Bird`s Eye View Lesson Plan
Robin Butler
BIRD’S EYE VIEW LESSON
PLAN
5 th grade Social Studies and Language Arts
“Bird’s Eye View” Lesson Plan
Goals of this lesson plan:
To construct knowledge of expansion and industrialization of a Western town, enriching themes of
Westward Expansion and the Industrial Revolution.
To examine primary source material to gain understanding of concepts of urban growth
Address the enduring questions:
Is urban growth good or bad?
Is my community growing?
Is this good or bad?
“Bird’s Eye View” Lesson Plan
Learning objectives:
Examine a primary source through its graphic features
Compare and contrast changes in the urban landscape of a city over time
Explain the effects of population, transportation and resources on industrial location in the U.S. in the late
19 th century
Design a “Bird’s Eye View” of their own neighborhood, connecting the lesson to their own lives
Georgia Performance Standards
SS5H3 The student will describe how life changed in
America at the turn of the century
SS5G2 The student will explain the reasons for the partial patterns of economic activities.
A. Explain how factors such as population, transportation and resources influenced industrial location in the U.S. between the end of the Civil War and 1900
ELA5R1 The student demonstrates comprehension and shows evidence of a warranted and responsible explanation of a variety of literacy and information texts
B. Identifies and uses knowledge of common graphic features
(e.g. charts, maps, diagrams, captions and illustrations).
Day One
Introduction
Discuss basic ideas of Westward Expansion and
Industrial Revolution to activate prior knowledge
Explain that Western towns often marketed themselves
Introduce new vocabulary word: landmarks
Students will consult primary sources
Examine a marketing brochure from 1875
Explain “Bird’s Eye Views”
– graphics that were popular in the late 19 th century. They were often used as marketing tools to encourage businesses and settlers to come to a particular town.
1876 http://www.birdseyeviews.org/
Very detailed and accurate
1876 View – Zoom In
• Shows early courthouse
• Single factory in foreground
• No railroads
Fort Worth – 1886 – Only 10 years later
Initiated discussion of tremendous growth of the city – buildings are much larger
Zoom in of Fort Worth, 1886 View
Students will examine effects of industrialization and expansion
Smokestacks –
Factories
Railroad
View from 1891- 5 years later
1891 View – Zoom In of Downtown
Students will examine the tremendous growth of the downtown area.
Assessment
Students will complete a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting the views from the three selected years
Conclusion
•
Ask students to summarize their observations:
•
•
• how much did the city grow? What surprised you?
Inquire “which do you think came first – the large numbers of people or the railroads? Why?
Why do you think the creator of the bird’s eye view chose to highlight certain buildings or features?
•
Examine enduring question: Is urban growth good or bad?
•
Show students a Google Earth image of the same region. Ask students to find key natural and man-made landmarks.
Day Two
Introduction
• Explain to students that cities still market themselves to visitors, businesses and residents.
• Show the website for the student’s city ( www.alpharetta.ga.us
)
Body/Assessment
Student will create their own bird’s eye view of their neighborhood, including important landmarks.
They will also write a marketing caption for their bird’s eye view.
Maya with her finished product!
Maya completed a graphic illustration of her neighborhood.
She was reluctant to do the writing, so we brainstormed for a bit.
Conclusion
Ask student the following:
What are some of the landmarks in your drawing?
Do you think that highlighting these landmarks will make people want to settle in your community? Why or why not?
Address the enduring questions:
Is urban growth good or bad?
Is your community growing?
Is this good or bad?
Materials & Resources
Computer (also LCD projector, if this activity is to be done with an entire classroom)
Access to www.birdseyeviews.org
Printout of selection from C.L. Riddle’s Immigrants’ Guide
to Texas, Louisville, KY: Courier-Journal, 1875.
Highlighter
Venn diagram of Fort Worth bird’s eye views
Cream colored construction paper
Pencils and colored pencils
Rulers and stencils for drawing
Maya’s Bird’s Eye
View of her neighborhood
Reflection
Strengths:
Exploring the views is engaging, and it is a good visual to examine Westward Expansion
Activity relates the lesson to the student’s own life
Matches up well with the GPS
Weaknesses:
The time between the two days needed to be better balanced – may involve eliminating the reading passage
Not all students will be able to grasp the visual concepts as easily as Maya did
