Land Use Lesson 6 : Analyzing Agricultural Land Use Changes : Country
In this lesson, students examine and graph data about land use patterns and land use trends in their local county. As a result, the lesson plan is a procedural outline, since the content will be unique to each county.
Students use census data for their county (or counties if the school district crosses county boundaries) to graph changes in land use. Graphs are completed for two other counties for comparison.
As comparison counties, students should graph rural, suburban, or urban counties with a different classification from their own. Examples of rural counties would be Schoolcraft, St. Joseph, and Lenawee. Macomb, Washtenaw, and Ottawa are mainly suburban counties. Urban counties would include Wayne, Kent, and Marquette. Not every land use in these counties fits the rural, suburban, or urban classification but the major land use patterns show differences between the types of counties.
Students compare their county with other counties they have graphed. They then classify similarities and differences in how people in general in the counties view land as a resource.
The students answer three essential questions:
How is land use changing?
How is land use changing in different kind of counties?
Are the land use changes positive or negative?
Subject/Target Grade
Social Studies and Science/ Upper Elementary (4-6)
Duration
45-90 minutes – Classroom setting
Materials
per class
• Human World, Michigan County map
per pair of students
• County Land Use Data Bank: Agriculture (student resource)
• Blank graph of Number of Acreage in Farmland by County (student activity)
• Comparing Two Michigan Communities (student activity)
• Human World, Michigan County map (desktop size)