When Place Matters
In some books, the “where” of the plot is just as important as the “who” and “what.” Buildings
and street signs and parks and bridges can become so integral to a character’s motivations
and moods that the city, the landscape, evolves into a character. “When Place Matters” gives
students an opportunity to learn some basics of urban planning and apply these theories to
their understanding and appreciation of literature.
Students will read excerpts from The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane
Jacobs, a seminal study of urbanity and of what makes cities work as well as what can cause
them to fail. The class will then read short stories and novels in which the setting informs
character motivation and influences plot happenings.
Focus Skill Sets
 Learn basic urban planning terminology and tenets.

Better understand/ express the connection between identity and environment/
geography.

Compare and contrast places based on real-life situations as well as those where
books and stories read throughout the course take place.

Utilize geography and mapping to enrich understanding of a story.

Understand and research basic demographic concepts.

Utilize on-line research to augment reading material.

Participate in group critiques and free-writing exercises.
Literature
Required Books:
Required Reading:
Students will read excerpts from these books.
Excerpts from this book will be available on-line.
Jacobs, Jane. Death and Life of Great
American Cities
Rybczynski, Witold. City Life: Urban
Expectations in a New World
Didion, Joan. Slouching Towards
Bethlehem
Students will read this book in its entirety.
Santiago, Esmeralda. When I was Puerto
Rican.
Optional Reading, Book-Length:
Salinger, JD. Catcher in the Rye
West, Nathanael. Day of the Locust
Capote, Truman. Breakfast at Tiffany's
Optional Reading, Short Stories &
Essays:
Anderson, Sherwood. Winesburg, Ohio
Mitchell, Joseph. Up in the Old Hotel
Wisconsin State Standards
Social Studies, Standard A: Geography
A.12.1 Use various types of atlases and appropriate vocabulary to describe the physical attributes of a place or region,
employing such concepts as climate, plate tectonics, volcanism, and landforms, and to describe the human attributes,
employing such concepts as demographics, birth and death rates, doubling time, emigration, and immigration
A.12.2 Analyze information generated from a computer about a place, including statistical sources, aerial and satellite
images, and three-dimensional models
A.12.3 Construct mental maps of the world and the world's regions and draw maps from memory showing major physical
and human features
A.12.4 Analyze the short-term and long-term effects that major changes in population in various parts of the world have had
or might have on the environment
A.12.5 Use a variety of geographic information and resources to analyze and illustrate the ways in which the unequal global
distribution of natural resources influences trade and shapes economic patterns
A.12.6 Collect and analyze geographic information to examine the effects that a geographic or environmental change in one
part of the world, such as volcanic activity, river diversion, ozone depletion, air pollution, deforestation, or desertification, may
have on other parts of the world
A.12.7 Collect relevant data to analyze the distribution of products among global markets and the movement of people
among regions of the world
Social Studies, Standard B: History
B.12.1 Explain different points of view on the same historical event, using data gathered from various sources, such as
letters, journals, diaries, newspapers, government documents, and speeches
B.12.2 Analyze primary and secondary sources related to a historical question to evaluate their relevance, make
comparisons, integrate new information with prior knowledge, and come to a reasoned conclusion
B.12.3 Recall, select, and analyze significant historical periods and the relationships among them
B.12.4 Assess the validity of different interpretations of significant historical events
B.12.5 Gather various types of historical evidence, including visual and quantitative data, to analyze issues of freedom and
equality, liberty and order, region and nation, individual and community, law and conscience, diversity and civic duty; form a
reasoned conclusion in the light of other possible conclusions; and develop a coherent argument in the light of other possible
arguments
B.12.6 Select and analyze various documents that have influenced the legal, political, and constitutional heritage of the
United States
Social Studies Performance Standard E Grade 12
E.12.3 Compare and describe similarities and differences in the ways various cultures define individual rights and
responsibilities, including the use of rules, folkways, mores, and taboos
E.12.4 Analyze the role of economic, political, educational, familial, and religious institutions as agents of both continuity and
change, citing current and past examples
E.12.5 Describe the ways cultural and social groups are defined and how they have changed over time
E.12.8 Analyze issues of cultural assimilation and cultural preservation among ethnic and racial groups in Wisconsin, the
United States, and the world
E.12.9 Defend a point of view related to an ethical issue such as genetic engineering, declaring conscientious objector
status, or restricting immigration
E.12.10 Describe a particular culture as an integrated whole and use that understanding to explain its language, literature,
arts, traditions, beliefs, values, and behaviors
E.12.11 Illustrate and evaluate ways in which cultures resolve conflicting beliefs and practices
E.12.12 Explain current and past efforts of groups and institutions to eliminate prejudice and discrimination against racial,
ethnic, religious, and social groups such as women, children, the elderly, and individuals who are disabled
E.12.13 Compare the ways in which a universal theme is expressed artistically in three different world cultures
E.12.17 Examine and describe various belief systems that exist in the world, such as democracy, socialism, and capitalism
English Language Arts - Standard A - Performance Standards Grade 12
A.12.1 Use effective reading strategies to achieve their purposes in reading.
A.12.2 Read, interpret, and critically analyze literature.
A.12.3 Read and discuss literary and nonliterary texts in order to understand human experience.
A.12.4 Students will read to acquire information.
Week 1—Urban Planning Basics

