EXPERIENCING THE
CITY
Greater Portland Landmarks
Introduction to Urban Planning
Experiencing the City
 Forward
Greater Portland Landmarks (GPL) promotes preservation and revitalization
historic building neighborhoods and landscapes and encourages high-quality
new architecture to enhance the livability and economic vitality of Portland
and the surrounding communities. The work of GPL began in 1961 after the
unfortunate demolition of one of Portland’s greatest historical markers, Union
Station. In the strategic plan for the organization, education was identified
as a high priority. Therefore, this unit on experiencing the city was
developed to enable middle school students to learn about urban planning
and experience the cities and town
Experiencing the City

We would appreciate hearing
back from you about your
experiences, successes and
challenges.

Please e-mail us at:
info@portlandlandmarks.org


Introduction
Experiencing the City is an introduction to urban planning. Using
the concepts and activities in this unit, teachers can take their students
through a process involving evaluating and analyzing a city or
neighborhood from multiple perspectives. Students will have the
opportunity to learn how cities came to be, what infrastructures are needed
to keep them running, and how cities respond to the needs of people and
organizations that use them.
Although many of the activities relate to Portland, there are lessons
such as mapping your own neighborhood that apply to all towns. Lessons
can be adapted for other cities such as Lewiston or Bangor. In addition,
teachers and students can survey or research their own community to
identify an issue or local need in which they may want to get involved.
Links to resources can be found at the end of this presentation.
Experiencing the City
Activities

1. What are the Physical Elements Which Make Up a City? ( brainstorming)

2. Introduction to the Issues and Vocabulary to Urban Planning

3. Illustrations of Urban Development (slide show of Portland)

4. Identifying Key Components of a Neighborhood (mapping)

5. Results of Urban Planning (walking tour)

6. Analysis of Neighborhood (old maps of Portland)

7. Primary Source Research (new maps of Portland)

8. Who is Responsible for Changes? ( Guest speakers)
Experiencing the City
ACTIVITY 1
What are the Physical Elements Which Make up a City?
Purpose: To identify the basic building blocks that make up a city as well as identify
the cultural elements which give a city its character
Goal: Students will come up with a list of physical and cultural elements of a city from
which students will develop the vocabulary of urban planning
Activity: In groups or individually, students will develop lists of the physical and
cultural elements of a city that they share with the class. A master list will be developed
using urban planning vocabulary.
●Physical examples:
Transportation: Roads, railroads, bridges, walkways, bike paths., buses.
Buildings: Hospitals, churches, schools, homes, town or city halls.
Signage: Road signs, store signs, directional signs.
Open Spaces: Parks, yards, waterfront, plazas, trails.
Infrastructure: Water, sewer, electric, gas, phones, cable.
Neighborhoods
●Cultural Examples: Climate, diversity of people, language, economy.
After sharing information they have gathered information have then answer the following : After developing
your lists, what do you think urban planning is?
The student’s original lists and class master list should be saved for activity 2.
Experiencing the City

Activity 2
Introduction to the Issues and Vocabulary of Urban Planning
Purpose: To reinforce urban planning vocabulary and issues.
Goals: Students will create a collage that draws from the information on their flip charts
and master list from Activity 1.
Activity: Students will collect magazines, journals, and newspapers that contain images of urban
planning vocabulary and issues. Using the lists from Activity 1, students will create collages
illustrating the vocabulary.
►Hang the collages around the room so that they can serve as visual reminders of urban
planning concepts and provide “talking points” for continuing discussion. Students may start
to collect written articles on urban planning issues.

