendnews.blogspot.com
Portland Maine Neighborhood Associations: www.livinginportland.orgBayside Neighborhood Association: www.baysideneighborhood.orgNorth Deering Neighborhood Association: www.northdeering.org
Back Cove Neighborhood Association: www.livinginportland.org/backcove.htmFriends of Riverton Trolley Park :
http://publicworks.portlandmaine.gov/rivertontrolleypark.aspFriends of Evergreen Cemetery: www.friendsofevergreen.org
Friends of West End Cemetery: www.interment.net/column/commentary/20000624/western.htm
Experiencing the City
Resources for EducatorsSERVICE LEARNING ORGANIZATIONS
Learning in Deed: www.ecs.org/html/projectspartners/clc/CLCLearningInDeed.htmKIDS Consortium: www.kidsconsortium.org
FOUNDATIONS AND FUNDING SOURCESThe Dunn Foundation: www.dunnfoundation.org/resources/index.html
Project SEED: www.projectseed.orgPortland Partnership: www.greatschoolspartnership.org
HISTORIC PRESERVATIONNational Trust for Historic Preservation: www.preservationnation.org
Maine Historical Society: www.mainehistory.orgGreater Portland Landmarks: www.portlandlandmarks.org
Maine Preservation: www.mainepreservation.orgPUBLIC ART
Portland Arts and Cultural Alliance: www.portlandarts.orgPortland Museum of Art: www.portlandmuseum.org
Maine College of Art: www.meca.eduSpiral Arts: www.spiralarts.org
EDUCATIONAL SUPPORTPortland Partnership: www.greatschoolspartnership.org
Muskie School at the University of Southern Maine: www.muskie.usm.maine.edu
MAPSDelorme Maps: www.delorme.com
Osher Map Library: www.usm.maine.edu/mapsUSGS Topographic Maps: www.topomaps.usgs.gov