Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 384 531 SE 056 716
AUTHOR Frank, Jeffrey; Zamm, MichaelTITLE Urban Environmental Education. The Environmental
Education Toolbox--EE Toolbox Workshop Resource
Manual.
INSTITUTION Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor. School of NaturalResources and Environment.; National Consortium forEnvironmental Education and Training.
SPONS AGENCY Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D. C.
REPORT NO ISBN-1-884782-06-XPUB DATE 94
CONTRACT EPA-G-NT901935-01-0NOTE 59p.
PUB TYPE Guides Non-Classroom Use (055)
EDRS PRICE MFOI/PC03 Plus Postage.
DESCRIPTORS Case Studies; Classroom Techniques; EducationalResources; Elementary Secondary Education;*Environmental Education; *Inservice TeacherEducation; Learning Activities; Outdoor Education;*Program Implementation; *Urban Environment;Workshops
ABSTRACTThis marvial is for workshop leaders who want to help
educators explore the urban environment with their students and
highlights key details distinguishing urban environmental educationfrom environmental education (EE) in other settings. While theexamples used emphasize formal education, this is also useful outside
the classroom. The unit provides an introduction to EE and discusses
student populations and where to conduct urban EE. Three alternative
approaches to teaching EE in urban areas are examined. The approaches
include: (1) studies of the natural environment; (2) studies of thebuilt environment; and (3) service learning and action projects.
Ideas for implementing EE appear in four program case studies and in
nine activities for teacher workshops. A "Resources" section offers
29 resources for further information including educational materials,
organizations, and literature appropriate for each of the three
approaches. (LZ)
***********************************************************************Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.*****n*****************************************************************
I
9
\5Nr\5\
\5\5-
\5\D
EE Toolbox--Workshop Resource Manual
UrbanEnvironmentalEducation
-\.5\5\5\_
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONOtke o Educalsonai Research and improvement
iE ATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATIONCENTER (ERIC)
di document has been reproduced assowed from the person or organdation
originating otMinor changes have been made to improvereproduction dualotv
c\5\\5\5\5\5\5
Poontsot view or oprnions stated in this docu.',lent do not necessarily represent otticlalOE RI positron or pohcy
5\5\5\5\5
"PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL
IN OTHER THAN PAPER COPY HAS BEEN I
GRANTED BY
A. G. c)_e),/120k
5\5\5\5\5\DG\5\D
rz. Vii TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
cr1RMATION CENTER (ERIC)"
G-\ 5\5\5\5BEST COPY AVAILABLE
N...5\5\52
EE Toolbox-Workshop Resource Manual
TheEnvironmentalEducation
UrbanEnvironmentalEducation
leli-rev Frank and Michael Zammmly,mmehl )I (.711
t Chambers M.. R., mz 22S\cu . 6-
(:ontributors:
(;ar Venensoncity ull:,.ersit%New Ynrk. NY
Carol Fialkowskl(1.1(...mn ..kcajonv .1 MreneeS
( Mea12,.. ri
Karen Hollweg.\,..1.41 1 vim-lUsifintgori. 1.1.( .
This protect has been funded by theUnited States Environmental ProtectionAgency under assistance agreement numberEPAGNT901935.01-0 to the Universityof Michigan School of Natural Resourcesand Environment.
BEST COP \./ ILABL E
3
'NCEET
t .0^^te., t 3,
School of NaturalResources and Environment
University of MichiganAnn Arbor, MI 48109-1115
313 998-6726
Workshop Resource ManualManaging Editors:
Martha C. MonroeDavid Cappaert
ISBN 1.884782 06 X
Tne contents of this documetdo not necessarily reflect theviews and policies of theUnited States Environmenta'Protection Agency. nor doe'.mention of trade names -.commercial products conciLute endorsement or recur,mendation tor use
Mopyright 1994 by thekegents of the Universityof Michigan
Educators may photocopythese materials for thenon commercial purposeof educational advancement
Printed on paper COntainaig1005, total recycled liberi20"post consumer fiber using so,Nisei ink
Production CoordinatorJoan WolfTypeset in SabonNews Gothic. and FranklinGothic Number
BEST COPY AVAILC.
4
Contents
O Introduction 1
What is Urban EE? 2
O Populations 3
A Picture of Urban Schools 3
Environmental Equity 5
O Where to Conduct Urban EE 6
Building an EE Program 6
O Three Approaches to Urban EE 8
Studies of the Natural Environment 8
Studies of the Built Environment 9
Service Learning and Action Projects 10
0 Making Urban EE Relevant 1:
What Do Urban Kids Need Know? 11
O Urban EE Programs: Four Examples 13
The High School for Environmental Studies 13
Nature in the City - The VINE Network 14
The Built Environment - City Science Workshop 15
Service/Action Approach - Ecological Citizenship 17
VII
VM
Ideas for Teaching Teachers 19
Summary 20
Workshop Activities and Masters 21
O Resources 44
5
1/7, 11;I:1 Ic1,; I'(
cA-1).1( ;"(' !IV 111.11,[11-,111 1 'c )11111011 !IV',
(,111,111,);1, /h. /ma (17/isitit. (.1.7.,Nr()();;/.
.11'(!///j/t //'(' 1,11,.. ,7117;(,111.,11(.1;1,11
01..111;/ ('l/r'1 '; ll'iti,t/lCi;:,1/:1.c,;/)1);t).7, I, I,
ciitc,111,JIT ,1 1 '
);- impic;11C111171'.. flii;,/;1 1 1 ,(1111cL11 1()I11
1?7(i,;;,iiii /-7! '-'11,',..;.:(.11,011 It,i ;
PH)1'1,1,,
,i[(.1111c, It 1 01; tiVi. 111i
1 l't run! 1,1;;I'lf...!1;1.,1;(.\ .1(1.111., /1;,i; ,11,t11;;;1,14,
11111,11.1 ,,,;11114 )111114 ('( di ; ; WI I 1 III ()117(T
..14 1;1,),t ,/11C 11, 11't'
ti;l1r',1,7''1. it ',It /Y1 fir ; /111 11;714.,
iv .I.V17/1/41..< MIL111)1,1:,:( TV liiii/CiiI././/i. 1 ('1 ///),,.( In (1/bC1
(.11.1/4..///.< I I/ l'I'di i Yr WI); /..</II IP.' J/a 1 1 :PII.Lil. rt./IT
- V - .. ... : .
f ;/bI:11.V.111.' WU li'S;. \V(n.k.Sr.i)// ICSOrifil:e A 1/111.11/11.
1
4
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
Introduction
THE RED GLOW of a rising winter sun illuminates a group of studentshuddled along the cement promenade of the East River as theylook for signs of life in the murky waters below. Across town,another group is writing letters to the Department of Transporta-
tion as a train roars by their school, shaking the rafters and disrupting lessons.Elsewhere, a student, clad in an array of plastics and fabrics, struts down thefashion show runway to the clicks of cameras and the popping of flashes:Every stitch she's wearing was pulled out of the trash. Her social studies classorganized the show. These are ali examples of environmental education inurban settings, working with residents and focusing on urban issues.
Cities are growing. By the year 2000, half of Earth's six billion humans will beliving in cities; in the United States, 90% of the 300 million inhabitants will livein and around urban areas. Our urban lifestyle condo high rises, elevators,expressways is rapidly replacing the small-town standbys: corner stores,neighborhood strolls, familiar faces. By some measures, the entire NortheastCorridor, from Boston to Washington, including New York, Philadelphia, andBaltimore, is a single metropolitan area. Yet this region contains a wide varietyof landscapes, populations, and land uses. With this shift in demographics, theEE community is beginning to open its eyes to the myriad opportunities availableto teachers and learners in cities.
How can we help city teachers integrate environmental issues into theirteaching? How can EE practitioners outside the city more successfully reach theurban audience? From EE's origins in nature and conservation education, wehave come to see that wherever people interact with their surroundings, fromrainforests to civic centers, EE has something to contribute. Urban environmentsare particularly rich in human diversity; architectural, historical, and culturalinterest; and possibilities for exploration of environmental issues such as noise,air, and water pollution. In this unit, we investigate educational resources thatconvey urban EE to both city teachers unfamiliar with the topic, and educatorsoutside the city who want to reach the urban audience.
7,t in I n, 44,t,,,IVr/f,l, I thl,
\5\5`5\5\5.5\5\\5\5`5\5\5.5\5\\5\5`5\5\5.5\5\5\5\5.5\5\\5\5`.5\5\\5\5`5gN,s.5\5\\5\5`5\5\5.5\5\\5\5`.5\5\\5\5`.5\5\PVc.5\5N
.5\5\\5\5`.5\5\\5\5`5\.5.5\5\\5\5".5\5\\5\5`.5\5\\5\5`.5\5\\5\5`.5\5\\5\5`55\
5\5\c.,5\5\
5\5\5N5-N5,FN 5 \G.5\5\
5\5`
sx5N.c.\5\5\\ 5 \F
3\5\5'
\5\5\S'NENG
NSNGSNFX5iS,5NSN.C.
5N5N,F
NSN.5N
NEN.5N,5\3\5'
5\5\F\5\5\5\5\5'
Nsx_c_
N \5\5\5\5'
N5\5\5N,5\F
\ 5 \-L--
5\5\5'
N5N5N.
5\5\5'
N.5\5-N5N.5NS.5N5N,c_\5\5N5-N5N,5-
5\5\FN5N5`,5N5Nq.
N qN.
What is Urban EE?
Humans are the dominant organism in the city. While all functions that takeplace in "natural" ecosystems also occur in the city, cities are affected moreprofoundly by human institutions such as governments, economies, andcultures. The tremendous influence that humans exert on the ecologicalprocesses of urban environments makes these areas unique as ecosystems. It alsoforces educators to rethink the conventions of EE. For example, a lesson on thewater cycle in the city would be misleadingly simplistic were it to overlook thecentrality of the human-made reservoir and delivery system that brings waterinto urban homes.
Broadly speaking, urban EE has the same objectives as traditional EE: toencourage awareness, knowledge, attitude formation, skill development, andparticipation in solving environmental problems. Both traditional and urbanenvironmental educators strive for an environmentally literate citizenry that iswilling and able to solve environmental problems. As a teacher educator, youmight emphasize to the teachers in your workshops that EE is a process that isfundamentally the same whether it's on a remote mountain top, a suburban field,or an urban street.
The specifics of EE programs vary, however, based on where they aredeveloped and whom they are trying to reach. Urban EE differs from traditionalEE because of its context, the diversity of the audience, and the relativeabundance of resources available to teachers and learners in an urban setting.Urban EE is unique because it happens in urban areas, with urban people, anddeals with urban environmental systems and issues.
In order to define urban EE in the context in which you work, you mightencourage your workshop participants to define their goals for urban environ-mental education. With what types of environments do they wish their studentswould become more familiar? Can they identify solutions to local problems thatstudents could investigate? Which environmental issues can they address?Activity 1 in this unit, and several activities in other units of the WorkshopResource Manual, will lead participants toward this discussion (specifically: Isthis EE? and Why EE? in "Defining Environmental Education" and Building aRationale in "Approaching Environmental Issues in the Classroom ").
Wornshot) kesource Manua
Populations
THE INFORMATION BELOW is for environmental educators less familiar with
urban schools. There are elements of the students, teachers, and schoolsthat make these systems a little different from suburban or rural schools.
A Picture of Urban Schools
StIttleitts
Urban learners are a mixed bunch. Theyrepresent nearly every ethnic group, everylevel of intellectual ability, and every socio-economic stratum. What makes themspecial is the pace at which they live, thevolume and intensity of stimuli theyperceive, and often, the disproportionatenumber from disadvantaged backgrounds.These features result in a precociousnessand sophistication unique to the city.
Before they will meaningfully partici-pate in urban EE activities, students mustfeel that urban EE programs are in someway relevant to their lives. The educatormust fiqd ways to connect new material toexisting experience or knowledge. Toooften, studies of the urban environmenthave been dictated by voices remote fromlearners' lives. This results in activities that,though they may appear to have someteaching value, will have little influence onstudents, who see no connection to theirown experience. Teachers snould be encour-aged to extend themselves beyond main-stream conceptions of urban EE. (Seeprogram examples in Section VI and theActivities Section.) Students are inherentlyaware of their environments and should betapped as the primary resource in develop-ing a definition for and course of action inurban EE. Teachers who listen to students'interests often find ways to build relevant,meaningful lessons in an EE curriculum.Not all will focus on traditional "environ-mental" issues, however, as skateboardareas, crime, or child abuse may be theirmost serious concerns.
liwebers and Schools
Urban teachers, especially at the high schoollevel, are under tremendous pressure tocope with overcrowded classes, apatheticstudents, absenteeism, students' problems at
1,.1, 1 i
home, and more. Teachers have inadequatetime to prepare for their classes while stilladhering to an ever-growing list of state andschool mandates. Lack of peer support andadministrative attention drives some teach-ers to a profound sense of alienation fromtheir work.'
Mary urban school crest icts servestudents from very poor famies.In Chicago, 80% of pubic schoolthidren come from impoverishedfamilies; in East St. Louis, onethird of families earn less than$7,500 per year2. Most largedties, which mceive largenumbers of domestic andintensaiional immigrants, arecharacterized by diversepopsdations. However, large areas
within cities such as Detroit, NewYork, and Washington, D.C. withpredominantly African-Americanpopulations, lack cultural diversity.
What does this mean for urban EE?Primarily, it means that teacher educatorsneed to dispel the false trade-off betweenteaching required subjects and teachingurban EE. Urban EE can he effectively in-fused into the existing curriculum to meetMate or district requirements. When work-ing with teachers, workshop leaders shouldemphasize urban EPA interdisciplinary
,.5\5NN5N55\5\.5\5N\5\55\5\\5\5
N.5\.5
5N.5\
N5N,5
NSN557N.FN.
.5 \_5
Q-N
N-5\.55\5\.5-NS`
Positive Characteristics of Urban LearnersThe Urban Learning Framework was developed to underscore the differences, experiences,and strengths that urban students bring to school, presenting these differences in a posi-tive light instead of with the negative labeling that is often applied: that students are lack-ing scholastic culturally deprived, unmotivated, at risk. This framework emphasizesthat:
- Urban students bring to schools cultural strengths and learning experiences thatmust be reflected in curriculum, instruction, and school routines. Culture (whichincludes tradition, language, and daily experiences) is a more powerful explanationof differences between student groups than either genetics or socio-economics.Culture also plays a fundamental role in cognitive development, such as helping tomodify and mediate intelligence.
- Motivation and effort are as important to learning as are innate abilities. Urbanstudents will benefit from school environments in which they can learn from theirmistakes, show effort in their learning, and fully engage themselves.
- Resilience is a characteristic of urban learners. Despita adverse conditions, manyurban children grow into healthy, responsible, productive adults. These "resilient"children display characteristics of social competence, autonomy, problem solving,and a sense of the future.'
connections to civics, language arts, socialstudies, and art (see page 11 and Activity S,page 30) and show teachers how urban EEcan contribute to teaching while enriching
At their heart, however, theproblems of city schools resultfrom our failure to place schoolreform inside of a broadervision of social and economicjustice and our unwillingness toengage in the kind of politicalactivity necessary to realizethat vision. Without such ananimating purpose, we aredoomed to endlessly discussthe latest piecemeal reform,debate the latest but notcentral problem, and watch asour public schools areabandoned by people whobelieve they cannot be saved.'
