Great Green Places Lesson
Everyone can name great outdoor public places, such as parks, squares, and outdoor markets found in cities across the country. But what makes these places “work”? Why do people seek them out and congregate there in large groups? And what makes some public spaces “greener" than others? In an effort to provide a “decoder ring” to reveal what makes these places so successful, the National Building Museum presents a series of mini-documentaries that identify the specific elements that help make “Great Green Places.” During this activity students learn what makes a Great Green Place and then look for places in their neighborhood that have similar features.
By learning how to look closely at the spaces around them and discuss their ideas about what makes these places great, students are then able to offer ideas for improving their communities.
Time
The lesson is written as a multi-day lesson and can be done over a series of days or can be combined to fit into a shorter time frame.
Materials
• Great Green Places online
• Computer to watch videos
• Student Worksheet
• Pencils
• Paper/Sketchbooks
• Optional: camera, video camera, video editing software (see attached list for free editing programs)
Objectives
Students will:
• Identify what makes a Great Green Place
• Identify a place in their community that’s a Great Green Place
• Explore a Great Green Place through writing, sketching, photography or video
• Share their ideas about the location through a variety of media
National Standards of Learning
Visual Arts 1, 3
English Language Arts 4, 5, 12
Geography 2, 5
Technology 4
Lesson Procedure
Day 1
a. Introduction
b. Washington, DC’s Great Green Places
c. Pick Your Great Green Place
Day 2
a. Visit Your Great Green Place
Day 3
a. Share Your Thoughts
Teacher Prep
• Brainstorm some local green public spaces that might be appropriate for this lesson.
• Do a quick evaluation of the sites based on the criteria below, so that you are better able to direct student discussions.
• Optional: Take or find photographs of some local green public spaces. These visuals might help students narrow down which space they want to assess.
Vocabulary
Environmentally friendly, green, sustainable, mixed use, transportation
Lesson Plan
Day 1
a. Introduction (5 minutes)
Not all land in a city or community needs to be filled up with buildings. Often, it’s necessary to have open or public spaces. Ask students why they would want to have some “open” space in a city? People can use this space to relax, play, exercise and have fun with their friends and family. City planners call these spaces public or open spaces. These are spaces like community parks, plazas, and even the National Mall. Every city has a few great public spaces and some even have some Great Green Places. By “green” we don’t necessarily mean lush parks (although many of the featured places have great landscape elements), but environmentally-friendly locations.
Explain to students that today they’re going to explore what makes a Great Green Place and find out if they have any of these places in their own neighborhoods.
b. Washington, DC’s Great Green Places (30 to 45 minutes)
As a class, watch the Great Green Places video series. As students watch the videos, have them analyze what makes these great places, by looking for and writing down how these locations meet five criteria:
• Sense of Place: a place that physically embraces its history and culture
• Streetscape: a place that is pedestrian-friendly with active public spaces
• Landscape: a place that successfully unites site planning and landscape design
• Transit Options: a place that encourages and supports multiple forms of transportation including subway, train, bus, and biking
• Mixed Use: a place that has a variety of retail, housing, and commercial uses
c. Pick Your Great Green Place (15-25 minutes)
In small groups or as a class brainstorm locations in your community that are Great Green Places. (If you can’t come up with any you can also brainstorm the not-so-great places). As a class, decide on one location to assess and document.
Day 2
a. Visit Your Great Green Place (45 to 60 minutes)
Visit the location and use the criteria above to evaluate the location. Students can write their responses down during their visit to the site. Using writing, sketching, or photographs, document your great green place and why it’s a space you think is great and green.
Day 3
a. Share Your Thoughts (45 minutes to 2 hours)
Back at school, create a presentation (poster, video, skit, or tour for younger students) celebrating your Great Green Place. Students can use their creations to explain to other classes, parents and friends why their Great Green Place is such a great place for your community. (If you were looking at a not-so-great place, share your ideas for how to improve the location.)
Discuss with students that they can help improve the world around them by paying close attention to the places they use everyday and suggesting ways to make those places better.
