Profile Sheet
Teacher: Mr. Smith
Primary Subject Area: Social Studies
Outside Subject Area: Language Arts
Class: Social Studies (Geography)
Class Level: Honors
Grade: 7th
Title: The Problem with Urban Sprawl
Description of Student Roles:
Society has become increasingly aware of the negative impact of urban sprawl on the
environment, especially when production of oil has already reached its peak. In order to
achieve more sustainable development, several urban areas have been urged by the state
to develop a mass transportation system that will ease the number of automobiles on the
road, and lessen environmental impact. The county has put together a team of experts
(roles played by the students) such as engineers, researchers, developers, and
environmentalists, to research and plan what methods would be the most effective for the
community. The findings are to be presented during a public meeting on April 7th.
Adaptations for a Non-western Culture
Since many Asian countries also have public transportation, I would ask the student in a
one on one conversation about what prior knowledge they may have about the subject
area. I will then encourage the student to share this information with their group when
they break. Since many non-western cultures do not share their thoughts right away, I
will walk around the room during group discussions to make sure they are. If I find a
student that is not participating I can ask them a question directly that will hopefully
engage the other students to ask further questions of at least make the student comfortable
in expressing their thoughts.
Adaptations for an ESOL Student
I will try to find articles on the public transportation system in the student’s home
country, for example the subway system in Tokyo or buses in Mexico. Then I will
translate the meet the problem documents into the student’s native language so they can
see the correlation. I will also show the students how to use translation software so that
when other members of the group bring documents to share the student scan translate
them without assistance to gain a better understanding.
Title, Learner Characteristics, and Sunshine State Standards
Learning Outcomes, Student Role & Problem Situation, Meet the Problem Method
Problem Based Lesson Plan
Teacher: Mr. Smith
Title: The Problem with Urban Sprawl
Primary Subject: Social Studies (Geography)
Secondary Subject: Language Arts
Class and Level: Honors Geography
Grade: 8th
Primary Sunshine State Standards from Social Studies:
SS.B.1.3.1 – Uses various map forms (including thematic maps) and other geographic
representations, tools, and technologies to acquire, process, and report geographic
information including patterns of land use, connections between places, and patterns and
processes of migration, and diffusion.
LO: Using various maps, including population density maps, the students will map out
at least three feasible options for a public transportation system that will meet the needs
of Bay County.
SS.B.2.3.6 - Understands the environmental consequences of people changing the
physical environment in various world locations.
LO: After reading the assigned articles and chapters, students will correctly identify at
least three ways in which public transportation is good for the environment.
Secondary Sunshine State Standards from Language Arts:
LA.8.6.2.2 – Asses, organize, synthesize, and evaluate the validity and reliability of
information in text, using a variety of techniques by examining several sources of
information, including primary and secondary sources.
LO: While completing their projects, students must use at least 10 sources of
information other than their text book, correctly presenting proof of credibility for each
article.
Learner Characteristics of Middle Grade Students:
Physical: Physical growth tends to be both rapid and uneven
Many late maturing boys or early maturing girls may not get as much attention from their
peers as other students, and group work will allow them to receive recognition in other
ways, making them feel like part of the group.
Social: The desire to conform reaches a peak during the middle school years.
This group assignment will allow the students to work with someone outside their normal
“click,” allowing them greater insight in to other students and helping them see other
viewpoints.
Social: The development of interpersonal reasoning leads to a greater understanding of
the feelings of others.
Group work will further enhance the student’s skills in this area. Since the project will
take some time, it will give students the opportunity to work closely with one another.
Emotional: As a result of the continued influence of egocentric thought, middle school
students are typically self-conscious and self-centered.
This assignment will show students that there are many problems in the world beyond
themselves, and letting them work in groups will help them realize that they are not alone
in their situations.
Cognitive: Because of the psychological demands of early adolescence, middle school
students need an environment that is open, supportive, and intellectually stimulating.
Because competition can be a big issue for middle school students, the group assignment
will give them an opportunity to work together, as opposed to apart. Each student can
take a role in the project that he or she will succeed in.