Alex Molnar
,)EST COPY AVAILABLE
the experience of the students. (See anotherunit in the Workshop Resource Manual,"Integrating Environmental Education intothe School Curriculum.")
There is widespread recognition thatsomething is seriously wrong with U.S.schools. Reform movements have takenhold in the more progressive school dis-tricts. Cities including Chicago, Hammond,IN, and Miami have implemented shareddecision-making, granting individualschools greater control over budgets, hiring,and curriculum. Students are being giventhe flexibility to choose from educationalalternatives in "controlled choice" systemsin Cambridge, MA and Seattle, and in mag-net schools in many large cities. And there isincreasing pressure to make schools smallerand more personal, to place more of theresponsibility for learning on the students,and to focus on issues of relevance to thelearners and community. Teachers in manyreform-driven programs are allowed moreroom for creativity as well as time to talk totheir slleagues about coordinating curricu-la and lessons, establishing joint projects,and organizing special programs. Thesetrends are being furthered by groups such asthe Coalition for Essential Schools at BrownUniversity, which works in partnership withseveral hundred schools and a half-dozenstates.
10Worksnop Resource Manua
Education reform holds much promisefor urban EE. It appears that schools thatexemplify effective reform have many thingsin common with the general approach ofEE: Lessons are hands-on, relevant,applied, creative, fun, and participatory.The advancement of the school reformmovement in America may prove to he
great boon to urban EE. At the sametime, urban EE has the potential tohe an important tool forthis new direction ineducation.
Environmental EquityMore attention is nowbeing paid to the inequita-ble ways in whichdifferent populations areaffected by environmentalhazards. This issue isbeing addressed by theenvironmental equity or"environmental justice"movement. While theinequity is not limited tourban areas, many of the people unfairlyaffected by environmental burdens live incities. In the siting of undesirable land usessuch as incinerators, toxic dumps, chemicalplants, and sewage treatment plants, studiesfind that race and socio-economic status aredetermining factors. Thus, facilities withstrong negative environmental (and health)impacts are more prevalent in poor areas,and among poor areas, environmentalimpacts are more prevalent in minoritycommunities.'
The environmental equity movementgives educators a special opportunity to
connect EE with community activities,local leadership, and personally relevantissues. Activists in the movement have iden-tified local issues that deserve broaderawareness, attention, investigation, newsolutions, negotiation, and resolution.
"The results of our researchconclusively show that race hasbeen the most discriminatingfactor of all those tested in thelocations of commercialhazardous waste facilities in theUnited States."
Dr. Benjamin F Chavis Jr.
1,111 ,,,,twtne t t,
Through environmental equity issues,students will find a vehicle for practicingproblem solving skills. Effective educatorscan link this study with a variety of subjectareas: science, math, language arts, socialstudies, health, art, and so on. See Master 3for additional ideas.
The issues raised by the environmentaljustice movement are important to addressin a sensitive manner. See the WorkshopResource Manual unit "MulticulturalEnvironmental Education" for suggestionsfor your teacher workshop.
Where to Conduct Urban EE
TAKING LEARNERS TO NATURAL AREAS can provide opportunities fordirect contact with the natural world and even immersion in it.Participants gain a deeper understanding of the way ecosystemsoperate and a greater awareness of the processes that sustain all
humans on the planet.Urban learners, however, don't always have the ability to access natural
areas outside the city. And more importantly, bringing learners out of theireveryday env ii ,. -vents to teach them about "the envi-
__:,-----II--.----,L.,-----:, ronment" perpetuates a long-standing anti-urban bias:
"A house of snow in the Arctic, obeys the same physical laws as
one of bamboo in the tropics,and a steel-framed skyscraper isnot so far removed from a treehouse as we would sometimesbelleve."
that large cities are unnatural, unpleas-ant, and inhumane and that they offernothing worth teaching about. Theimplication to urban learners who aretaken to rural nature centers is thattheir own homes and communities arenot valid environments and are sepa-rate from the otherwise integratedfunc-tioning of the planet. At the very least,urban EE programs should strive to
start where the audience is, rather than pack them off on field trips to more
"edifying" environments.
Building an EE ProgramWhether you are working with teachers in aworkshop or students in a classroom, trybuilding an urban EE prograt n using theconcentric circle approach. Start the learnerin his or her most immediate ..nvironment.:the home, school, or community environ-
mental center. This appropriately focusesattention on the environment that thelearner can most effectively influence. Thenexpand the learner's experiences out to thestreet, neighborhood, city or town, region,nation, and globe in ever-widening circles.
12
Example of a Concentric Circle Approach
1. While in the "inner circle," explore both the indoor and outdoor environments. Look atthe materials the building is made of and the environmental variables that determine thequality of life in the facility, such as:
- heating and cooling system- drinking water system- sound levels- open space- presence or absence of peeling lead paint- garbage disposal mechanisms
quality of indoor airWith all of these topics, a group of students could investigate what goes on, compare
one system to another, critique the efficiency or value of the system, and generate alterna
tives to perceived shortcomings.
2. The surrounding neighborhood can be explored through:
- mapping walking tours on environmental themes in the area
- photography- studying the art and architecture of the environs- analyzing the needs of the neighborhood and developing projects to meet those needs
Preparing and implementing needs assessments and other kinds of surveys may be apart of this progression, especially for students above the fourth grade level. (SeeActivities 3 and 4 in Section VIII).3. Through action and service projects created by the teacher and students, learners advance to interactions with community institutions. Many possibilities exist, from taking atrip to the area's cultural institutions such as the library and the museum, to asking thecommunity board or town council to investigate and then propose solutions to communityproblems. The range of issues runs the gamut of the urban environment:
- preserving wetlands and town squares- labeling street trees- planting community gardens- preserving wildlife habitat in a local park- developing a campaign to motivate parents to get their young children tested
for lead poisoning
t t f1111(1)t,11 13
Three Approaches to Urban EE
EVEN'IF URBAN EE IS DEFINED AS OCCURRING IN URBAN AREAS, withurban people, and about urban systems, there are several distinct andvalid approaches that are commonly used. The following discussionoutlines three avenues that teachers and schools may choose to pursue
in their offerings of urban EE.
Studies of the NaturalEnvironmentCurrently the dominant approach to urbanEE is the study of the natural environment.Cities are not entirely concrete and glass!Many EE programs focus on the abundantflora, fauna, and natural interrelationshipsthat exist in the city. As urban people gener-ally suffer from sensory overload, studies ofurban ecology can help them focus theirsenses to appreciate their surr lundings.Studying wildlife at home and witside canhe a powerful tool in overcomingattitudes toward animals with bad reputa-tions, or areas that seem "worthless."
Teachers and their classes either use theschool grounds and surroundings or visitinterpretive centers, museums, or parks fortours, special demonstrations, and outdoorexperiential activities. In the case of educa-tional facility visits, some teacher trainingmay be required prior ro a class visit andthe teacher may receive follow-up curricular
materials. Developing knowledge of andappreciation for the natural environment isstressed. Some programs involve students ingardening or other outdoor work. Anexample of a national urban ecologyprogram is VINE, developed by the DenverAudubon Society and now administeredthrough the North American Associationfor Environmental Education. (See descrip-.tion on page 14.)
The concept of "action for nature"must he incorporated into traditional"nature in the city" EE efforts. Students'experience in a wetland area, for example,should lead to stewardship of that area andstewardship of wetlands in general. Botheducating students about the possibilitiesfor action and involving them in direct ac-tion projects (direct physical improvement,organizing to stimulate citizen involvementin physical improvement, political action to
Project Pigeon WatchWhat kind of bird "wears bell bottoms" and "sequins" around the neck? According to someNew York City youngsters involved in Project Pigeon Watch, the common rock dove does!Through a pilot program with the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, students tested activi-ties, collected data, and observed local pigeons with great detail. Although these birds arequite common, a great deal is not known about their breeding and feeding behavior. Amongthe 28 color morphs, for example, are some more aggressive than others? Do pigeons dis-criminate among color varieties? Do darker birds have any advantage incolder climates?
With the complexion of the pilot program, organizers are revising the reference andinstruction materials, data forms, and activities for broader distribution. For more informa-tion, contact Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, NY14850 or call 1-800-843BIRD.
14kcsourf Mdn
What Can Students do Outdoors in the City?- Find out how buildings and trees affect local climate. Measure the air temperature on
four sides of a building, above a street, and under a tree. (Or sit in these places and feelthe differences.)
- Search out the hidden life. Find where the earthworms live; use bait or lights to attractflying insects; use a microscope to investigate soil or water.
- Assess street trees. Inventory which species are used in your area, and evaluate whichspecies grow best, provide tha best shade, and so on. Follow up with letters to the cityparks department.
- Learn where pigeons roost. Investigate what they eat, and when they mate.
- Examine residential use of outdoor greenery. Observe and ask questions to determinewhat features of parks are most attractive.
- Stay indoors and investigate cockroaches. You could do this from a pest managementperspective, and use traps to assess abundance and distribution.
And more!
preserve and protect a natural area, to namea few) are appropriate for nature-in-the-cityprograms.
In a workshop, choose activities thatwill help teachers feel more confident aboutleading outdoor activities in the urban envi-ronment and more skilled at finding vestigesof natural areas. Check out these locationsnear your workshop or school site:
school groundscemetery
- front yardscommunity gardenscity parks
- railroP-1 or power line rights-of-wayatria in large, modern buildings
Manuals and activity guides listed in theResource Section, provide guidance for in-structional activities in these areas, particu-larly, City Safaris, and Ten Minute FieldTrips.
Studies of the Built EnvironmentStudent awareness of the city's architecture,design, and infrastructure, and the way theurban environment relates to the naturalworld is the focus of the Built Environment
.1,1 ',.,,,P11,,f11,11 1 ',11 Ort011
Approach. For example, field trips to a parkcomplement lessons about how open spacefits into city design. Students may learnabout landscape architecture and then "de-sign" a city block or other urban en"iron-ment. The American Institute of Architects'Learning by Design Program is one exampleof a program on built environments.
Several activities presented in SectionVIII can assist workshop leaders in helpingteachers appreciate the city and its struc-tures. Activity 6 describes an open spacebeautification process in which teachers andstudents might engage. Activity 7 helpsteachers explore the systems that sustaincity life: water, sewer, gas, electricity, andtelephone lines that are under the citystreets. Activity 8 offers several ways to usea field trip or local hike to discover variouspatterns and clues about the buildings inyour city. And Activity 9 provides exerciseswhich explain the physics of buildingconstruction.
15
-10
What Can Students Learn About the Infrastructure of the City?- where their energy, food, and water come from
- how their waste is treated and where it goes (solid waste, wastewater, and hazardouswaste)
- why buildings the way they do for whose needs were they designed?
- how the current city environment is different from that of 50 or 100 years ago
- how the landscape has been managed in the city. Where are the streams that werepresent before the city was here?
- when various immigrant groups arrived, from where they came, and where they live now
- where the stone for various buildings came from
- why the major industries and businesses are located here
Service Learning andAction Projects
This is an approach that unites environ-mental awareness and community service/action skills. Th: underlying philosophy isthat the best way to communicate environ-mental values and learning is to give stu-dents opportunities to improve theenvironment through direct service (e.g.,cleanups, open space improvement, or recy-cling) or community education and politicalaction work (e.g., letter-writing, petitioning,or organizing public symposia).- An exam-ple of this type of urban EE is described forthe Chicago Academy of Sciences' Ecologi-cal Citizenship Program on pages 17 and18.
Motivated teachers can implement ser-vice and action projects in ordinary class-rooms. These projects can help inform and
enhance formal education. Where teachersintegrate such projects into the curriculumand/or the community, great success may bepossible. The Workshop Resource Manualunit, "Using Community Resources" con-tains many examples of school projects andideas for teacher workshops about serviceand action projects. The service/actionapproach is also suited to situations outsideof formal education. Outside of class, thereis less obligation to fit activities into thespecific objectives of the established curricu-lum. Projects may he developed toemphasize practical skills, teamwork, andpositive attitudes about public service.These elements are critical for the develop-ment of true environmental literacy.
In What Projects Can Urban Students be Involved?Making improvements directly:
- constructing sturdy, bilingual signs for the city park- planting and tending community gardens and beautification projects- constructing fences, walls, bridges, and pathways to make urban parks safer for youngsters
Investigating environmental issues:- conducting a traffic study and making recommendations for alleviating local problems
- conduct research (surveys, interviews) to identify ways that businesses can conserveand recycle
- research and design literature to inform teachers, students, or the general public aboutenvironmental issues
Community action:- distributing flyers and leaflets on water conservation- raising money for environmental projects or groups
Whenever possible, students should identify and implement their own projects!
I6Workshop kr.ourt e Mani, ,
Making Urban EE Relevant
THE CONTENT OF AN URBAN EE CURRICULUM might overlap with
most of the traditional environmental topics. There are also special
topics unique to the urban environment. For specific ideas on these,
look at publications such as Art and the Built Environment: A
Teacher's Approach, or City Kid's Field Guide (see Resources). In this section,
we consider first how to view the content of EE from an urban student's
perspective,' and secondly how to integrate that content into thecurriculum. For
more details ofhow environmental content areas can be interpreted in an urban
context, see Master 3 in Activity 5, Section VIII.
What do Urban Kids Need toKnow?The teachers in your workshop may won-der what urban kids think the importantissues are. In informal student surveys, kidsfrequently list crime, drugs, corruption,racism, littering, and pollution as issues theyfind relevant." The last two draw immediateattention as typical "environmental"concerns. If we define "environment" asencompassing the con.plete surroundings inwhich the learner lives, however, we see thatmany of the students' concerns are, in fact,environmentally related.
People everywhere, in both urban andnon-urban areas, need to learn how tosurvive in their own environments. Basic
survival skills include getting around safely,
maintaining health, and understanding thesystems that affect one's life. Urban EE canand should play a role in developing:
familiarity with and affinity forimmediate and surroundingneighborhoodsawareness of support agenciesunderstanding of urban powerstructures and avenues foreffecting change
Beyond these, city dwellers need tounderstand the urban support systems thatkeep them afloat:
transportationsolid waste managementwater provision and water pollutioncontrolenergy provision
o, it
food supplyhousingopen spaces and natural areas
Urban residents also need to under-stand how their own impzcts on thosesystems both cause and are affected byenvironmental problems such as:
indoor and outdoor air pollutionnoise pollutionwater pollutionsolid waste transport and storageimpacts on the landloss of open spaces and natural areas
Finally, and perhaps most importantly,urban learners should grasp the interdepen-dencies between their local environmentand the global environment. Specifically,learners should consider the positive andnegative role of cities with regard to:
global climate changeozone depletiondeforestation and desertificationresource depletionloss of species diversity
You can use Activity 1, "What Is UrbanEE?" to help teachers identify what theymean by urban EE and what they wish tosee included in their environmental units.You may also wish to use Master 3 fromActivity 5 to assist teachers in identifyingthe themes and content areas that theycould use to enhance their curriculum.
