Land Use Lesson 7 : Solving Land Use Conflicts

The intent of the lesson is to introduce students to the process that people in a local community undertake when they ask for a change in land use zoning. The lesson is intended to show students how a local government agency makes decisions and how individual citizens are part of the process. The lesson also presents a typical urban land use conflict through a play.

You may want to assign roles for the play before you conduct the lesson so that students can prepare their parts. At the end of the lesson, students write a persuasive essay about a similar land use conflict.

The students answer two essential questions: 

Why do conflicts over land use occur? 

How are conflicts resolved in a civil society?

Subject/Target Grade

Social Studies and Science/ Upper Elementary (4-6)

Duration

90 minutes – Classroom setting

Materials

per class

• The Case of the Parking Spaces play script (student resource), 11 copies  

• Zoning Board of Appeals Minutes (teacher resource) 

• Questions from the Play (transparency master) 

• Questions from the Play (answer key) 

• Making a Land Use Decision: Hidden Forest Estates (transparency master)

• Making a Land Use Decision: Hidden Forest Estates Assessment Scoring Guide (teacher resource) 

per student

• Small paper ballot

• Making a Land Use Decision: Hidden Forest Estates (student assessment)