Description of Student Roles and Problem Situation
Society has become increasingly aware of the negative impact of urban sprawl on the
environment, especially when production of oil has already reached its peak. In order to
achieve more sustainable development, several urban areas have been urged by the state
to develop a mass transportation system that will ease the number of automobiles on the
road, and lessen environmental impact. The county has put together a team of experts
(roles played by the students) such as engineers, researchers, developers, and
environmentalists, to research and plan what methods would be the most effective for the
community. The findings are to be presented during a public meeting on April 7th.
A cleaner environment
Emissions from road vehicles are the largest contributors to smog. Over 200 million
passenger cars and light trucks log almost 2 trillion miles on American roads every
year. These vehicles account for about 50% of air pollution nationwide— even higher
in polluted cities.
The smog-filled air is devastating to the environment, reducing growth and survival
of tree seedlings, and heightening the susceptibility of plants to disease and pests,
among other damages.
In addition, surfaces paved to accommodate more traffic result in increased urban
runoff, which is responsible for:



55% of environmentally impaired ocean shorelines
46% of impaired estuary shore miles
21% of impaired lakeshore miles
Increased investment in and use of public transportation provides significant, direct
environmental benefits and helps meet national air quality standards. By reducing
smog-producing pollutants, greenhouse gases, and run-off from paved surfaces that
degrades the water supply, and by conserving ecologically sensitive lands and open
spaces, public transportation reduces pollution, thus protecting the environment and
promoting better health.

Public transportation reduces annual emissions of the pollutants that create
smog—volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx)—by
more than 70,000 tons and 27,000 tons respectively. These reductions equal:
nearly 50% of all VOCs emitted from the dry cleaning industry, a
major source of this pollutant
o 45% of VOCs emitted from the industrial uses of coal
o 50% of NOx from the industrial uses of coal
o more than 33% of the NOx emitted by all domestic oil and gas
producers or by the metal processing industry
The reduced VOC and NOx emissions that result from public transportation
use save between $130 million and $200 million a year in regulatory costs.
Public transportation reduces carbon monoxide (CO) emissions by nearly
745,000 tons annually. This equals nearly 75% of the CO emissions by all
U.S. chemical manufacturers.
Public transportation reduces emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), which
contributes to global warming, by more than 7.4 million tons a year.
o



In Los Angeles, the rising price of petrol is prompting people to
travel to work by train rather than by car. According to figures from
the city's subway system, the number of passengers increased by
more than 14% in the first three months of
2008.
I am going to let you in on a little secret, but
promise me please you will not breathe a word,
otherwise I may never be able to show my face
in certain parts of this town again.
This week I did something which - in nearly 10
years of living in Los Angeles - I have never,
ever done before.
Cue the drum roll: I travelled to work on the
subway.
America's second largest
city is a sprawl. Fifty-two
suburbs in search of a
city, so the old saying
goes
I did it because the figures suggest it is the
trend. And (hem hem) being the trend-setter that I am, that is the only
excuse I need.
Labyrinths of freeways
You see - like most people here - I would rather stick pins in my eyeballs
than hop on a bus or a train.
That is not because I am a snob, but because America's second largest city is
a sprawl. Fifty-two suburbs in search of a city, so the old saying goes.
And the prospect of sitting in grid-locked traffic on one of the labyrinths of
freeways, only to pay the equivalent of a small dowry for the right to park,
may sound miserable, but given the distances involved, it is still invariably
quicker than public transport.
Yet certain things have happened here which
have prompted some in this car-crazed city to
question their betrothal to the internal
combustion engine and weigh the possibility of a
trial separation.
Congestion is at times so bad there are fears the
place could one day grind to a halt. And on top
of that there is the rising cost of running those
In the early 1900s, Los
gas guzzling machines.
Angeles boasted the largest
urban rail network of any city
in America, more than a
thousand miles of track
Although motorists in Europe would give their
right arm for petrol at nearly $4 (£2) a gallon
(assuming of course they steer with the left),
here it is nothing short of the end of the world as we know it.