17
Some teachers may find a unit planeasier to read and understand. The follow-ing box provides a concrete example ofexactly what students would do each day ina two-week unit on the urban environment.
There are a variety of ways to create urbanEE programs. from exercises about the topicslisted or semester-long projects, to school-
wide festivals or a program for an entire mag-net school. Teachers may find examples ofurban programs helpful: They describe realpeople and working projects. The followingexamples provide four case studies of howeducators in several urban areas have devel-oped environmental programs.
Sample Agenda for a IVio.neek Unit on the Urban EnvironmentSession One
Introduction to the urban envi, onment: brainstorm what is "environment" and how do weinteract with it in cities.
Session Two
The School (indoor environment):Examine the materials making up the school building; investigate factors that contribute tothe quality of life in the building:
heating, cooling, and ventilation systems (indoor air quality)colors and quality of wall covering (tile, paint, fabric, etc.)drinking water, sewage disposal systemssolid waste disposalopen spacessound levels
Session Three
The Streetscape (municipal services): Look for evidence of water, sanitation, electricity, gas,transportation, food, retailers, and health services.
Session Four
Open Spaces: Search out and investigate lots, parks, playgrounds, and squares 1:1r size,use, location, beauty, and access.
Session Five
Structures: Investigate commercial, residential, industrial, and monumental buildings, theirmaterials, designs, and functions.
SessioriSixNatural Elements: Investigate birds, mammals, insects, reptiles and amphibians, trees,shrubs and herbaceous plants (this session could easily stretch over several days).
Session Seven
Topic Selection (refer to matrix in Master 3)What's important (quality of life: cleanliness, noise, safety, etc.) to you and the community?
Session Eight
Topic Background (refer to matrix)Provide indepth knowledge on selected urban topic, e.g. litter, open spaces, and transportation.
*Session Nine
Skill building, letter writing, arrangements for action project (political, educational, or direct service).
Session Ten
Project implementation, or additional planning session.
Session Eleven (optional)
Regional and global connections to topic and project, project evaluation, planning; establishcontinuing subcommittees.'Note: Sessions nine through eleven may require more than one session and may not necessarily occur onconsecutive days.
18Nintmtwo kesour, t. Monu
Urban EE Programs: Four Examples
THE FOLLOWING CASE STUDIES describe four successful programs that
approach urban FF from the three perspectives presented in Section IV:"Nature in the City," "The Built Environment," and "Service Learningand Action Projects." These examples may provide you with ideas for
your own projects, or with ideas you can share with teachers in a workshop.
The High School for Environmental StudiesAs MENTIONED IN THE "POPULATION" SECTION OF THIS UNIT, urban EE may help link ex-isting school subjects to each other and to the environment. However, teachers traditional-ly integrate EE with natural science, which has typically formed the basis of environmentalstudies in cities. Urban EE, however, is a logical focal point for developing interdisciplinaryeducation if teachers can be shown that EE can tie together the city's natural, built, andsocial environments. Urban EE can be successfully fused with disciplines beyond science,including civics, social studies, art. English, and foreign languages.
One of the most ambitious attempts to fullyintegrate environmental concepts into traditionalcurricula is occurring at the new High School forEnvironmental Studies, which opened inNew York City in September 1992. Theschool is based on the importance ofinfusing environmental themes into every-day subjects. Teachers and staff took signif-icant and potentially pioneering actions inthe area of environmental infusion in theschool's first year. For example, the schoolrequired that all students take environmen-tal science in the ninth grade, in addition tothe usual physical science course. Theenvironmental science course was itselfsupported by environmental service andaction projects to teach students aboutissues in the classroom and then act uponthem in the community. Projects weredirectly related to improving the urbanenvironment: monitoring subway and helicopter noise levels, deficient fire hydrants, andwater quality in Manhattan's East River; reporting results to the properagencies; andchecking whether needed improvements were made.
Teachers in other subject areas also incorporated environmental themes into their les-sons. In art, for instance, students made journals out of reused and environmentally benignmaterials. In communication arts or English, they read works of literature from differentcultures concerning the significance of nature and caring for the natural world. In globalstudies, they learned about a myriad of environmental problems and how they arc handledin foreign countries. These efforts laid the groundwork for curriculum planning at theschool and possibly for EE as a whole. The staff produced a one-week unit on water thatis completely interdisciplinary from start to finish; they will produce additional unit,during the 1993-94 school year.
- .
--2.
Projects were directly related toimproving the urbanenvironment: monitoringsubway and helicopter noiselevels, deficient fire hydrants,and water quality in Manhattan'sEast River; reporting results tothe proper agencies; andchecking whether neededimprovements were made.
19.1/1 1 /II .1/111r1lentd. .1,1,
5\5'N.5\5'
5\5-.5\5`
5.\5.5\5'
5-\5.5\5'
5\5N.5\5'
5\5N.5\5`
5\5N5\5'5\Lc
5\5N.5\5's
5\5'
5\5N.5\5`
5\5N.5\5`
5\FN.5\5'
5\5.5\5'
5\5\.5\5`
5\5\.5\5'
5\5\.5\5`N5N.5\5\.5\5`NSN5,5\5\5\5`
G.c'N.5\N,5`
5\5\.5\5'
s-Ns
7\5SNEN,
.5NSNN.5\5'
5\5\f,
`,5N.5\5-5N.-5\5\N.5\5'5\5\.±-5\5\N5\5"5\5\-5\5\
-5\5\N5N.5'
\5\5".5\5\N.5\5'
-5\5\N-5\5'5\5\6_-5\5\-9\5\5\-5\
.5\5\"N.5-
N5x-F\5\..5\,5xN5\5-
SN
5\5N
.
?proximately half of the 155 High School for Environmental Studies' first-yearstudents performed internships with diverse environmental, community, and governmentalorganizations. Thus, community service projects emanating from the curriculum were aug-mented by a work experience in the "real world," which focused on student service to theurban environment. Students did everything from pruning trees to organizing an anti litter
campaign.
For more information, contact: Michael Zamm, Council of the Environment of NYC.51 Chambers St., Room zz8, New York, NY 10007. Telephone (212) 788-7932.
Nature in the City - The VINE NetworkA SMALL GROUP OF CHILDREN IN SEATTLE watches in awe as the spider makes its waysmoothly across the web, stings its hapless prey, and engulfs the paralyzed mass in a co-
coon of silk. Meanwhile, kids in Boston peel back layers of rotting leaves from the edge ofthe pavement. Some of the small creatures they find are hard and shiny, others dull andglistening; some slither, others crawl.or fly, but as each new layer is revealed the kids areamazed to discover how many different organisms live in this tiny, urban 1.-iabitat. And
youngsters in Fort Lauderdale, FL, get a little dirty mixing soil and compost to-find outhow much organic matter they must add to enrich the sandy soil in their schoolyard.
"Ecological literacy is an essential element of environmental literacy," explainedKaren Hollweg of the North American Association for Environmental Education's(NAAEE) VINE Network,'" "but hands-on ecology education is not available to the huge
majority of children growing up in our cities. Giventoday's constraints, how can we provide these children
,,5,6,5N5N.55N5-N,5N., with the tangible outdoor experiences they need to be
SN._ able to construct ecological concepts and gaincal literacy?"
a-The realities of urban schools are
Ecological literacy is an essential striking. Tight budgets in schools and non-profit institutions, coupled with a lack of
element of environmental field trip buses, restricts access to naturalliteracy, but hands-on ecology areas. Only 5% of elementary teachers
education is not available to the teach inquiry-based science, and an even
Ssmaller proportion of elementary teachers
huge majority of children grow in is trained in field biology. Although envi-up in our cities...That's where ronmental professionals are concerned
VINE cgrnewin. about the lack of ethnic and culturaldiversity in the field, the urban schoolshave difficulty following the formula thatsuburban schools have used to turn out
environmental advocates. Hollweg continued, "We have a great need for creative
programs that deal with urban ecological resources, and environmental organizationsmust improve EE in cities with an eye toward building a more diverse community ofenvironmental professionals in the next 10 years."
That's where VINE comes in. Volunteer-led Investigations of Neighborhood Ecologyis a network of projects in 12 American cities. Each city's project relies on trained volun-
teers to lead city-based, ecological activities with kids ages 8-12. In some cities, high schoolstudents serve as volunteer leaders; in others, parents or community volunteers fill thatrole. Training workshops give leaders experience in conducting investigations and usingthe nets, strainers, magnifying lenses, and other investigative equipment supplied to their
group. The volunteer-led investigations may take place in schoolyards, or in any other partof the urban environment. Each project volunteer works with a group of six children,returning to the same school or after- school site an average of four or five times to work
with the same group.
20Workst,(4, RE.,,Out( E M11//1/0
The VINE Network began under Denver Audubon Society sponsorship. Now, VINEis a new program of the NAAEE. It is run by Hollweg, who directed the development ofDenver Audubon Society's model Urban Education Project from 1984 to 1988. 'When westarted Denver's project," said Hollweg, we had no idea it would grow like this. It'sexciting to see the way different cities have adapted our original idea, crafting programsthat work for their area. Teachers say these experiences 'bring alive their textbooks andclassroom lessons,' and youth group leaders claim 'it opens up a whole new world andway of perceiving' for their youngsters."
She continued, "The 1990 U.S. Census says that in most American cities, about onethird of the children live at or below the poverty level. Each VINE program is committedto reaching an audience that mirrors the demographics of its city's schools. In 1991-92, forexample, VINE programs involved more than 7,000 children, 39% living below povertylevel, 39% minorities, through the efforts of 900 trained volunteers."
The VINE Network is structured so that project directors from different cities shareideas and learn from one another, collaborate on projects that are too big for any one cityto tackle on its own, and help new cities start projects. In an initiative funded by theNational Science Foundation, the Network is developing two videotapes to publicize theprograms and train volunteers, assembling a kit of publications to help new programs getstarted in more cities, and undertaking an evaluation study in conjunction with theprojects in Denver, Seattle, and Fort Lauderdale.
For more information, contact NAAEE-VINE Network, Karen Hollweg, 1255 23rd Street NWSuite 400, Washington. D.C. 20037. Telephone (2021 884-8912.
The Built Environment - City Science WorkshopDURING A RECENT SUMMER IN NEW YORK CIPi, science investigators were engaged in anumber of important research projects: One team of investigators, bearing an uncannyresemblance to a group of tourists, craned their necks to admire and photograph historicbuildings in Harlem. Another team was in a nearby courtyard, laughing as they flew theirmodel gliders across the open space. A third team of dedicated investigators was seenriding different buses around the neighborhood, chatting with other bus passengers.
These science investigations took place as part of the City Science Workshop, a three-year, National Science Foundation-funded project of the City College Schools of Engineer-ing, Education and Architecture. The workshop is designed to help teachers devisemethods of teaching elementary science using the urban environment as the source ofmaterials for study. In this summer workshop, classroom teachers developed their abilitiesas science inquirers by planning and implementing investigations of the urban environ-ment. With the support of project staff and City College students, they would later involvetheir own students in similar investigations during the academic year.
The focus for this workshop was the "designed" environment: those aspects of theimmediate environment which were conceived and constructed by humans. Thegoalswere to help teachers identify issues from the built environment which could be the basisfor classroom investigations, and to stimulate participating teachers to plan and implementtheir own investigations.
The workshop was attended by 29 teachers and 20 undergraduate City Collegestudents. Drawn from the disciplines of architecture, computer science, electrical engineer-ing, film, international studies, physics, and technology, the students represented a broadspectrum of ethnic and cultural diversity. Fifteen of the students were later chosen to serveas teaching assistants, and each was assigned to provide support to a participating teacherin her or his classroom.
There were two major objectives for the first week: to encourage the participants toreflect upon and express their own views about science and science education; and to in-volve them in a series of brief, structured-inquiry activi The activities addressed three
...!,1/) -, onmyritai iducat,or. 21
aspects of the built environment: 1) representation of the environment through mappingand other graphic means, with activities including a treasure hunt and other mappingexercises; 2) the characteristics of materials and structures, with activities such as observa-tions of real bridges, and building model bridges from paper, straws, and other everydaymaterials; 3) the thermal properties of buildings and other vessels, with activities such as acontest to design the best and worst thermally insulatir,',f, containers. Before and after each activi-ty, project staff members led discussions on pertinent physics and mathematics concepts.
The second week began with an animated discussion of a paper that expresses thegoals and method of the project: "Statement on Environmental Education," by David
Hawkins." Most of the participants recognized that the view-- point of the paper and the project imply a major overhaul of
science education. Teachers were also asked to present theirown "science autobiographies." In the ensuing discussion,
7-- 6--- many came to realize that their own avoid-ance of science stemmed from inadequate
The workshop is designed to preparation in scienceeducation.
help teachers devise methods of The bulk of the second week, however,
teaching elementary science was taken up by the aforementioned indi-vidual and small group investigations. The
using the urban environment as group that explored the architecture ofthe source of materials for historic buildings in Harlem developed
study. underlying scientific principles of construc-tion. The group with the model gliders usedvideotape to study the mechanisms of birdflight, and applied the principles to the
design of their gliders. The investigators on the bus were studying city bus service andridership. Still other group projects included: photographing nearby bridges and trying toreplicate them using common materials; recording and cataloguing the sounds heardwithin a two-block radius of the college campus; measuring the eb.L: and flow of garbageaccumulation on a nearby street; and gathering extensive data about the use of a campusquadrangle by students and other passersby. Throughout these investigations, project staffconsulted with each group on the design of their investigation, the organization of data,and presentation of the results. The week culminated with each group preparing graphicalsummaries of the data and making oral presentations to the entire workshop.
During the third week, between 30 and 40 children were present each morning. Theteachers divided themselves into nine groups, according to areas of interest, and eachgroup worked with a small number of children to develop and implement investigations.Of the nine groups, five designed and built model structures in the classroom, oneexplored historic buildings in the vicinity, and three chose topics from the nearby naturalenvironment: insects, birds, and trees. Each afternoon, there was a review of the morningactivities, and topics of general interest. There also were teacher-led discussions on multi-cultural education, planning investigations, and alternative assessment. At the end of the week,each group of children was asked to prepare and deliver a presentation on its investigation. Theworkshop concluded with the teachers' evaluation of the three-week experience.
The summer workshop met many of its goals. By the end of the three-week period,nearly all of the teachers felt a strong sense of identification with the project, and lookedforward to implementing project activities in their own classrooms in the fall. Nearly all ofthe participants found it very stimulating to become science inquirers and support chil-dren's investigations. One expressed that her investigation of bridges had been among themost exciting experiences of her life. Most of the teachers clearly understood the differencebetween science inquiry and traditional school science, and responded favorably to the em-powering potential of the former. The summer workshop was a definite success in chang-ing the attitudes of participants about the goals and methods of science education.
