Introduction
This is an outline for an instructional module in the CUE (CulturalUnderstandingthroughEsperanto) project.
Goals
For each goal, students should have an understanding of their local customs and be able to contrast it with customs from other countries.
If possible, it might be really cool to have student learn to use the GRASS GIS program, which would make this work really feasible. A grant program might provide participating schools with a GPS device to allow students to gather data.
Students should be able to:
Qualitatively describe the land-use of their community:
- Describe the local ecological landscapes
- Create a map showing developed, disturbed, and natural environments in their community
- Describe the history of land development
- Understand rights and responsibilities of property ownership in different countries
- Understand local zoning and development laws
Quantitatively describe land-use and demographics
- Construct a pie-chart contrasting the area of developed, disturbed, and natural environments
- Construct a graph showing population change over time
- Construct a graph showing the demographic characteristics of their 'neighborhood' or building
- Use a GPS to collect geographic data
- Use the GRASS GIS program?
Develop plans for managing development
- Identify areas that should be protected from development
- Identify areas that should be redeveloped
- Identify new areas for development
- Construct a plan that manages development
Activities
Week 1
- Describing ourselves
- Getting to know each other
- Simple questions about where we live
Assignment: Set up Wiki Page, answer questions, and report
Week 2
- Describing the Community
- Starting GRASS
Assignment: answer questions and report in Wiki
Week 3
- Describing the history of development
- Learning GRASS
Assignment: Answer questions and report in Wiki
Week 4
- Describing ecological landscapes
- Learning GRASS
- Gathering Data
Assignment: Answer questions and report in Wiki
Week 5
- Discussing property ownership
- Learning GRASS
- Gathering Data
Assignment:
Week 6
- Discussing zoning and development rights
- Using GRASS
- Gathering Data
Assignment:
Week 7
- Discussing history of development
- Using GRASS
- Gathering Data
Assignment:
Week 8
- Discussing population growth
- Using GRASS
- Data Analysis
Assignment: Gather and analyze population figures going back as far as records permit.
Week 9
- Discussing demographics
- Using GRASS
- Data Analysis
Assignment: Gather and analyze demographic data for a neighborhood.
Week 10
- Begin work on final projects
- Using GRASS
- Data Analysis
Assignment: Work on final project
Week 11
- Final project status report
*
Assignment: Begin presenting final reports
Week 12
- Land Use Planning
Assignment: Continue presenting final reports
Week 13
- Land Use Planning
Assignment: Finish final reports
Week 14
- Discuss final reports and presentations
Links
GRASS
http://www.geog.uni-hannover.de/grass/index2.html
Documentation about land use
Airphotos:
Educational activities