See vocabulary lists on next page
Experiencing the City
Experiencing the City
Vocabulary
Experiencing the City
Vocabulary
Experiencing the City
Vocabulary
Experiencing the City
Vocabulary
Experiencing the City
Vocabulary
Experiencing the City
Activity 3
Purpose: To illustrate the urban
planning vocabulary by viewing visual
examples of Portland’s development.
To introduce the effects of urban
planning in Portland.
Goal: Students will identify the effects
of urban planning.
Students will compare and contrast
urban planning issues.
1914
Activity: Students will view a slide
show presented by the teacher or on
their laptops and participate in
discussions pertaining to individual
slides. Slide show can be accessed on
our website at :
Congress Street
2009
Experiencing the City
Activity 4
Identifying Key Components of a Neighborhood
Purpose: To begin looking at neighborhoods and
communities in terms of urban planning.
Goal: Students will identify key elements and cultural traits
in their own neighborhoods.
Students will complete a map of their school to be used
as a template for their own neighborhood map that will
include elements such as a road, buildings, infrastructure
and transportation/parking.
Continued
Experiencing the City
http://www.usm.maine.edu/maps/k-12-lesson-plans
Other Map Resources:
www.googleearth.com
www.aaa.com
Experiencing the City
Activity 5
Results of Urban Planning
Purpose: To reinforce what
students have learned about
urban planning.
Goal: Students and a teacher or
Greater Portland Landmarks
docent will identify the real
results of urban planning.
Activity: Students and teachers
will complete a walking tour
through certain neighborhoods
of Portland, starting at the
corner of India and
Commercial Streets on the
water-side. Worksheets can be
printed out from our website:
Walking Tour
Experiencing the City
Walking Tour
Today, we will be taking a walk in Portland, looking at the real results of urban
planning. As we stroll along, think about the elements we saw in the slide show
that make a city welcoming, usable and friendly.
You will be looking at:
●Sidewalks and crosswalks
●Types of buildings such as commercial, residential and retail
●Examples of adaptive re-use
●Types of infrastructure
●Availability of amenities
●Parking solutions
You will be given a worksheet that you will use throughout the tour to answer
questions and sketch.
Experiencing the City
Activity 6
Analysis of Neighborhood Maps
Purpose: Students will analyze maps of their own neighborhoods.
Goal: Students will compare and contrast key elements of their neighborhoods and also begin to look at their
neighborhoods like urban planners would.
Activity: Students will display their neighborhood maps. They will be asked to look critically at each of their maps and
discuss similarities and differences in their neighborhoods.
Challenge them to identify what is missing. For example: Do all neighborhoods have public parks? Is there adequate
parking? What are the people like in each neighborhood?
Ask students to think about use. Are there examples of public and private use within their neighborhood?
Next, students will write an essay on the things that they feel work and don’t work in their neighborhood in regards to
urban planning issues.
Click on the following link for
access to Portland
Neighborhood maps
www.portlandmaine.gov/neighborhoods3.pdf
Experiencing the City
Activity 7
Primary Source Research
Purpose: To review the concepts of
primary source and secondary source
information, as well as explore the results
of urban planning over time.
Goal: Students will discuss their answers to
the following questions about the city using
primary sources.
Activity: Students will compare and
contrast information on urban changes by
using both historical and present day maps
of Portland. (Photographs and documents
may also be used.)
Questions
Why is Portland located where it is?
Why did it become a city?
What are some differences you see between old and
new maps? Similarities?
Do you think urban planning has worked in Portland?
What are some changes that you think should occur in
the future?
Who is responsible for the changes in urban planning?
See the next slide for resource information and
historical maps.
Experiencing the City
Portland 1828
Experiencing the City
Portland 1690
Experiencing the City
Activity 7
Resources
The links to
the right
represent
added
resources for
students to
access when
completing
Activity 7.