1-or more information contact CO. Science Workshop, Cary Benenson, project director,Mechanical Engineering, City College of New York, New York, NY 10031.Telephone (212) 6 CO-5994: e-mail:berrenson4.0me-mail.engr.ccity.cutry.edu.
6
22 V10fASKif, Ht.Wif, f 41,1'1,
.5-NS
gx.5N
Service/Action Approach - Ecological Citizenship 5\5\ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IS A PROCESS that leads to responsible individual and groupactions. Action is the goal of the Ecological Citizenship program action by principals to N5Nc.support their staff with resources to teach EE, action by teachers to teach it, action by 5N5Nparents to support their child's learning, and action by students and the entire community .5\5'to take control of their local environment.
EcoCit is a multidisciplinary, lc 8 program designed to meet the need of urban 5\5Nstudents and teachers for EE. Students develop skills in a framework that employs process- .5\5'oriented, hands-on inquiry activities in a cooperative group setting. The program covers awide range of issues and topics such -s "Greening the Neighborhood," "Living Lightly in 5\5NYour Neighborhood," and "Precious Water," which help students start local action .5\5projects of their own. Student action culminated recently in an "Eco Fair" organized bythe elementary students in conjunction with Malcolm X Community College. The kids set 5\5Ntip SO tables, displaying actions they'd taken for the environment in the previous year. The .5\5"actions ranged from site beautification and in-school recycling, to developing native plantareas and conducting letter-writing campaigns. One thousand people attended the fair,which featured student-arranged entertainment. 5N5N
5"Unfortunately, teachers often lack confidence in their ability to teach EE. The primary N.
.5\5Nc
goal of EcoCit, therefore, is to empower teachers to extend the teaching of environmentalscience, and to improve the effectiveness of environmental science instruction. Toward this
5\5N5\5'end, the program makes use of a variety of strategies to support the urban teacher in .
integrating EE into the curriculum: inservice workshops, in-classroom coaching, access toresources and graduate courses, and frequent support meetings.
5\5'At the beginning of each semester, EcoCit teachers participate in a three or four-hour
.inservice program that provides an overview of the program and gives teachers practicewith some of the activities and experiments. During the semester, EcoCit instructors work 5\5Nwith teachers in their classrooms, modeling hands-on/minds-onteaching, classroom management techniques, group learningstrategies, and performance-based evaluation methods. EcoCitprovides teachers with samples of free instructional materials,and shows them how to gain access to
---..1.,--...,---s --
-.33"-- -,,,,---5-''-' ..:-..,--.3-----5- __.5..3, ,-,!,:,,fi--
--....5 ----c_,""--1,` .7.:.----.:--- '
N5-Nc
S-NSN-SNSN.5\1.
a----Z7.-----''
other, inexpensive resources. EcoCit 5\5N..,
teachers can also receive graduate-level The actions ranged from site . , .5 \ 5'credit through the "Environmental Issues beautification and in- school N.5.N,Forum," a separate enhancement programthat gives EcoCit teach, rs priority in course recycling, to developing 5\5
.5---&'registration. native plant areas and 5-
..5-----'.5\5'
"Coffee meetings" are held periodically conducting letter-writing _--,5-,.,,,-5\5N-(--.
with participating teachers and their princi- campaigns. - .5.5--pals to share experiences and create an NsNsc_overall atmosphere of support. Teachers (.3Nand students review program activities toassure that they are "user friendly," and that they are meeting real needs. In addition, each .5\5"
isNsc_participating teacher receives a membership to the Chicago Academy of Science, therebygaining access to the academy's resources and educational programs, and to programs 5N5Noffered through the numerous environmental organizations affiliated with the academy. .5N5'
N.5\6_Brown School typifies the urban under-served school, and provides a good example of
what EcoCit can do. The school sits in a sea of asphalt, on a parking lot between Chicago 5N5NStadium and the Chicago Housing Authority's Henry Horner Development. Busy streets .5Fsurround the school, and the tracks of the noisy "El" train run past its east side. Virtually
N5Ncall the children at Brown are low-income, with 99% of them participating in the govern- 5 N.5\meat lunch program. The student population is 97% African-American, 2% Hispanic, .5\5-and 1% Caucasian. N5N.s.
5N5N,L5\5'N..5\.,
23,,1,,, , ,,, ,,,,,,,.,, bhp ,Pron -N5-
NSN
Working with Brown School presented a unique challenge for the EcoCit staff. It wasimmediately clear that more frequent support meetings with teachers and administratorswc,uld he needed. Whereas at other schools meetings averaged one or two a month,Brown required up to 12 each month. Initially, many teachers saw the program as justanother fad, something extra that would add to their workload; fortunately, a few teacherswere willing to try.
As the year progressed, a core group of enthusiastic believers emerged teacherswho, with their students, had become actively involved in the program. At breakfastmeetings, ''c:se teachers began to share with others the work their students were doing.Gradually, the less enthusiastic became infected with their feelings of excitement, pride,and empowerment.
A very successful action project was developed and carried our by Ms. Keros' eighthgrade class at Brown School. The students decided to paint five rusty, graffiti-covereddumpsters. They began by soliciting donations, receiving paint from the city's "GiveGraffiti the Brush" program, work gloves from a nearby builder's supply store, and brush-es from another local store. On a sunny day in May, the students scraped and painted thedumpsters. "At our school, some of the kids don't have any respect for people, becausepeople don't show them a whole lot of respect," said Ms. Keros. "But when we werepainting the dumpsters, people came by to take pictures and tell them how much theyappreciated what they were doing. It gave the students a real sense of pride."
For more information, contact Carol Fialkowski at Chicago Academy of Sciences. 2001 N. Clark,Chicago, IL 60614. Telephone (312) 549-0606, ext. 2028.
24
44'orhVion Kesour, v Mat),..
Ideas for Teaching Teachers
S0, YOU WANT TO CONDUCT AN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION WORKSHOP
for urban teachers? Much of the information in this unit will prepare youfor ways of thinking about urban EE differently from "other" EE. Threxamples of what teachers do in the classroom, suggestions for issues to
investigate, and the program descriptions of several major efforts can bring theurban reality to your workshop. Here are some additional reminders as youdevelop your workshop agenda:
Urban EE can mean a variety of things toteachers. Do you know what your teachersthink it is? You might talk to them prior tothe workshop, or build time into your agen-da to have them discuss the wherefores andwhys of urban EE. Consider using Activity8 on page 40 to organize a field trip.
How well do you know the city? You mightco-facilitate with an architect, urbanplanner, or urban environmentalist to helpprovide some solid content about this urban.environment.
Is this your first foray into 1:tan FE?Consider using a few friends or developingan "advisory committee" to give you somehonest feedback about your agenda andyour ideas about urban EE in general. Or,you might look for co-facilitators amongthe schools with which you are working.This could help build your confidence aswell as your credibility, not to mention sceeryou away from little mistakes.
Many urban regions have experimentaleducational programs and strong advocatesfor education reform. These groups mighthe timely allies for urban EE. You are offer-ing real-world, interactive, issue-oriented,relevant, exciting curriculum ideas, and thatis often what they are working toward. Youmight team up on a workshop or two.
Many FE workshop facilitators rely heavilyon activities to energize their workshopsand give teachers good experience with thenew materials. As you choose the activities
411
for your urban workshop, think carefullyabout where the schools are located (dothey have trees nearby?) and who attendsthe school (can students bring extra thingsfrom home?). Few things are more discour-aging than learning that teachers believe anactivity you conducted would never work intheir classroom because it wasn't designedfor an urban audience. If you aren't sure,involve your teachers in an activity to adaptmaterials to their setting (as in Activity 2,page 25).
Find out what teachers need to feel confi-dent with urban EE. Consider guest speak-ers and field trips to provide expertise. Avisit to the water treatment facility, themetro transit garage, the recycling center, anhistoric building, or even the grocery storecan help participants understand moreabout how their city functions and howthey interact with their environment.Activities 3, 5, 6, and 8 in Section VIIIprovide some ideas for field trips andworkshops.
Give teachers time to discuss how yourinformation and materials fit into their cur-riculum. You might use Activity 5, page 30.as a guide to help them think about connec-tions between what they teach and the ur-ban envirr ment. Master 3 could be usedwithout the activity. "Integrating Environ-mental Education into the School Curricu-lum," a unit in the Workshop ResourceManual, provides a variety (though noturban-specific) of workshop ideas.
25
5\5-N_5\
5\.5\5
.5\5
5\5-'.5\5-N..5\
FN..5"`
FN.5-`
-NSN,-3c\.5.`
\5\.5N-5N
"NSN.\S-N
sN.5N.5N.
.5\5N.5\
\S-N,
.5N,5N.5N.
N.5\5-5.`.5\5N&N.5N-5N
N5N.FNS`5\5
5\5'N.SN.
If you are lucky enough to work with agroup of educators who are charged withdesigning an EE curriculum for their urbanschool, you might help them begin bydefining what they mean by EE (Activity 1),and their goals for the curriculum. TheWorkshop Resource Manual unit,"Defining Environmental Education" offers
additional suggestions. Then help themidentify resources they might tap in theircommunity. "Using Communiry Resourc-es" (also in the Workshop ResourceManual) is an ideal source for this task.Use the concentric circle approach on page7 to design the curriculum, moving fromthe school to the street and out to the city.
Summary
This unit provides you with an orientation to urban EE: the issues, the opportuni-ties, and the challenge. In general, environmental education in the city is geared tothe same goals as it is in the wilderness. However, EE (or any kind of education) isalways more effective if it builds on the learners' interests and experiences, and thosewill vary between Glacier National Park and downtown St. Louis. Almost anycurriculum that non-urban teachers use can be adapted and used in city schools.And almost any environmental topic has an urban equivalent. In the next section,we offer a collection of workshop activities that will help facilitators tap urbanteachers' interests and adapt EE to their particular urban environment. Feel free toadapt them to your city, your teachers, and your curriculum constraints.
26
WO"' S"Qt, k(..".ou,r e Man,
Workshop Activities and Masters
THE NINE ACTIVITIES IN THIS SECTION offer starting points for EE inservice
programs in urban areas. Of course, in most cases, inservice programswill have a content focus beyond "urban FF." Your primary goal will beto help teachers create lessons or programs dealing with water quality,
recycling, or ecology, for example. The activities in this section will increase teachers'
awareness of the unique possibilities for EE in the city.
O What Is Urban EE?A brief introductory activity where par-ticipants decide how they wish to defineurban environmental issues. Appropriatefor elementary to high school.
O Adapting EE MaterialsA format for helping teachers utilizenon-urban EE materials by strategicallyadapting these activities to the urbansetting. For all teachers.
O Assessing CommunityNeeds
An open discussion about techniques foridentifying environmental issues in acommunity. For middle school to highschool teachers, and non-formalsettings.
O Investigating ServicesAround Your SchoolHuman life in cities is supported by avariety of services (e.g., energy, water,food, sanitation, protection) offered bymunicipal government or privateenterprise. This activity helps increaseparticipants' awareness of those servicesand their quality and includes one hand-out master Appropriate for upperelementary and olden
O Teaching About the City
O
O
O
Around You
Opportunities to connect urban environ-mental issues to the curriculum abound,once teachers are introduced to ways tolook for them. In this activity, teacherswill work in groups to make some ofthose curricular connections. Includestwo handouts: a worksheet, a. id theUrban EE Matrix. Appropriate for mid-dle school and older levels.
Beautifying and PreservingOpen SpaceOpen spaces offer many benefits to stu-dents and residents of urban areas. Inthis activity, teachers explore the openspaces in their community acid discussprojects students could conduct to en-hance them.
City Six BitsAn activity that challenges groups tocooperatively draw the cross section of acity street under the ground. Informa-tion about water and sewer mains, andelectric, gas, and phone cables is includedon the Six Bit cards.
Tour de BuildingsGuidelines for a field trip through thecity and seeing the major features of thelandscape. For all grade levels.
Ow
27
by Buildings Stand UpA series of challenges and investigationsto understand the physics of construc-tion. Appropriate for elementary andmiddle school.
NENE5\5\
5\5\
5\5 -N.\5\55.5\5"
5\5N.
5\5\.5\ 5N.
.5\5'
5 \-5\.5\5'
\5\.5\5'
.5\5'
5\5N.5\F5\5\.5\F5\5N
\5'5\5N.5\5'
5\5 \SN.F
5\5N.5\5'NN5\5N
5\5NSN
,5N
5`.
5\5"c_
5\5N5\5"
5.5\5'5\5\.5\5'5\5\.5\5'5\5N.5\5'Ny-Nc5\5N.5\:i\5\c5\5\.5\5'5\.5\.5\5'.N.5Nc
5\5\.5\5'
.5\5'
.5\5'
.5\5"N
.5\5'5\5\.5 \5'
5\5`.
5\5\c
5\5,\ G7'
.5-NSc
5\5
;-5\53
5\5-N
Activity 0 What Is Urban EE?
A brief introductor.,
game/discussiorwhere participants
decide how the;
wish to define
urban EE. Appronri
ate for elementary
to high school.
CbjectiveTo help teachers develop apersonal definition of urban EE; toencourage awareness of theinterconnectedness of"environmental" and other socialissues.
MaterialsCards, adhesive tape, Master 1
Time
30 minutes
There is no agreement on exactly what urban EE should involve. While the objectives andprocess of urban EE are the same as traditional EE, some practitioners exclude certainambiguous or controversial issues, such as homelessness or crime, while embracing others.Ultimately, it's important for the individual teacher (or school or district) to develop apersonal concept of urban EE and the issues under the urban EE heading.
Outline
1
Before starting, choose several words fromeach column below (or choose issues thatyou consider relevant for your audience).Write them in large letters on paper cards:
"Traditional"Environmental Issues
Issues Accepted inBoth Categories Key Urban Issues
Energy Conservation Solid Waste HousingRainforest Protection Open Space PovertyWetlands Preservation Water Quality Drug AbuseGlobal Climate Change Air Pollution TransportationBiodiversity Crime
RacismEconomic DevelopmentHungerAIDS
28Workshon Hewurce Manuo.
2Ask the group to consider the question:In this city, what issues would you include
in a unit on the environment?"
3Have one person at a time stand in front ofthe group, with a word-card taped to theirshirt (on their back if you think they'll peek)so that the group can see it but theindividual cannot.
4Without saying what the word is,participants should discuss:
a) who is affected by the issue;b) where the issue occurs; andCI why it is (or isn't) an urban
environmental issue.Meanwhile, the person standing in
front of the group may attempt to guess theword. They can declare their guess at anytime, but the discussion should carry onnonetheless. The facilitator should takenotes on participants' contributions.
', . ' "1.1' :, .1! ;
5List common traits participants ckemed"urban environmental." Why did they seesome issues as being urban environmentalwhile others were not?
For those issues that may not be con-sidered environmental, you may want topoint out (if participants haven't) certainrelationships. For example, note that a goodpublic transportation system may helpreduce unemployment while minimizingharm to global climate.
6Ask what distinguishes urban EE fromtraditional EE. It may be helpful tocategorize ideas into:
a) populations involved;b) physical settings; and
c) nature of issue.Advise teachers that they don't need to
reach agreement on this question.
