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The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project

Urbanization Impacts (Part 1 of 2)

  • Environmental Science HS lesson

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Urbanization Impacts

(Part 1 of 2)

High School STEM lesson

for Environmental Science

Candice Nelson

05/09/2024

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Notes for teachers

  • This lesson includes an introduction to Urbanization slide show, notes page and lab idea
  • At the end of the notes, I have included 3 different ideas for next steps teachers can use to tailor the rest of the investigation for their student’s ability level and interests (next LP)
  • Also included a video guide for a example phenomenon: National Geographic documentary on an example city of the future

List of Materials

  • For Lesson:
    • Fill in the blank (FITB) student copy
    • City of the Future: Video guide
  • For Lab:

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Standards

Essential HS.E1U3.14

Engage in argument from evidence about the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, changes in climate, and human activity and how they influence each other.

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Plus HS+E.E1U3.10

Ask questions, define problems, and evaluate a solution to a complex problem, based on prioritized criteria and tradeoffs, that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts.

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Standards

Plus HS+E.E1U3.11

Develop and use a quantitative model to illustrate the relationship among Earth systems and the degree to which those relationships are being modified due to human activity.

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STANDARD 2.0 CREATE ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS BY APPLYING A STRUCTURED PROBLEM-SOLVING/DECISION MAKING PROCESS

2.1 Identify the problem

2.2 Develop a problem statement based on facts, research, and experience

2.3 Explore possible issues or options to the problem

2.4 Select the best solution within the constraints and criteria

2.5 Develop a prototype or model to test the selected solution

2.6 Implement the solution

2.7 Evaluate the solution, and revise or repeat if necessary (i.e., Are there other solutions, better solutions, or cheaper solutions? etc.)

2.8 Document and report all results

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Objectives:

Part 1:

  • Introduction to Urbanization
  • Impacts of Urbanization on the Environment

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Part 2: Solutions to Environmental Impacts

  • Ideas for next steps are included in the next ASAP lesson plan focusing on engineering a model using SMART urban planning goals

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Agenda (50 minute classes)

  • Day 1: Introduce Urbanization with half of the City of the Future: Singapore documentary and half the slides (1-21) in this presentation
  • Day 2: Complete the documentary, the remainder of the notes and the practice slide
  • Day 3: Students will identify 3 of the 10 SMART goals with examples from the documentary and answer the reflection questions (the list of urban planning SMART goals is on the 3rd page of the FITB notes)

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  • Day 4: First day of the Water Quality Investigation comparing samples of city water, rural well water and irrigation water (if available)
  • Day 5: Completion of the lab
  • Part 2: Solutions (next lesson plan)
    • Next steps is researching, designing and building/creating solutions to solve the drawbacks of Urbanization (page 4 of the notes)

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Intro/Driving Question/Opening

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Infographics on Slide 5 show population distribution in the United States that is surprising to students, and adults to be honest. Brief discussion opportunity for groups about why people live where they live to open the lesson

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Hands-on Activity Instructions

  • Cooperative groups of 2-4 for partner discussions
  • Day 1: Introduce Urbanization with half of the City of the Future: Singapore documentary and half the slides (1-21) in this presentation
  • Day 2: Complete the documentary, the remainder of the notes and the practice slide
  • Day 3: Students will identify 3 of the 10 SMART goals with examples from the documentary and answer the reflection questions (the list of urban planning SMART goals is on the 3rd page of the FITB notes)
  • Day 4: First day of the Water Quality Investigation comparing samples of city water, rural well water and irrigation water (if available)
  • Day 5: Completion of the lab

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Assessment

Formative:

  • Built in practice question slides in the presentation at the end of each day’s notes
  • Group discussion questions in the notes
  • SMART goal application to case studies in the notes

Summative:

  • Scoring the reflection questions after the City of the Future video
  • Data analysis and conclusion written for the Water Quality Investigation

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Differentiation

1) If not shown in the original lesson, analyze the City of the Future: Singapore documentary (about 45 minutes) on YouTube and use this video guide to help analyze the episode and identify application of urban planning goals

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2) Research additional case study scenarios (or omit the case studies in this slideshow and assign them for students to research and categorize), recommend SMART goals to help solve the issues and create a model showing student recommendations in action

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

1) Use the engineering design process to create a solution to the impacts of urban sprawl and/or urbanization on ecosystems and create models of their solutions

  1. Have student groups research current and/or future solutions to the 4 drawbacks of urbanization they just took notes and reviewed case studies on
  2. Have student groups research current and/or future solutions to the impacts on the Urban Heat Island effect, Carbon and Water Cycle impacted by Urbanization. Design and create models of their solutions for the impacts on the natural cycles

2) Continue research on the SMART sustainable urban planning goals and find examples in local municipalities of the urban planning goals in practice

  1. Create models showing SMART goals in action or what that would look like in local cities