Thought-Provoker: The word “city” is loaded with different images. For some people
cities are the land of opportunity and excitement, for others a place to strive to avoid or
leave. Which is it for you? Write one paragraph on what cities mean to you.

Show What You Know: --maybe a good place for looking at google maps/earth and noting
Ariel patterns in design.Jacobs writes a lot about New York City, where she lived when
she wrote this book. Print out an on-line map of Manhattan and mark the following
places she mentions. –Combine—Is there a way for kids to see these city planning
terms?Through reading of Death and Life as well as internet research, (a) define the
following terms as they pertain to urban planning and (b) cite a real-world example you
are familiar with or can reference from a recent print source:
First find:
Park Avenue between Grand Central Station and Fifty-Ninth Street
Fifth Avenue between Fortieth and Fifty-ninth Streets
Eleventh Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues
Then look at New York compared to other cities where can you see these terms:
 mixed-use
 subsidy
 zoning
 homogeneity
 chessmen

Writing/Research Assignment: Although Jacobs’ book was published in 1961, it took
decades for her ideas to be considered “proper” urban planning. Research one of the
following types of development that frequently occurred in recent decades—and
oftentimes are still occurring—that are now often thought of as poor planning. Write
two paragraphs on the subject, one that explains what the term means and another
that explains what many experts consider “wrong” with it today.—Maybe use creative
writing here… have them find a picture of one of these items and creatively describe it/
create a poem about it.
 sprawl
 projects
 gated communities
 strip malls
 urban renewal

Read: Death and Life of Great American Cities Chapter 7-8 (how long are these
chapters—maybe just one chapter for the first week), 12. –Join these two together.
Great writing begins first with the experiences of the writer. Your journaling assignment
for this week is to write about where you live. Think about what you learned from
reading Death and Life. Describe your neighborhood. Does it fit into her criteria of what
a diverse neighborhood is like? Do you walk to school or church or do you drive? Do
you know your neighbors? Do you feel safe? What is your house like? Your journal
entry should convey your relationship with where you live.

Extra: Jane Jacobs recently passed away. Do some on-line research about her and
write two paragraphs about her.
Week 2—Urban Solutions –maybe before jumping into solutions other ideas need
to be established like all of the systems that urban planning incorporates or
thinking about the systems separately… like what good transportation systems
look like and how they impact growth….

Read: Death and Life of Great American Cities Chapters 18-19 (amount of reading).
Through reading of Death and Life as well as internet research, describe the following
urban planning schools of thought. Be sure to include time periods in which each were
popular and prominent architects and planners who followed that particular school.
 Garden City
 Radiant City
 City Beautiful
 New Urbanism (not in text, relevant to Thought-Provoker)

Thought-Provoker: In Death and Life, Jacobs talks about Disneyland. A famous New
Urbanist development is Celebration, Florida, which was developed by the Disney
Company. Read Celebration’s Wikipedia entry. Do you think Jacobs would have liked
Celebration? Write a few paragraphs, using quotes for Death and Life to strengthen
your argument.
Branching Activities—Student Choose One Of the Following
Invention: Public art can be an important part of the urban landscape. Do some
research on public art in the Milwaukee area. Pick three examples that you like. Make
a chart like the following one and fill it in with information you have found.
1
2
3
Name of artwork
Artist
Date completed
Type of art (mural, sculpture, etc.)
Why do you like it? (one sentence)
Human Experience: ????
Identity: What do you think about what Jacobs has to say about the automobile? Do
you like cars? Do you have a favorite? Does your family get frustrated in traffic? Do
you ever use public transportation? What do you think about global warming? Do you
think we should all try to drive less or try to design better cars? Write about your
thoughts and feelings on the automobile.
Systems: Looking at the different systems that it takes to create a healthy city, which
one do you think is most important? Why?
Investigation: Find 2 cities that have been rated as successful planned and 2 that
have not on the websites given. What are the biggest differences between the two?