7Use Master 1 to help identify three differentapproaches to urban EE. Are they all validor desirable in your school?
29
Master El Major Approaches in Urban EE
Studies of the NaturalEnvironmentUse green spaces and naturalareas in urban locales to developknowledge of and appreciation forthe natural environment
Studies of the Built EnvironmentEmphasize how the environment isinfluenced by humans, includingthe city's architecture, design, andinfrastructure
Service Learning and ActionProjectsUnite environmental awarenessand citizenship skills
30it to vt,.r ll,thto 11,,tnnment.P (11:,
Activity 0 Adapting EE Materials
4 format for neiping
teachers utilize nonurban EE materials
by strategically
adapting these activi-ties to the urban
setting. For all teachers.
nmrntal I
ObjectiveTo help participants altertraditional EE activities to suittheir situation and environment.
Most EE instructional materials available toteachers were not written with urbanschools in mind. To help teachers utilizethese materials, this activity will helpparticipants "urbanize" EE cumin a.
Outline
1
Distribute EE activities to groups of 4-6teachers, so that each group has a differentset of materials to review. Ask each groupto skim through the activity and imagineconducting it with their students. Whatproblems or concerns will they have? Giveeach group 15 minutes to identify potentialproblems.
2Ask a reporter from each group to make achecklist of the group's concerns, such thatthe concern might be applied to otheractivities. For example, they should try tore-phrase an observation such as "Myschool does not have trees on the property,"to read "Does the activity require trees orother natural features at the school site?"
3Create a master list from all the contribu-tions and ask participants to imagine howthey might resolve these concerns and stillaccomplish the objectives of the activity.No doubt some activities will not he possi-ble to modify, but others certainly are.
31
MaterialsSeveral traditional EE activityguides (such as Project WILD,Project Learning Tree,NatureScope), or copies of typicalactivities.
Time30-60 minutes
Optional extensionAsk each group to work on a differentactivity, and this time, apply the entirechecklist to modify the activity. Encouragethem to he creative and thorough in theiradaptation. Give them 20 minutes to work,and then ask groups to explain their newactivities to the entire class.
Sample Checklist Items
Are the materials needed for thisactivity available in your area?
Does your school have a suitablelocation for this activity? (An outdoorarea? A grassy field? A clean pond?)
Are the graphics and illustrationsappropriate for your students? (Arestudents of color pictured?)
Are the examples relevant to yourstudents? (Cougars and eagles orcockroaches and pigeons?)
If the activity asks students to bringitems from home, are these readilyavailable? (If not, could the activitybe done as a demonstration?)
Does the activity assume a certainlevel of affluence?
Does the activity make assumptionsabout what students know or how theybehave?
(n\
Activity 0 Assessing Community Needs
An open discussion
atiOut fecnnrques for
identifying environmental issues in a
community. For
middle school tohigh school, and
non-formal settings.
ObjectiveTo learn a variety of techniques toassess environmental problems inthe community
Time45 minutes plus optional extension
Teachers and students have a sense of the environmental needs and problems of theircommunio: While this activity does not lead teachers all the way through project imple-mentation, it does help teachers become familiar with a process for selecting issues withthe students. The resources listed at the end of this unit will provide direction on how toproceed.
Outline
Explain that this workshop will explore thequestion: "If you were to set your textbooksaside and address an environmental issuethat really matters in a community, howwould you investigate your options?Whom would you rely on to tell you whatissues matter?"
2Record the ideas teachers generate. Theymay say:
have students ask their parents
- have student teams review newspaperarticles or editorials
- make observations and collect data
conduct informal discussions andinterviews with friends, communityresidents, store owners, and others
- invite store owners, communityhoard members, or leaders of civicgroups to answer questionsindividually or attend a meeting
- investigate census data, planningboard tact sheets and guide books
- conduct a survey of the community
3What factors should he considered inchoosing one of these methods? Forexample:
- time required for project development
- resources available to organizinggroupsize of the class, and their interest andcommitment to doing this project
- surveys and studies that have alreadybeen done and are available
4Ask the participants to select one of thesestrategies they want to explore. Then askfor volunteers to role-play an interviewbetween a student and a community officialor store owner to begin to understand whatskills students need to develop and whatthey might expect as they move into thecommunity to work on environmentalissues. Ask the participants to help theactors if they get stuck.
You may find the two WbrkshopResource Manual units very helpful:"Approaching Issues in the Classroom" and"Using Community Resources."
3211,,nop e. 41,1e,
5Optional Extension
Implement the srrategy. Develop the meth-ods decided upon earlier (e.g., draft thesurvey, take a walk with the teachers toobserve the local environment, develop aninterview or questionnaire format.) As timepermits, go out with participants into thecommunity to collect data on communityneeds. Conduct interviews, administerquestionnaires. Return, or stay outside, andanalyze the results of your initial assess-ment. What appear to he the areas ofgreatest need in this community? How dothese results compare with what teacherswould anticipate at home?
Follow-up
Discuss solutions to the problem identifiedby the group. Brainstorm approaches toimplementing an action plan.
Note
Your community may have some materials
or studies that identify local concerns andthe plans to resolve them. After askingaround city government or regionalplanning offices, you might discover someimportant resources that teachers could use.
Used with permission and adapted fromTraining Student Organizers Curriculum.Michael Zamm, Robert Omer, Beverly DeAngelis.Council on the Environment of New York City,1990, pp. 190-192.
33. L
N\5-N-5
.5\5
N" N
N.5\5
N.5.`
FNSN.
FN.FN,N_SN
11V5
N.5\55\5\.5NS`
5N5N,5.`
\5\5
N-.5\55\5N.
N.5\55\5\\5`N6--N5
5\5\N.5 -N55\5\N.5. NE5\5\-.5\5`
\.55\5\
5.`
5\55
Activity 0
Human life in cities
is supported Dy a
variety of services(e.g.. energ)., water.
food, sanitation.
Protection) offered bymunicipal govern-
ment or private enter-
prise. This activity
helps increase partic-
ipants' awareness of
those services and
their Apprc-
pnate for upper
elementary and older.
Investigating Services AroundYour SchoolImImmimmimimmweimmimm
ObjectiveParticipants will become familiarwith what's working and what'snot in their local environmentalservices.
Outline
1
Begin by asking participants what type ofservices they use in the urban area. Writethese on newsprint or blackboard. Do theyutilize these services in different ways fromday to day?
2Hand out the worksheet from Master 2,one per participant. Discuss the serviceslisted on the sheet, and add any others thatparticipants feel are missing. Go throughthe Sanitation/Litter example, clarifyingwhat is meant by the term "adequate" inthe fourth column.
3Explain that they don't need to find exam-ples for every category, though theyshouldn't he too hard to find. Rather, theparticipants should broadly scan the out-door environment and anything their eyessettle on should fit into one of the servicecategories.
4Go outdoors and place participants ingroups of two or three, each in a differentnearby location. Encourage participants toshare information and observations. Allowabout 15 minutes for recording observa-tions.
MaterialsWorksheet for each person fromMaster 2, pencil or pen,blackboard or newsprint
Time
45 minutes
S
Gather participants into a group and dis-cuss their findings. Ask for examples fromeach of the service categories. Did they findany items that fit into two or more catego-ries? Were there any items that participantsdidn't know where to place?
6Participants should circle those service itemsthey found to be 'nadequate. Ask themwhich services are circled and why. Whatcould a group of students do to help resolvethis apparent "problem"?
Note
The curriculum materials E2: Environmentand Education (formerly Earth TimeProject) offer guidance for students explor-ing identified inadequacies in their schoolenvironment. This resource (see page 46)may provide an appropriate extension tothis basic survey.
34 Workshop hesotm 1. Mdhu..
Master B Investigating Services Around School
List the items connected with city services you observe in the area right around your building. For example:
Type of Service Item (object)
Sanitation/Litter Litter BasketTrash DumpsterEtc.
How i Is the ServiceMany I Adequate? Y/N I Why or Why Not?
14 fNoYes
I Litter all over the placeEnough space for garbage
Type of Service Item (object)HowMany
Is ServiceAdequate? Why or Why Not?
Safety
Communication
Transportation
Water
Food
Sanitation/Litter
Housing
Open Space(trees. art, etc.)
Energy
Other
: 1 35 t ",,t`f'1,'("1,1 1 ,,!
30
Activity
Opportunities tc.
connect urban
environmental issues
to the curriculumabound, once teachers are introduced to
ways to look for
them. In this activityteachers will work in
groups to make some
of those curricularconnections. Appro-
priate for middleschool and older
levels.
Teaching About the CityAround You
ObjectiveTo build teachers' skill inidentifying opportunities in theircurriculum for addressing urbanenvironmental issues.
Outline
1Divide the participants into groups of four,and ask each group to choose a facilitator,recorder, reporter, and timekeeper. If neces-sary, explain the roles for each person: facil-itator keeps the discussion moving; recordernotes major decisions and ideas; reporterprepares to explain the results to the wholegroup; timekeeper keeps the group focusedon the task and warns them as the time runsout.
2Distribute the Urban EE Matrix t Master 3)to each participant and quickly review it.Point out that major urban environmentaltopics are listed on the left- column. andacross the page additional information isprovided. In the right column some of thesubject areas that form a ready link t..) thistopic are listed.
3Distribute a set of tour different teachingscenarios to each group. One of the scenar-ios should be filled out as an example ofwhat you're looking for. Ask them tcrespond to the questions, and to discusshow they might actually incorporate theidea presented into their current teaching.They can use the matrix to give them ideas.and they can add to the matrix. They have30 minutes to review all of the scenarios.(Alternatively, you could assign eachscenario to a different group and give them8 minutes.)
MaterialsCopies of Urban EE Matrix(Master 3) and Teaching Scenarios(Master 4) for each participant
Time
45 minutes
4Ask the reporter from each group tosummarize only a portion of their ideas foreach scenario, perhaps the environmentaltwist, the action potential, or the contentconnections, depending upon the way yourworkshop is moving and the skills yourgroup needs to develop.
5Use some of these questions to guide thediscussion that follows:
Which subject areas could most easilyadopt an urban environmental theme?
What community resources might heavailable to assist teachers withthese topics?
How might other subject areasdevelop an environmental slant:driver's education? home economics?technology? general science?What issues are particularly relevantin your community?What organizations are currentlyworking on them?
36WrVksnr1.) itesout:e Marne
Mas
terin
Urb
an E
E M
atrix
Top
icU
rban
Rel
evan
ceE
nviro
nmen
tal
Impa
ctT
rip/S
tudy
Opp
ortu
nitie
sA
ctio
nP
oten
tial
Con
tent
Con
nect
ions
Tra
nspo
rtat
ion
Com
plex
mul
ti-m
odal
tran
spor
tatio
n sy
stem
s al
low
mov
emen
t of
good
s an
d la
rge
num
bers
of
peop
le.
Ove
rdep
ende
nce
on p
erso
nal
tran
spor
tatio
n at
the
expe
nse
ofpu
blic
tran
spor
tatio
n ha
s w
ors-
ened
air
qual
ity a
nd r
educ
edliv
ing
spac
e in
mos
t U.S
. urb
anar
eas;
dem
and
for
oil d
rives
inte
rnat
iona
l pol
itics
.
Dep
artm
ent o
f Hea
lth a
irqu
ality
mon
itorin
gst
atio
ns; m
otor
veh
icle
emis
sion
s in
spec
tion
stat
ions
; offi
ce o
f loc
altr
ansp
orta
tion
plan
ner.
Aw
aren
ess
cam
paig
n on
env
i.ro
nmen
tal i
mpa
cts
of c
ars,
polit
ical
cam
paig
n to
div
ert
gove
rnm
ent f
unds
to p
ublic
tran
spor
tatio
n; a
war
ds fo
r ca
rde
aler
s w
ho s
peci
aliz
e in
fuel
effic
ient
veh
icle
s; p
rom
otio
n of
carp
oolin
g am
ong
teac
hers
and
staf
f.
Land
use
, air
pollu
tion,
ene
r.gy
, noi
se, e
nvi
ronm
enta
lhe
alth
.
Wat
erS
urfa
ce a
nd/o
r gr
ound
wat
er in
fra
stru
ctur
es a
llow
urb
an p
opul
atio
nsto
sur
vive
whe
re lo
cal w
ater
sup
-pl
ies
mig
ht b
e in
adeq
uate
; sew
age
trea
tmen
t spe
eds
up n
atur
al p
urifi
.ca
tion
proc
ess;
man
y in
dust
ries
loca
te a
long
wat
erw
ays.
Incr
easi
ng d
eman
d fo
r w
ater
rais
es s
uppl
y co
ncer
ns;
incr
ease
d pr
essu
re o
n se
wag
etr
eatm
ent p
lant
s re
sults
in in
ferio
r po
llutio
n co
ntro
l; po
pula
tion
expa
nsio
n an
d po
or la
nd u
sepr
actic
es th
reat
en p
urity
of
wat
er s
uppl
ies.
Res
ervo
ir; p
umpi
ngst
atio
n; v
alve
cha
mbe
rs,
pollu
tion
cont
rol f
acili
ties
(sew
age
plan
t); s
ludg
eco
mpo
stin
g fa
cilit
y; lo
cal
wat
er s
ourc
e (s
tudy
wat
er q
ualit
y in
dica
tors
).
Wat
er c
onse
rvat
ion
cam
paig
n;st
orm
sew
er d
rain
ste
ncili
ng("
Dum
p no
was
te-d
rain
s to
river
"), p
oliti
cal c
ampa
ign
topr
otec
t wat
ersh
eds;
fire
hydr
ant m
onito
ring
for
leak
s.
Land
use
, env
iro
nmen
tal h
ealth
.
Air
Air
in c
ities
is u
sual
ly p
oore
r th
anin
non
-urb
an a
reas
; urb
an r
est
dent
s su
ffer
from
hig
her
inci
denc
.es
of r
espi
rato
ry a
nd r
elat
edill
ness
es: i
ndoo
r ai
r qu
ality
con
cern
s pe
ople
who
spe
nd m
uch
time
indo
ors
(lack
of v
entil
atio
n;gr
ound
leve
l ozo
ne fr
om c
opie
rs).
Whi
le o
vera
ll U
.S. a
ir qu
ality
has
impr
oved
sin
ce 1
970'
s, in
crea
sed
depe
nden
ce o
n pa
ssen
ger
cars
has
incr
ease
dau
tom
obile
rela
ted
emis
sion
s;in
crea
sed
elec
tric
dem
and
has
sim
ilar
effe
ct; n
ew a
war
enes
s of
air
toxi
ns c
ause
s gr
eate
r he
alth
conc
ern;
citi
es m
ay b
e bi
gco
ntrib
utor
s to
glo
bal c
limat
ech
ange
.
Vis
it lo
cal h
ospi
tal p
ul.
mon
ary
unit
or lu
ngas
soci
atio
n; d
o "li
fe-c
ycle
anal
ysis
" or
var
ious
ene
gy-d
eman
ding
mec
hani
sms
and
ener
gyso
urce
s. (
See
als
o tr
ips
in "
Tra
nspo
rtat
ion"
).
