Land Use Lesson 5 - Analyzing Land Use Changes : State

Table 2: State of Michigan Urban and Built- Up Land Use, 1978-2004 shows the estimate of urban and built-up land for the years 1978, 1988, 1998, and 2004. Give students the table and blank Michigan’s Urban and Built-Up Land Use, 1978- 2004 student assessment. Have the students work in pairs or groups of three. They should do the following:

1. Complete the graph of Michigan’s Urban and Built-Up Land Use, 1978-2004 using the data provided in Table 2.

2. Label each axis appropriately.

3. Describe how the land use on the graph is changing. [The urban and built-up land use is steadily increasing.]

4. Explain why the change is happening. [More people are moving to cities and suburban areas; people want to have more space for their homes and the city and suburbs grow.]