Show What You Know:-- Maybe one of the online games here? Now that you have
some general understanding of what makes cities healthy, lively and diverse, think
about how you would plan a city if given the chance. Use quotes from Death and Life
where they will help, and write three paragraphs on the subject. Feel free to also use
real-life examples of places you have lived or visited.
Aspects of your city to consider: transportation, parks, kinds of buildings, stores, and
residences, schools, cultural places (like museums and theaters), street patterns.
Face-2-Face
We will:
 Learn more basic urban planning terms and theories.
 Present writing assignments, discuss.
 Free-writing exercise: impressions based on images of cities.
 Instructor presentation on neighborhood planning.
Week 3—Outsider’s Perspectives

Read: City Life: Urban Expectations in a New World Chapters 1 and 4.

Thought-Provoker: Good question… but not sure if it is furthering your main goal.
Fashion can say a lot about a place—author Witold Rybczynski is surprised that
Parisians doesn’t dress as “French” as they did when he last visited. How do you think
people dress in Paris? In New York? In Milwaukee? Do you think where you live has
any influence on the way you dress?

Geography: Plot Alexis de Toqueville’s two trips (as described in Chapter 4) on a map
of the United States.

Research Task: Rybczynski cites statistics showing that Paris has the equivalent of
15 police officers per 1,000 citizens and New York City has only 4 per 1,000. What is
the equivalent in Milwaukee?

Writing Assignment: Choose one of the following:
 Plan a dream vacation that has at least 4 stops. Describe the method of travel,
the amount of time you would take at each stop in your journey, and what you
would do in each place. Be creative!
 Plan an extensive tour of Milwaukee for a first-time visitor. Where should they
stay? What should they visit and why? Plan a tour that will knock the socks off a
visitor to your hometown.

Journal: Tocqueville wrote, “An American…changes his residence ceaselessly.” What
is American about moving around? Do you think about moving? Why do you think the
American spirit is restless?
Week 4—Having it Both Ways

Read: City Life: Urban Expectations in a New World Chapter 10.

Thought-Provoker: Which provides a “better” environment to raise kids, the city or
the suburbs? Please answer this question with a well-formatted paragraph, which uses
quotes and/ or real life experience to support the position taken.

Task: For each of the following terms, (a) provide a definition as Rybcznski uses it in
City Life and (b) cite a real-world example you are familiar with or can reference from a
recent print source
 Small town
 Garden suburb
 Metropolitan area
 Edge cities

Research/Writing Assignment: How do people in the Milwaukee area feel about the
city itself? Is there tension between the city and the suburbs? Write a three-paragraph
essay on the subject. You can write your own opinions, quote a family member or
friend whom you question on the subject and quote from City Life.

Journal: Rybczynski and his wife consider places to move. Where would you live if
you could live anywhere? Would it be a small town, suburb, big city, or in a rural area?
What would be important to you in making your decision? Would your family look for
the same things that you would?

Extra: Rybczynksi says the city of the future may resemble “Frank Lloyd Wright’s
Broadacre City meets Jane Jacob’s Greenwich Village.” We have looked at Jacob’s
school of thought; what was Wright’s? Write two paragraphs on Broadacre City.
Week 5—Rural Beginnings

Read: When I Was Puerto Rican through “The American invasion of Macun”

Thought Provoker: What is the function of the community center in Macún? Why do
the Americanos want the children of Macún to substitute American foods for their own
foods? Why is the program eventually abandoned? How does where Esmeralda’s
family live influence what they eat?

Task: Food can define a place. Find four foods in When I was Puerto Rican that you
are not familiar with and define them.

Writing Assignment: In two paragraphs, describe Macun. What is it like? What is
Esmeralda’s family daily life like? Use quotes from When I was Puerto Rican to add
first-person descriptions to your writing.

Journal: What are your favorite foods? Are they “American” or are they native to other
countries? Would you find it hard to adapt to a completely new diet? Do you like to try
new things?

Extra: In the prologue, Esmeralda discusses mangoes. How does where she lives at
that time affect her relationship with this particular food?
Face-2-Face #2
We will:
 Present and discuss writing assignments from Weeks 3-5.
 Free-writing assignment: geographic stereotypes.
 Learn about demographics and research demographics of the places we have read
about.
 Choose two places we have read about. Using demographics as well as what we have
read and written, write an essay that compares and contrasts the two places.
Week 6—Movin’ on Up

Read: When I Was Puerto Rican, chapters “Why Women Remain Jamona” and “El
Mangle” through “Letters from New York.”