Edu
catio
n ca
mpa
ign
on th
eth
reat
of g
roun
dlev
el o
zone
:ai
r m
onito
ring
proj
ect;
polit
ical
cam
paig
n to
lim
it in
door
cig
are
tte s
mok
ing;
aw
aren
ess
cam
paig
n to
incr
ease
use
of m
ass
tran
sit o
r ot
her
alte
rnat
ives
.
Tra
nspo
rtat
ion,
ener
gy, e
nviro
nm
enta
l hea
lth,
solid
was
te.
Ene
rgy
37
Urb
an p
eopl
e de
pend
on
exte
rnal
sou
rces
of e
nerg
y(u
sual
ly fo
ssil
fuel
or
nucl
ear)
tom
eet t
heir
tran
spor
tatio
n, in
dus
tria
l, co
mm
erci
al, a
nd r
esid
entia
lne
eds;
den
sely
pop
ulat
ed u
rban
area
s te
nd to
war
d gr
eate
r ho
me.
ener
gy e
ffici
ency
and
pub
licra
nspo
rt o
ppor
tuni
ties.
tran
spor
t
Bur
ning
foss
il fu
els
cont
ribut
esto
loca
l and
reg
iona
l air
pollu
.tio
n, a
nd p
ossi
bly
to g
loba
l cli
mat
e ch
ange
; fos
sil f
uel
extr
actio
n m
ay c
onta
min
ate
wild
land
scap
es: d
ispo
sal o
f spe
ntnu
clea
r fu
el is
stil
l an
impe
rma.
nent
and
ris
ky e
ndea
vor.
Ele
ctric
ity g
ener
atin
gfa
cilit
ies,
iiat
ural
gas
stor
age
faci
litie
s, e
nerg
ym
useu
ms,
exh
ibits
. and
inst
itute
s.
_
Sch
ool l
ight
ing
cons
erva
tion
proj
ects
; hom
e en
ergy
con
ser
vatio
n; p
oliti
cal/e
duca
tiona
lca
mpa
ign
to p
rom
ote
gene
ratio
n fr
om a
ltern
ativ
eso
urce
s.
Air
pollu
tion,
tran
spor
tatio
n,en
viro
nmen
tal
heal
th. 38
.i 1
-t
Top
icU
rban
Rel
evan
ceE
nvir
onm
enta
lIm
pact
Tri
p/St
udy
Opp
ortu
nitie
sA
ctio
nPo
tent
ial
Con
tent
Con
nect
ions
Foo
dM
ost f
ood
cons
umed
by
city
peo
ple
is g
row
n ou
tsid
e th
e ci
ty a
ndtr
ansp
orte
d va
st d
ista
nces
tore
ach
urba
n m
outh
s.
Pop
ulat
ion
and
grow
th p
res-
sure
s di
min
ish
agric
ultu
ral l
and
arou
nd c
ities
; shi
ppin
g fo
odfr
om r
emot
e so
urce
s is
inef
fici
ent;
food
s m
ay c
onta
in to
xic
resi
dues
from
pes
ticid
es,
herb
icid
es, o
r ba
cter
ia.
Far
mer
s' m
arke
ts,
regi
onal
farm
s; fo
odw
areh
ouse
, foo
d pa
ckin
gpl
ant,
supe
rmar
ket.
Bio
regi
ona!
sho
ppin
gca
mpa
ign;
food
aw
aren
ess
educ
atio
n in
itiat
ives
, eat
ing
low
er o
n th
e fo
odch
ain
cam
paig
n; c
hang
e lu
nchr
oom
men
us to
ref
lect
food
awar
enes
s.
Tra
nspo
rtat
ion,
ener
gy, o
pen
spac
e,en
viro
nmen
tal
heal
th.
Sol
id W
aste
Am
eric
ans
prod
uce
3 to
5 p
ound
sof
was
te d
aily
and
citie
s ar
e at
alo
ss fo
r w
here
to p
ut it
: muc
hw
aste
end
s up
in p
ublic
pla
ces
aslit
ter.
Land
fillin
g m
ay p
rodu
ce to
xic
seep
age
(leac
hate
); in
cine
ratio
nco
ntrib
utes
to a
ir po
llutio
n:re
cycl
ing
may
pro
duce
toxi
ns,
has
had
diffi
culty
"cl
osin
g th
elo
op,"
and
may
hav
e pr
oble
ms
with
par
ticip
atio
n; e
ach
solid
was
te m
anag
emen
t opt
ion
is a
nun
desi
rabl
e la
nd u
se (
i.e.,
nobo
dy w
ants
an
inci
nera
tor
inth
eir
back
yard
).
Land
fills
, inc
iner
ator
s,re
cycl
ing
faci
litie
s,tr
ansf
er s
tatio
ns. p
rivat
ew
aste
-car
ter
faci
litie
s.
Sta
rt a
rec
yclin
g pr
ogra
m in
scho
ol o
r ne
ighb
orho
od; e
duca
tion
cam
paig
n to
red
uce
solid
was
te (
sour
ce r
educ
tion)
.co
mm
unity
edu
catio
n pr
ogra
mto
incr
ease
par
ticir
atio
n in
mun
icip
al r
ecyc
ling
prog
ram
s.
Land
use
, air
pollu
tion.
wat
er,
envi
ronm
enta
lhe
alth
.
Noi
seA
con
cent
ratio
n of
noi
se s
ourc
esm
akes
citi
es lo
uder
than
non
urba
n co
unte
rpar
ts: C
ars.
truc
ks,
airp
lane
s. lo
ud m
usic
. tra
ins
con-
trib
ute
to th
e pr
oble
m.
Exc
essi
ve n
oise
lead
s to
hig
her
stre
ss le
vels
. pos
sibl
y ne
rvou
san
d he
art d
isor
ders
, and
hea
ring
impa
irmen
t; st
uden
ts s
ubje
cted
to e
xces
sive
noi
se p
erfo
rm w
orse
in s
choo
l tha
n st
uden
ts w
orki
ng in
quie
t env
ironm
ents
.
Sub
way
s, a
irpor
ts,
helip
orts
, Dep
artm
ent o
fH
ealth
.
Aw
aren
ess
cam
paig
n on
the
heal
th e
ffect
s of
noi
se, p
oliti
cal
cam
paig
n to
hav
e ci
ty a
gen
cies
red
uce
nois
e le
vels
on
trai
ns, b
uses
, etc
.; no
ise
mon
ito
ring
with
dec
ibel
met
ers.
Env
ironm
enta
lhe
alth
,tr
ansp
orta
tion,
land
use
.
Land
Use
- O
pen
Spa
ces:
Hou
sing
/N
eigh
borh
oods
Incr
ease
s in
urb
an p
opui
atio
rsne
cess
itate
add
ition
al h
ousc
ig:
mor
e ur
ban
peop
le h
ave
inad
equa
tesh
elte
r; d
evel
opm
ent i
n ho
usin
g.co
mm
erce
, and
tran
spor
tatio
n co
nve
rts
soft
grou
nd to
asp
halt
or c
oncr
ete,
ren
derin
g it
usel
ess
for
agric
ultu
re, w
ildlif
e ha
bita
t, or
rec
reat
ion;
pla
nt, a
nim
al, a
nd a
biot
icel
emen
ts o
f the
urb
an e
nviro
nmen
tra
ise
awar
enes
s of
urb
an d
epen
deuc
e on
nat
ural
sys
tem
s.
Hou
sing
dev
elop
men
t may
lead
to w
ildlif
e ha
bita
t des
truc
tion
and
segm
enta
tion.
or
loss
of
agric
ultu
ral l
ands
. Als
o, s
oil
eros
ion,
wat
er q
ualit
y an
d re
sour
ce u
se m
ay b
e af
fect
ed:
loss
of g
reen
are
as le
ads
tolo
wer
qua
lity
of li
fe, d
ecre
ased
spec
ies
abun
danc
e, a
nddi
vers
ity.
Loca
l par
ks, p
rese
rves
,gr
eenb
elts
: new
hou
sing
deve
lopm
ents
, old
nei
ghbo
rhoo
ds, a
ltern
ativ
eliv
ing
arra
ngem
ents
,ho
mel
ess
shel
ters
, dev
el-
opm
ent c
orpo
ratio
ns;
zoos
, bot
anic
al g
arde
n.
Org
aniz
e to
cre
ate
gard
ens
and
park
s on
vac
ant l
ots;
pol
itica
lca
mpa
ign
to c
ontr
ol d
evel
opm
ent
in e
colo
gica
lly s
ensi
tive
area
;ed
ucat
ion
cam
paig
n on
eco
logi
-ca
l val
ue o
f "un
used
" la
nd; c
reat
em
odel
of s
usta
inab
le u
rban
cor
nm
unity
; his
toric
al e
xplo
ratio
n an
dre
sear
ch a
bout
nei
ghbo
rhoo
d's
....,1
oast
; thr
eate
ned
or e
ndan
gere
dsp
ecie
s pr
otec
tion
cam
paig
n, b
iolo
gica
l inv
ento
ries
and
mon
itorin
g
Wat
er, e
neri
y,4r
ansp
ortr
Jon
.
Env
ironm
enta
lH
ealth
Lead
. airb
orne
toxi
ns, a
sbes
tos,
impu
re d
rinki
ng w
ater
are
wid
esp
read
ris
ks to
city
res
iden
ts,
espe
cial
ly th
e po
or.
Env
ironm
enta
l con
tam
inan
tsca
n le
ad to
sic
knes
s, d
iffic
ulty
in s
choo
l. m
enta
l ret
arda
tion.
Hea
lth p
rofe
ssio
nals
,"g
reen
" bu
ildin
gs.
Env
ironm
enta
l hea
lth fa
ir, le
adaw
aren
ess
proj
ect,
air
and
wat
er m
onito
ring.
Air
pollu
tion.
wat
er p
ollu
tion,
tran
spor
tatio
n.
3 9
4'0
Master Teaching Scenarios for Teaching Aboutthe City Around You
Scenario 1: You are a global studies teacher working with your class on the issue of hunger.
'ow could you help your students relate this issue to their own city?
Urban Relevance: Hungry people live in this cityEnvironmental Twist: Food production and distribution, where we get our food, energy used in food distribution
Trip/Study Opportunities: To shelters and food lines, organizations that provide for homeless and hungry
peopleAction Potential: Coordinate restaurants, dormitories, and hospitals with shelters to use food waste,
volunteers to assistContent Connections: Demographics of hunger, nutrition, disease and health care, food production zones,
hunger zones, causes of hunger in the U.S.
Scenario 2: You are a social studies teacher creating a lesson or unit on trade in the develop.
ment of the American colonies. Using the content matrix, find a link to contemporary urbanEE. What topic would you use to draw connections from the colonial period to today?
Urban Relevance
Environmental Twist
Trip/Study Opportunities
Action Potential
Content Connections
Scenario 3: You are a ninth grade science teacher working or' physical science and energy.
Urban Relevance
Environmental Twist
Trip/Study Opportunities
Action Potential
Content Connections
Scenario 4: You are an art teacher trying to raise students' awareness about function and form.
Urban Relevance
Environmental Twist
Trip/Study Opportunities
Action Potential
Content Connections
41 '3 -o-j,i, I (Li)gion
O
Activity 0 Beautifying and Preserving Open Space
Open spa: es °fie'
man, benefits tcstudents and
residents of uroat'
areas. in this act:Myteacners explore the
open spaces 'n the!r
community anddiscuss projects
students coulc
conduct to ennance
tnem.
Objective
To define "open space" andidentify actions that will helpbeautify or preserve an area.
Preparation
Before the activity, familiarizeyourself with the local area, withattention to open spaces. Prepare ashort list of potential sites for
action and some suggestions fortypes of improvements or preserva-tion actions to attempt there.
MaterialsNotepads, pencils, copies of localmaps, and possibly cameras
Time
90 minutes
Open spaces such as parks, playgrounds, lots, gardens, and landscaped areas are an essen-tial part of the total environment. Trees, plants, vines, grass, flowers , and vegetables areaesthetically pleasing, provide oxygen, and give comfort and joy to all. Natural elementsinteract with human-made structures like buildings and streets to produce a total effect onthe inhabitants of a particular area.
Yet the open spaces in cities, suburbs, rural places, and wilderness areas are undersevere development pressures. Whether it's a I vo' by loo' lot used for a high-rise condo-minium in Miami or thousands of acres in a state recreation area sought for commercialdevelopment, government and industry often look at open spaces only as resources to meetthe perceived needs of a narrow segment of society.
Besides beautifying the environment, open space projects can educate people aboutthe importance of preserving existing natural areas or creating neu,ly landscaped ones forall built environments.
Motivation
Place a map, or sketch a map, of the com-munity on the chalkboard, table, or over-head. Ask teachers, "What do we meanwhen we talk about open space?"
Activity
1
Hang a map on a wall of your room andask the teachers to define "open space."They may point to particular place on themap where there are no roads. Should all ofthe roadless areas qualify even cemeteries?With the teachers, consider the followingdefinitions:
--Open spaces within a built environ-ment include parks, pocket parks,vacant lots, vegetable gardens,landscaped areas, playgrounds, plazas,streets, squares, front yards, golfcourses, and cemeteries."
"In natural areas, open spaces includeforests, shoreline areas, wetlands."
2In small groups, challenge the teachers tolist the benefits of open spaces. Here are afew:
Trees, shrubs, and grass increaseaesthetic value.
Trees cool the immediate area withshade and moisture.
Plants increase oxygen in the atmo-sphere and decrease carbon dioxide,reducing the greenhouse effect.
Trees and shrubs reduce noise byacting as physical buffers alongroadsides.
Open space increases habitat forinsects, birds, aiv-! small mammals.
Wetland open space protects the localarea from floods.
Wetlands can reduce water pollution.
42WI! I. ',non in
3(optional)
Distribute a map to each small group, andask them to identity open spaces. Take avote on which spaces to visit (those theyare not familiar with, those in most need ofattention, those closest to their school, etc.)and make arrangements to tour them. Askparticipants to look for ways to use thespace for class activities and for projectstheir students might do to enhance the val-ue of the open space. Encourage partici-pants to use their cameras to record certainvisual aspects of the open spaces.
4Ask the participants to list possible openspace beautification/preservation projectsin the built environment or natural areas:
Turning vacant lots into pocket parksPlanting flowers or vegetables onvacant lots or on rooftops
Redesigning z: park to meet the needsof those who live there
Erecting bird houses or bird feeders
Encouraging maintenance workers notto spray certain areas for pests
Identifying plants and posting theirnames
Planting and caring for street trees
Locating and treating diseased streettrees
Writing letters or circulating petitionsto persuade public officials to keepcertain forests, wilderness areas, orwetlands free from development.
5Identify and record the natural open spac-es, wetlands, forest areas in and aroundyour town, village, or city. As a group,mark them on a community map. Thenalso mark the parks. lawns, plazas,squares, gardens, wall murals, play-grounds, and signs in the built environmentof the buildings, streets, and transportationsystems of the city or town. Note whichareas are open to the public and which areprivate.