Osher Map Library: www.usm.maine.edu/maps

Google Earth: www.googleearth.com

Portland Maps: www.portlandmaine.gov/neighborhoods3.pdf

Map Memory Network: www.mainememory.net
Experiencing the City
Activity 8
Who is responsible for Changes?
Purpose: To introduce the people, the organizations and the institutions responsible for
urban planning.
Goal: Students will meet with key individuals responsible for urban planning in the area.
They will discuss urban planning issues and interview these key people.
Activity: Students will prepare questions pertaining to urban planning. Students will be
responsible for creating a list of individuals who may be contacted to participate in a
discussion with the class. Students will contact key individuals within their neighborhood,
city or town to participate in these discussions. Participants will be asked to speak about
their role in urban planning, followed by a question and answer session.
Examples include:
City Planner
Mayor
Greater Portland Landmarks
Preservation Officer
Experiencing the City
Resources for Educators
LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS
Cape Elizabeth Land Trust: http: www.capelandtrust.org
Greater Portland Landmarks: www.portlandlandmarks.org
Greater Portland Council of Government: www.gpcog.org/home/index.phpnts
TRAILS ORGANIZATIONS
Falmouth Trails: www.falmouthtrails.org
Portland Trails http: www.trails.org
Gorham Trails: www.gorham-me.org
East Coast Greenway: www.greenway.org
Eastern Trails Alliance: www.easterntrail.org
ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES
Center for Understanding the Built Environment: www.cubekc.org
Center for Architecture and Preservation at Greater Portland Landmarks: www.portlandlandmarks.org
SMRT: www.smrtinc.com
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
Maine Olmsted Alliance: www.maineolmsted.com
URBAN PLANNERS
Maine State Planning Office: www.maine.gov/spo
Portland Planning Office: www.portlandonline.com/bps
American Planning Association: www.planning.org
CONTINUED
Experiencing the City
Resources for Educators
TRANSPORTATION
METRO Bus: www.gpmetrobus.com
Maine Department of Transportation: www.maine.gov/mdot
RIDESHARE: www.erideshare.com/statecity/ME.htm
BICYCLES
Bicycle Coalition of Maine: www.bikemaine.org
Bike The Coast of Maine: www.bikeinmaine.com
Alliance for Transportation Choice: www.thebikeshop1.org/ATC.html
CITY OF PORTLAND
http://www.portlandmaine.gov/departments.htm
(This link will provide contact information for every department in the City of Portland)
NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS
Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organizations: www.munjoyhill.org
Friends of Deering Oaks: www.deeringoaks.org
West End News: http://thewestendnews.blogspot.com
Portland Maine Neighborhood Associations: www.livinginportland.org
Bayside Neighborhood Association: www.baysideneighborhood.org
North Deering Neighborhood Association: www.northdeering.org
Back Cove Neighborhood Association: www.livinginportland.org/backcove.htm
Friends of Riverton Trolley Park : http://publicworks.portlandmaine.gov/rivertontrolleypark.asp
Friends of Evergreen Cemetery: www.friendsofevergreen.org
Friends of West End Cemetery: www.interment.net/column/commentary/20000624/western.htm
Experiencing the City
Resources for Educators
SERVICE LEARNING ORGANIZATIONS
Learning in Deed: www.ecs.org/html/projectspartners/clc/CLCLearningInDeed.htm
KIDS Consortium: www.kidsconsortium.org
FOUNDATIONS AND FUNDING SOURCES
The Dunn Foundation: www.dunnfoundation.org/resources/index.html
Project SEED: www.projectseed.org
Portland Partnership: www.greatschoolspartnership.org
HISTORIC PRESERVATION
National Trust for Historic Preservation: www.preservationnation.org
Maine Historical Society: www.mainehistory.org
Greater Portland Landmarks: www.portlandlandmarks.org
Maine Preservation: www.mainepreservation.org
PUBLIC ART
Portland Arts and Cultural Alliance: www.portlandarts.org
Portland Museum of Art: www.portlandmuseum.org
Maine College of Art: www.meca.edu
Spiral Arts: www.spiralarts.org
EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT
Portland Partnership: www.greatschoolspartnership.org
Muskie School at the University of Southern Maine: www.muskie.usm.maine.edu
MAPS
Delorme Maps: www.delorme.com
Osher Map Library: www.usm.maine.edu/maps
USGS Topographic Maps: www.topomaps.usgs.gov
Experiencing the City
Credits
PowerPoint presentation created by Joan Bennert,
Dianne Manning and the staff at Greater Portland
Landmarks
Graphics by Dianne Manning
All historical photographs courtesy of Maine Memory
Network