Thought-Provoker: What is a jíbaro? What positive connotations does the word
have? What negative ones? What does the word mean to Negi? Why is Negi called a
jíbaro in Santurce but not in Macún?

Task: Esmerelda learns some big words at school that she uses in a sentence to
show her teacher how smart she was. Use each of the following words in a sentence:
incandescent, caramelize, banister, delimitation, boundary.

Geography: On a map of Puerto Rico, mark Macun (hint: it is in Toa Baja) and
Santurce as well as the capital, San Juan.

Writing/Research Assignment: In two paragraphs, describe Santurce. What is it
like? What is Esmeralda’s family daily life like? Use quotes from When I was Puerto
Rican to add first-person descriptions to your writing.

Journal: Write about Esmeralda. Does she like where she lives? What opportunities
does where she live give her? What limitations does it place on her life? Of Macun and
Santurce, where would she rather live? Which place would you rather live?
Weeks 7—Bright Lights, Big City

Read: Finish When I Was Puerto Rican.

Thought Provoker: Is Esmeralda’s New York City like the one Jane Jacobs
described? List two ways in which they are the same and two in which they are
different.

Geography: Manhattan and Brooklyn are both boroughs of New York. Mami works in
Manhattan, but the family lives in Brooklyn. Find a map of Brooklyn and bring out your
Manhattan map from week one. Find three ways to get between Manhattan and
Brooklyn. (Hint: you will have to use the subway, so be sure to visit a transit map.)

Task: In New York City, people live very densely, meaning many people live in small
spaces. Esmeralda lives with her extended family. Make a list of the following:
everyone Esmeralda lives with in Brooklyn, a defining characteristic of that person,
and how they feel about living in New York.

Journal: Esmeralda is scared to move to New York. What is it about the city that is
scary to her? Have you ever been to a place that made you feel that way? What kind
of buildings, roads, landscape can make you feel unsafe? Where do you feel safe?
What is it about those places that make you feel that way?

Writing Assignment: Like you did with Macun and Santurce, write two paragraphs
about Brooklyn. Also write one or two paragraphs that compare and contrast the
places. Combine all of your paragraphs, and add an introduction and a conclusion to
your essay. You can use quotes from the book and you can also incorporate thoughts
from your journal entries.

Extra: Jane Jacobs wrote about diversity in urban planning. Esmeralda also talks
about diversity, but of a different kind. When she moves to Brooklyn, she goes to
school in an ethnically diverse environment. How do the Puerto Ricans' interactions
with Italians, Jews, and morenos (African-Americans) differ? How do these groups
treat Puerto Ricans?
Week 8—California Dreamin’

Read: “Goodbye to all that” and “Notes from a Native Daughter” from Slouching from
Bethlehem (provided on-line).

Thought-Provoker: In “Goodbye to all that,” author Joan Didion writes, “It is said that
New York City is a city for only the very rich and the very poor.” What does she mean?
Does anything you learned about life there from When I was Puerto Rican play into
what you think about this statement?

Task: Author Joan Didion and Esmeralda are very different characters, but neither of
them like New York. List three things that each of them dislike about the city. Are any
of them the same?

Research/Writing Assignment: California symbolizes many things to Americans and
many things to those in other countries. Write three paragraphs about what California
represents to you, whether or not you have ever been there. You can talk about music,
movies, weather, celebrities, immigration, the “Gover-nator,” Yosemite, the Golden
Gate Bridge…or anything you want! Be sure to say whether or not you ever want to go
there.

Journal: Have you ever lived or visited a place that did not feel like home? What
defines home for you? What can make you feel out-of-place?

Extra: Joan Didion is a writer identified with Los Angeles, where she now lives. Learn
about a writer, muscian or artist that is from Milwaukee and write a paragraph that
describes his or her art.
Week 9—Current Events

Read: Students will read two articles on-line selected two weeks prior in order to
maximize their timeliness.

Thought-Provoker: TBD upon selection of reading assignment.

Research Task: By doing an on-line news search (instruction will be provided), find
two recent news articles that have to do with planning activities in your area.

Writing Assignment: TBD upon selection of reading assignment.

Journal: Some people live someplace and don’t really think a lot about it. For others,
the place where they live defines them—it can inspire, depress, frustrate and even
comfort them. What do you think about how you relate to where you live? Is it
something you think about often, or do you just accept it? Do you think about your
surroundings more after having taken this class?
Face-2-Face #3
We will:
 Present and discuss writing assignments from Weeks 6-9.
 Evaluate our learning experience.