:; ... I It
6Take one of the areas that the group hasidentified and draw a large schematic mapon the blackboard. Have the teachers fill inthe space with their observations, puttinglandmarks in the appropriate spots. Askthem what would make this area "better,"(e.g., more trees, benches, window boxes,fewer or better-designed parking spaces,wider sidewalks, roadside flower gardens).
7Conclude by reminding participants that itis important to beautify neighborhoods,towns, and cities for several reasons: Peopletend to respond to their surroundings and toother people in a healthier and more effec-tive way when they are in an aestheticallypleasing environment, and people often takepride in something they do that makes aclear and visual difference. Improving openspace is often successful. What locally rele-vant projects might be feasibly implementedwith their student groups?
Adapted from liaming Student OrganizersCurriculum, Michael Zamm, et al., pp. 117-120.with permission from The Council on theEnvironment of New York City.
43
Activity 4) City Six Bits
An activity tnat
challenges groups to
cooperatively drat.
the cross section of
a city street under
tne ground. Into,
matron about water
and sewer mains.
and electricity. gas.
and phone cables if.
included on tne So
Bit cards.
ObjectiveTo introduce teachers to the less-than-obvious but vital services thatare provided for urban dwellersbelow their city streets; to developcooperative skills.
Outline
1
Before the activity, duplicate the cards onMaster 5 so that each person will get onecard; every six people will have one set ofcards. Divide workshop participants intosmall groups of six and distribute one set,face down, to each group. Also pass outpaper and pencil to each group.
2Instruct the groups to distribute one card toeach person, face down. Explain that onecard in their group has a task on it they areto use the information on all the cards tocomplete the task, and follow all the direc-tions. If groups are having difficulty gettingstarted, explain to them that each card intheir group has different information, andalthough they can't show their card toanyone, they can read the cards out loud.
MaterialsCards made from Master 5 (oneset per group of six participants),and pencil for each group
Time40 minutes
3Circulate around the room and notice howthe groups are proceeding. Answer anyquestions about pipes and cables, or savethem until the whole group can help answerthem.
4When the groups are ready to report ontheir design, ask them to reconvene. Makeclear that each group had the same informa-tion, but due to variations in interpretationand unique circumstances in each cityblock, there could he differences in thedesigns. Review the drawings and helpanswer questions they have about theinformation. You might use the questionson the next page to extend the discussionabout the underground.
44hf;( .1 4..rolow r
How are electrical and telephonecables laid? (They are pulled from alarge drum, through one access hole tothe next, in short segments.)
Why are the water mains below theother services, but above the sewer?(In case mains break or pipes leak, youdon't want water in the electricalcables, nor sewage iii the water main.)
What reinforcing would be necessaryif a subway went along this block?(Building foundations may needstrengthening, along with old waterand sewer lines.)
What might change in the designs ifthis block were on a slope? (Gravitywould cause the water to flow down-hill, unless pumps forced it up. Mostof the lines would follow the surfacetopography.)
What additional mechanism would henecessary if the block were at a lowpoint in the city? (Pumps, located inaccess holes, would force the sewage,stormwater, and water out of the lowpoint and up to their destinations.)
What other services might he under-ground in your city? (Steam pipes area typical addition.)
1 . ."! i '., .1 .r
5Finally, review the process through whichparticipants learned about the city's under-ground. This cooperative learning exercisemight he new to some teachers, and couldhe something they model in their class-rooms. Point out that they worked togetherto learn new information, and the instructorwas not the source of all the informationthey- were. Here are some additionalquestions for discussion:
How did leadership unfold at thebeginning of the activity? How didparticipants decide how to proceed?
Did everyone participate equally?Why?
How were decisions made?
How effectively did the groupfunction? What might haveimproved efficiency?
What skills were pi :ticed incompleting this task?
Note: Additional information on the under-ground support systems for a city are foundin David Macaulay's Underground, pub-lished by Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 1976.
45
Mas
ter
131
City
Six
Bits
Car
ds
x1
You
may
not
sho
w th
is c
ard
to a
nyon
e in
you
rgr
oup.
Tas
k: Y
ou a
nd y
our
neig
hbor
s w
ish
to p
lant
som
e tr
ees
alon
g yo
ur c
ity s
tree
t. U
nfor
tu-
nate
ly, t
here
are
a n
umbe
r of
gra
tes.
dra
ins,
and
acce
ss h
oles
alo
ng y
our
bloc
k an
d yo
uar
en't
sure
whe
re y
ou'll
be
able
to p
lant
the
tree
s. U
sing
the
info
rmat
ion
on th
e ca
rds,
draw
a c
ross
sec
tion
of th
e bl
ock
illus
trat
ing
abov
e an
d be
low
gro
und
conn
ectio
ns to
the
vario
us s
ervi
ces
prov
ided
. You
may
nee
d to
crea
te m
ore
than
one
dra
win
g us
ing
diffe
r.en
t per
spec
tives
to in
corp
orat
e al
l the
info
rmat
ion.
Sto
rm s
ewer
pip
es a
re o
ften
10 ti
mes
larg
er th
an s
ewer
pip
es.
You
r bl
ock
has
a ph
one
boot
h th
at is
conn
ecte
d, o
f cou
rse,
to th
e ph
one
cabl
esth
at r
un a
long
you
r bl
ock
and
into
eac
hbu
ildin
g. S
imila
r ca
bles
ope
rate
traf
ficlig
hts
and
emer
genc
y al
arm
s in
eac
hbu
ildin
g.
Nat
ural
gas
is p
iped
dow
n yo
ur b
lock
thro
ugh
met
al p
ipes
at l
east
3 fe
et b
elow
the
stre
et.
2
You
may
not
sho
w th
is c
ard
to a
nyon
e in
your
gro
up.
All
wat
er li
nes
are
burie
d ab
out 4
feet
belo
w th
e le
vel o
f soi
l tha
t typ
ical
lyfr
eeze
s.
Sto
rm s
ewer
s ar
e lo
cate
d be
low
all
the
othe
r ut
ilitie
s.
An
acce
ss h
ole
is a
rou
nd o
r sq
uare
roo
mun
der
the
side
wal
k or
str
eet,
ente
red
thro
ugh
a ro
und,
cas
t iro
n lid
. It a
llow
spe
ople
to w
ork
on th
e pi
pes,
duc
ts, a
ndva
lves
and
pum
ps th
at o
pera
te th
e w
ater
,se
wer
, ele
ctric
al, o
r st
eam
sys
tem
s in
the
city
.D
iffer
ent a
cces
s ho
les
are
requ
ired
for
each
sys
tem
.
The
nat
ural
gas
dis
trib
utio
n ne
twor
k al
sous
es v
alve
box
es to
con
trol
the
flow
of
gas,
and
che
ckpo
ints
to r
egul
ate
the
pres
sure
in th
e lin
e, b
ut y
our
bloc
kdo
esn'
t hav
e an
y.
3
You
may
not
sho
w th
is c
ard
to a
nyon
e in
your
gro
up.
A s
epar
ate
high
-pre
ssur
e w
ater
pip
elin
e is
mai
ntai
ned
to a
ll fir
e hy
dran
ts w
hich
enab
les
a la
rge
quan
tity
of w
ater
to b
eim
med
iate
ly a
vaila
ble.
Tw
o hy
dran
ts a
reon
you
r bl
ock.
Sew
er p
ipes
are
larg
e, c
lay
or c
oncr
ete
pipe
s.
Sto
rm s
ewer
s dr
ain
wat
er fr
om r
ain
and
snow
sto
rms
out o
f the
city
and
ofte
ndi
rect
ly to
a r
iver
.
Tel
epho
ne c
able
s ru
n al
ong
your
blo
ckbi
g bu
ndle
s of
wire
s lo
cate
d ab
out 3
feet
belo
w th
e st
reet
.
Tra
nsfo
rmer
s ar
e lo
cate
d in
und
ergr
ound
room
s ca
lled
vaul
ts.
4647
4
You
may
not
sho
w th
is c
ard
to a
nyon
e in
your
gro
up.
A s
ubni
ain
carr
ies
wat
er a
long
this
blo
ckfr
om th
e m
ain
to b
ranc
h lin
es th
at h
ook
up to
eac
h bu
ildin
g's
plum
bing
sys
tem
.
Sew
er p
ipes
typi
cally
rel
y on
gra
vity
tofe
ed th
e w
aste
wat
er to
the
was
tew
ater
trea
tmen
t pla
nt, a
nd th
eref
ore
are
laid
dow
n on
a s
lope
.
Ele
ctric
ity is
car
ried
thro
ugh
heav
y-du
tyca
bles
in s
teel
pip
es lo
cate
d se
vera
l fee
tbe
low
the
stre
et a
nd a
bove
the
wat
erIm
es.
Und
ergr
ound
tele
phon
e ca
bles
are
ofte
nla
id p
aral
lel t
o an
d at
the
sam
e de
pth
asth
e el
ectr
ical
cab
les.
The
y al
so h
ave
ac-
cess
hol
es fo
r pu
lling
, con
nect
ing,
and
feed
ing
cabl
es in
to b
uild
ings
and
pho
nebo
oths
.
48
5
You
may
not
sho
w th
is c
ard
to a
nyon
e in
your
gro
up.
Hal
fway
dow
n th
e bl
ock,
a v
alve
on
the
wat
ersu
bmai
n al
low
s fo
r th
is s
ectio
n of
the
wat
erlin
e to
be
shut
off
and
repa
ired.
The
val
ve is
reac
hed
by o
peni
ng a
sm
all r
ound
cas
t-iro
nlid
in th
e si
dew
alk.
A lo
ng g
ate
key
is in
sert
-ed
thro
ugh
the
lid, i
nto
the
valv
e bo
x, w
here
the
valv
e ca
n be
turn
ed to
shu
t the
gat
e.
A s
ewer
pip
e co
llect
s w
aste
wat
er fr
om e
ach
build
ing
on th
is s
tree
t.
The
sto
rm d
rain
inle
t ope
ns in
to a
cat
chba
sin
belo
w th
e si
dew
alk
a re
ctan
gula
rst
orag
e ta
nk th
at c
onne
cts
to th
e st
orm
sew
er.
You
r bl
ock
has
a va
ult f
or th
e el
ectr
ical
duc
tsan
d tr
ansf
orm
er. I
t is
a re
ctan
gula
r co
ncre
tebo
x be
low
the
side
wal
k, a
nd is
cov
ered
by
anop
en v
entil
atio
n gr
ate
near
the
build
ing.
In h
arsh
win
ters
, the
soi
l fre
ezes
to a
dep
thof
18
inch
es in
you
r re
gion
.
6
You
may
not
sho
w th
is c
ard
to a
nyon
e in
your
gro
up.
Reg
ular
wat
er li
nes
are
desi
gned
to c
arry
wat
er fr
om th
e ci
ty r
eser
voirs
to h
omes
and
busi
ness
es. A
con
stan
t pre
ssur
e is
mai
ntai
ned
in th
e pi
pes
by c
ontin
uous
pum
ping
.
Sew
er p
ipes
are
wel
l bel
ow th
e w
ater
pipe
s, o
ften
10 fe
et b
elow
the
stre
et.
Ele
ctric
al c
able
s ru
n to
tran
sfor
mer
sw
here
the
volta
ge is
red
uced
to m
atch
the
need
s of
the
build
ings
on
the
bloc
k.
You
r bl
ock
has
an in
let t
o th
e st
orm
dra
ina
horiz
onta
l hol
e in
the
curb
cov
ered
by
an o
pen
iron
grat
e.
49
Activity 0 Tour de Buildings
Guldehnes tor a frei;:
trio through toe c ;:
to see tne malcfeatures of tne
landscape. Ali
grade levels.
Objective
To acquaint workshopparticipants with the types ofarchitecture and building designthey will find in their city. Tocreate connections from the math,science, history, and technologycurricula to the urbanenvironment.
Outline
You may wish to contact a local historian,geologist, architect, or city planner to leadyour city tour. If such resource people arenot available for your field trip, they mightjoin your workshop at another time or offermaterials to workshop participants.
1If a guide is not available for a city field trip,scour around the city for some interestingand unusual buildings. Choose among thelist of exercises below to create your ownfield trip.
MaterialsDrawing materials for eachparticipant
Time
To be determined depending onyour district's procedures
a. Sketch three different buildings, reduc-ing them to basic geometric shapes, asshown here. Ask teachers how theshapes influence the way the buildingslook (some are squat, some are talland lean, some are square).
A
ROMANESQUE RENAISSANCE
no
GOTHIC
b. Look for patterns in buildings, andsimilarities among different buildingsin a neighborhood. Placement ofwindows, arches, columns, ledges,chimneys, balconies, and shutters oftenis used to create repetitive design.
c. Compare a single feature amongseveral buildings. For example, howare doorways treated in a variety ofbuildings? Windows? Rooftops?Entrances? Although each door, forexample, performs the same function,why are they different? What else dothey bring to the building?
d. Analyze several buildings for symme-try in shape. Where do asymmetricalshapes balance each other in thebuilding design? In what other waysmight the architect have designed thebuilding to achieve a similar ordifferent look?
e. Ask everyone to choose their favoritebuilding and to draw it. When youhave returned to the workshop site,categorize the drawings according to
their function (residential, civic,commercial, ecclesiastical). Withineach category, sort the buildings intocommon characteristics and list allcharacteristics that make up eachcategory.
1. Obtain a blueprint of a building onyour city tour and use it to helpparticipants understand how abuilding is constructed. Encourageteachers to try their hand at drawing ablueprint of a building with whichthey are familiar.Tour an historic building that hasbeen preserved. What was it firstdesigned to he? Why was it preserved?When was it constructed? Did promi-nent people live there? How did thepreservation change the originalbuilding?
g.
Ideas presented here are adapted and usedwith permission from The American Instituteof Architects, 1735 New York Ave., KW.,Washington, DC 20006.
4)
5\5\5'
5-N5N5-
5\5\5'N555\5\5'N-5N5N,
5 \55'.5\5\5\5\5-.5 \1VF'N
5 .N.5
5\ 5\S.\5"\
5\_5
\5\.55\5\5'N...5N5N
\5N5N
5NSNS
5N.5-N5
N-5\5N
Activity O Why Buildings Stand Up
A series of
challenc,es anc
investigations tc
understand the
pnysics of building
construction.Appropriate fof
elementary and
middle schoo!.
ObjediveTo establish the importance of thebuilt environment in the city; tohelp workshop participants under-stand and feel more comfortable inthe urban environment.
If your group were interested in the ecology(1 rainforests, you might begin by lookingat trees, a dominant element of that ecosys-tem. Similarly, you might set the sense ofplace in an urban EE workshop by lookingat buildings.
Outline
1
Introduce this topic by reminding partici-pants that buildings are a balance betweentwo forces: tension and compression, likeyour two handspushing againsteach other(compression Ior pulling awayfrom each other
MaterialsPaper and coins, basketball
Time15-45 minutes
(tension). Standing in a circle, with armslinked, participants can feel the forces oftension that keep the circle whole as theylean outward, and the force of compres-sion as they scrunch together. Compressioncauses the material to become shorter (aswhen you press on both ends of a sponge),and tension makes things longer and thin-ner (as when you pull on a rubber band).Even the wood and concrete in buildingsare subject to these forces, and some con-struction materials do a better job of with-
standing tensionand compres-sion thanothers. If thepressure be-comes too
great, the beamscould crack andbuckle or break.
52
2A structure's shape can make it stronger, be-
cause of the different ways the material willreact to tension and compression. Demon-strate that one cannot balance a penny on apiece of paper held by one edge the pa-per bends and the penny slides off. It has nostiffness to carry the weight of the penny.Challenge each grour :A' teachers to changethe paper or the way the paper is supportedro balance the penny. Possible solutions areshown below. If time allows, give partici-pants tagboard.
3What is the strongest way to span a space?Ask two people to stand up, hold their armsout in front of them, and demonstrate dif-ferent ways of connecting their hands sothey can support weight (several books) ontheir arms. Neither touching fingertips norlocking fingers is as effective as grabbingelbows. Triangular trusses are often usedfor short bridges (people can face each otherwith toes touching, grabbing elbows, armsstraight and leaning outward).
t ,1!
4Some shapes are common in architecturaldesign. They are used repeatedly becausethey balance forces of compression and ten-sion to sustain the shape. A dome is a goodexample of a stable, structurally soundshape. Give six people a basketball and askthem ro create a standing dome. (It workswell to stand in a circle, spreading feet apartto touch the next person's feet and leaningin to support the ball above a point in thecenter of the circle.) Invite the groups tocreate a model of an arch with flying but-tresses and footings!
5Your city has many examples of shapes in
the local buildings and bridges. Domes,arches, trusses, columns, beams, and sus-pension cables can, no doubt, be found.Challenge the group to identify where thecompression and tension forces are actingto support the structure.
llscd and adapted with permission from I he
American Institute of Architects. 1735 New York
Ave., N.W, Washington, DC 20006.
Additional information and activity ideas areavailable in their 11MA:cation, "Mir 1).. Rutlrinn
\Lind 1 'pi"-
53
,"\5N-5\5\5-5\5N_
SNEN5\5\5-.5\5\5\5\5
FN.5\5
_5\5N..
1.-7\5-.5\ \'\5\-.5:5\5\
.5\5\'N5\5N5\5\5.5\5\\5\5N5\5 'N.5.5\5\\5\5N
5N5N,F,.5\5\.5-NS,5
.5\.E\
N.5-N5N5N-5\
Resources
NATURE IN THE CITY
Education Materials
City Kid's Field Guide. Ethan Herberman,1989. New York: Simon and Schuster, 48 pp.Fascinating information about urban wildlife forelementary age, great graphics and photos.Available from:
Simon & Schuster200 Old Tappan RoadOld Tappan, NJ 076-5
r: 800 223-2348
Urban Wildlife Managers Notebook. NationalInstitute for Urban Wildlife. Series of 18 infor-mation bulletins for the layperson. Si each. Asingle issue is discussed in each bulletin, e.g,.,butterflies in your garden. wildlife gardens. Seeaddress under "Organizations".
Wildlife Habitat Conservation Teacher's PackSeries. National Institute for Urban Wildlife. Forgrades 4-7. S- a pack, includes data sheets.lessons, worksheets. Eleven titles in series, twofocused on urban: "urban areas" and "devel-oped lands." See address under "Organizations".
City Safaris. Carolyn Shaffer and Erica Fielder,198'. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books, 185 pp.Nicely formatted, games, worksheets andprojects to explore cities and towns. Availablefrom:
Sierra Club Books730 Polk St.San Francisco, CA 9410
t 41 S 923-5600
Ten-Minute Field Trips: Using School Groundsfor Environmental Studies. Helen Ross Russell,1990. Washington: National Science TeachersAssociation. 163 pp. Tried and trusted guide toexploring the immediate environs around yourschool.
NSTAAttn: Sandy Aldridge1840 Wilson Blvd.Arlington, VA 22001
C -03 243-7100
Organ'aations
States of Washington, Oregon. Iowa, Arizona,Kansas, Florida, Maryland have urban wildlifeprograms. Check with your state wildlife agencyto see if they have an urban biologic. qn staff.
NAAEE -VINE Network. VINE (Volunteer-ledinvestigations of Neighborhood Ecology) offerssuggestions for studying nature in urban areasand how to establish a corps of volunteerinstructors for summer day camps.
NAAEE
1255 23rd St., NW. Suite 400Washington, D.C. 20037
Z.... 202 884-8912
National Institute for Urban Wildlife. Privatenonprofit organization focused on urban areas.Has publication list, some technical, scientific.also EE, conservation education materials. Smalllibrary Sponsors national symposium on urbz.nwildlife every four years. Urban WildlifeSanctuary Program for school grounds. Writefor list of publications.
National Institute fo.. Urban WildlifeP.O. Box 3015Shepardstown, W\' 25443
? 304 2-4-0205
Project Pigeon Watch. A nationwide programestablished by the Cornell Laboratory ofOrnithology to help youngsters gather data onpigeon feeding and mating behavior.
Cornell Laboraton of Ornaholop159 Sapsucker Wbods RoadIthaca, NY 14850800 843-BIRD
Backyard Wildlife Habitat Program. A NationalWildlife Federation program will place your siteon an official list and provide a certificate. Alsogood for advice.
National Wildlife Federation1400 Sixteenth St.. NWWashington. D.C. 20016-226h
e 202 -97-6800
THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
Literature
The City in History, Its Origin, Its Transforma-tion and Its Prospects. Lewis Mumford, 1961.New York: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich. Thisclassic historical work offers detailed perspectiveon the past and future roles of cities. Availablefrom:
Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich62.77 Seaharhor Dr.Orlando, FL 32887800 782-4479
Underground. David Macaulay, 19-6. Boston:Houghton Nlifflin Co. $8.95. Excellent illustra-tions and explanations of the support ser% icesfor a city, from foundations and pilings to sewerpipes and phone cables. Available from:
Houghton Mifflin Co.Wayside Rd.Burlington, MA 01803800 225-3362
Education Materials
Architecture in Education A Resource ofImaginative Ideas and Tested Activities. MarcieAbhau, et. al., eds. 1986. Philadelphia: Founda-tion for Architecture, 192 pp., S30. One of thebest resources for teaching about the built envi-ronment. quick reference format, drawings,highly usable ideas For teachers of all gradelevels. Available from:
Foundation for Architecture inPhiladelphia
1 Penn Center at Suburban Station,Suite 1165
Philadelphia, PA 19103215 569-3187
Art and the Built Environment: A Teacher'sApproach. Eileen Adams and Colin Ward, 1982.Longman Group, 160 pp. Emphasis on build-ings and their environmental context, large tor-
mat handbook, good pictures and ampleillustrations of students' work. Useful for allgrade levels. Available from:
Longman HouseBurnt Mill, BarlowEssex ( .M20 21EUnited Kingdom
77,111 t ,:.--1,1 I
Walk Around the Block. Center for Understand-ing the Built Environment, 1992. CUBE'scurriculum includes a workbook for studentsand teachers to understand city functioning.Available from:
CUBE5328 W 67 Sr.Prairie Village, KS 6620.:
r. 913 262-0691
Sourcebook 11. Americ to Institute of Architects,Washington, D.C.,160 pp, S15 plus $3 shippingand handling. A compendium of informationabout existing educational programs, teachingmaterials, people and organizations involved inEE, with an emphasis on enhancing perceptionof surroundings and improving environmentaldecision-making. Available from:
The American Institute of ArchitectsP.O. Box 60Williston, VT 05495-0060
e" 800 365-2724
Transformations: Process and TheoryCurriculum Guide to Creative Development.Doreen Nelson, 1984. Center for City BuildingEducational Programs, 218 pp., S 17.95. Thisguide provides foundations for how a cityworks, with lots of activities and documentationof Nelson's vast experiences as an architect andeducator. Available from:
Cerm-r for City BuildingEducational Programs
2210 Wilshire Bld., #303Santa Monica, CA 90403
t' 310 471-0090
Walking, A Realistic Approach to Environmen-tal Education. Michael Zamm, 1977. Councilon the Environment of New York City, 39 pp.$2. Step-by-step instructions for exploring yourlocal area Available from:
Council on the Environment ofNew York City
51 Chambers St., Room 228New York, NY 10007
t 212 788-7932
55
Organizations
Municipal, state, and federal versions of trans-portation, sanitation, health, environment, agri-culture, and parks and recreation departmentsprovide information. speakers, trip.), and pro-gram materials (usually tree of charge'.
American Institute of Architects. AIA has 19regional coordinators around the U.S. that mayserve as valuable resources and also hasLearning by Design, a system of resources withpractical activities for students. Fo.- more infor-mation contact Alan R. Sandler, SeniorDirector, Education Programs.
1735 New York Avenue, NWWashington, D.C. 20006
C. 202 626-7500
Boston Children's Museum houses fun-filledparticipatory exhibits for children of all ages.Areas of interest range from culture and the artsto science and natural history.
300 Congress St.Boston, MA 02210617 426-8855
Design Education Resource Library atCooper-Hewitt. Contact Dorothy Dunn orKerry Macintosh for hooks, maps, slides,journals, brochures, videos, and instructionalmaterials relating to all areas of designarchitecture, communication arts and graphicdesign, landscape design, product design. andurban planning.
Smithsonian Institution's NationalMuseum of Design
2 E. 91 St.New York, NY 10128212 860-6871 ext. 6977
Oakland Museum has collections, exhibitions.educational programs and is initiating a three-year community project, Urban .Spaces NEEDLeadership Protect (Neighborhood Environmen-
tal Education and Discovery).
Attn. Sandy Bredt1000 Oak St.Oakland, CA 9460
r 510 238-3884
Tomtit() Urban Studies CenterAttn. Lorraine ClarksonS I Larchmont Aye.
oronto M4M 2Y6, Canadac 4 16 393-0661
SER\'ICEJACTION
Education Materials
Growing Greener Cities: A Tree PlantingHandbook. Gary Moll and Stanley Young,1 992. The Living Planer Press, 126 pp. Broadperspective on multiple environmentalissues. How to effectively implement treeplanting campaign. Available from:
Living Planet Press2940 Newark St., NWWashington, D.C. 20008
Training Student Organizers Curriculum.Michael Zamm, Robert Ortner, BeverlyDeAngelis, 1990. Council on the Environmentof New York City, 239 pp. $15.00.Available from:
Council on the Environment ofNew York City
Si Chambers St., Rm. 228New York, NY 10007
C. 212 788-7932.
E2: Environment and Education (formerly theEarth Time Project), is a curriculum approachfor middle and senior high school students toinvestigate the school environment and makereal changes toward a sustainable future. Mod-ules include the following topics: water conser-vation, energy conservation, landscape andgardens, waste management and source reduc-tion, school supplies and maintenance, and foodsystems. Available from:
E2881 Alma Real Drive, Suite 118Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
r 310 57.3-9608
56letrrul,l1,1;) Rec.,,,' f' 441OL,
Organizations
National Wildlife Federation. NWF's programfor high school sophomores, Earth Tomorrow:
Urban Challenge, focuses on the positiveaspects of the urban environment and involvesstudents in environmental projects in theirschools and communities.
1400 Sixteenth St., NWWashington. D.C. 20036-2266
r 202 797-6800
Chicago Academy of Sciences concentrates onthe history and ecology of the Midwest andGreat Lakes region. The primary thrust of itsprograms is urban environmental education andteacher training.
Attn. Carol Fialkowski2001 N. Clark St.Chicago, IL 60614
r 312 5"9-0449
Council on the Environment of New York City,a privately funded citizens' organization in theOffice of the Mayor. CENYC promotes envi-ronmental awareness among New Yorkers anddevelops solutions to environmental problems.CENYC offers four programs: Open SpaceGreening, Greenmarket- a series of farmers mar-kets, Environmental Education, and the OfficeWaste Prevention and Recycling Source.
Attn. Michael Zamm51 Chambers St., Room 228New York, NY 10007
6 212 788-7932
Jefferson County Public Schools Center for EEoffers a variety of EE programs including a resi-dential project.
Attn. David Wicks546 S. First St.Louisville, KY 40202
6 502 473-3295 ext. 3437
57
ENI)N OIL k
Ted Suer, Horace's Compromise, The Dilemmaof the American High School, Houghton Miff-lin, Boston, 1985. The situation in the urbanhigh school is reflective of conditions in U.S.high schools overall. This book offers an in-depth discussion of high school problems.
1994 Annual City and County Datahook."Bernham Press, Lanham, MD.
'Belinda Williams and Ellen Newcombe,"Building on the Strengths of Urban Learners,"Educational Leadership, vol. 51 no. 8 May1994, pp. 75-78.
4 Alex Molnar, "City Schools Under Attack,"Educational Leadership, vol. T I no. 8May 1994. P. 59.
According to Dr. Roger Hart (City Universirof New York, Environmental Psychology), envi-ronmental educators have tended to promotetheir own middle class, often anti-urban, agen-das when working with urban groups. Theresult of this top-down approach (and otherfactors) has been an emphasis on nature in thecity, rather than the more complex social-environmental problems city residents face, suchas unfair distribution of environmental burdens.Urban EE practitioners must become more sen-sitive to the real needs of urban audiences, and ifthose include nature study, then so he it. But itthat need includes more basic items, such ashealth, personal safety and housing. we shouldhe ready to accept these as "environmental"agendas.
6Edward Allen, Hon Buildings Work, TheNatural Order of Architecture, OxfordUniversity Press, New York, 1980.
Approaches within the service/action strand ofurban EE vary widely: see "Using CommunityResources" in the Workshop Resource Manual.Aside from Chicago's EcoCit Program, anothernoteworthy urban EE service/action program isthe Council on the Environment of New YorkCity's Training Student Organizers program,which, since 1978, has trained thousands ofhigh school youth to organize environmentalimprovement projects in their schools, neighbor-hoods, and homes.
8Ideas in the section "What Urban Kids Need toKnow" are adapted from an interview with Tal-bert Spence in the Natural Science for YouthFoundation's 1988 newsletter.
9Among urban African-American elementarystudents, important issues echoed those articu-lated by high school students, namely drugs,guns. and fighting, according to preliminaryfindings of a Howard University Study titled"Development of Curriculum and ArtisticExpression and Training Instruments forMinorities in the Environment," July 1993.
"}Karen Hollweg, NAAEE's EnvironmentalCommunicator. February 1993. VINE, 125523rd Street N.W, Suite 400. Washington, DC20037.
I 'David Hawkins, "Statement on Environmen-tal Education." Statement given to the U.S.Congress Senate Committee on Labor andPublic Welfare, Subcommittee on Education,Environmental Quality Education Act Hearings,
1st Congress, Second Session on S. 3151, S.3237, and S. 3809. May 19-20, 1970.
Jor oriors. %flop
NCEET.
BEST COPY AVAILAB E
I
59