Old glamour
All of which accounts for an unprecedented spike in the number of people
taking to public transport, and explains why yours truly found himself in the
sepulchral surroundings of Union Station in downtown Los Angeles earlier this
week.
The last of the great train terminals to be built in the United States, Union
Station fuses Moorish and art deco architecture
to truly spectacular effect.
It was here - amid the marble walls and frescoed
ceilings - that movie stars of the 40s would
arrive in Hollywood flanked by their agents and
assistant.
I noticed the first drawback of the LA subway
system: it didn't go
anywhere I wanted to go
This was back in the days when train travel was seen as glamorous and
genteel, and Union Station epitomised the promise of a glittering future for
the railroad.
Such promise was realised, for a while at least. In the early 1900s Los
Angeles boasted the largest urban rail network of any city in America, more
than a thousand miles of track.
Limited routes
Yet by the mid-1960s train travel had all but hit the buffers. Only in the last
few years has there been a modest revival, prompting hopes that LA's
cinderella subway system may be catching on.
After the sort of false starts that I believe to be entirely consistent with
getting used to public transport (buying the wrong ticket, getting on the
wrong train), I noticed the first draw-back of the LA subway system: it didn't
go anywhere I wanted to go.
I scoured a map of the entire system for somewhere fun to spend the day what about shopping in Beverly Hills? Sorry, not on the subway route. Santa
Monica beach? Ditto. Burbank, where the big movie studios are based? Uhhuh. Well I could always go to the airport to watch the planes take off? Er,
not on the subway I couldn't.
So I opted instead for a trip to the Kodak
Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard, where the
annual Oscars ceremony takes place.
Sitting next to me was accountant Chris
Peterson, who said he liked the subway because
you could always get a seat. Which didn't come
as a surprise to either of us, since, aside from
not really going anywhere, the network's other
failing seems to be a chronic lack of self
promotion.
Chris said he had only just discovered there was
a subway system in LA - and he has lived here
for 30 years.
Being stuck in traffic is,
after all, that much easier
when the roof is down, the
palm trees are swaying
gently and the sun is
shining brightly in your
face
Part of the psyche
As we arrived in Hollywood, I got chatting with Bradley Chapman, who
makes those life-sized cardboard cut-outs of movie stars which cinemas use
to promote their films. Like Chris, he had recently taken to the subway
because he could no longer afford the price of petrol.
Bradley's new commute is the antithesis of the LA norm. As well as taking
the train, another part of his journey actually involves putting one foot in
front of the other, a heretical notion that simply will never catch on.
The man from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the body which
runs the LA subway, seemed to agree its route was a little limited.
He told me there were plans for expansion but admitted it could be 10 years
or more before they reach fruition.
Despite the rise in oil prices, it is my guess there will be seats on the LA
subway for some time to come, so much are cars a part of the psyche.
And, being stuck in traffic is, after all, that much easier when the roof is
down, the palm trees are swaying gently and the sun is shining brightly in
your face.
From Our Own Correspondent was broadcast on Thursday 22 May,
2008 at 1100 BST on BBC Radio 4. Please check the programme
schedules for World Service transmission times.
Urban sprawl
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is the spreading of a city and its
suburbs over rural land at the fringe of an urban area.[1] Residents of sprawling
neighborhoods tend to live in single-family homes and commute by automobile to work.
Low population density is an indicator of sprawl. Urban planners emphasize the
qualitative aspects of sprawl such as the lack of transportation options and pedestrian
friendly neighborhoods. Conservationists tend to focus on the actual amount of land that
has been urbanized by sprawl.[1]
The term urban sprawl generally has negative connotations due to the health and
environmental issues that sprawl creates.[2] Residents of sprawling neighborhoods tend to
emit more pollution per person and suffer more traffic fatalities.[3][4] Sprawl is
controversial, with supporters claiming that consumers prefer lower density
neighborhoods and that sprawl does not necessarily increase traffic.[5] Sprawl is also
linked with increased obesity since walking and bicycling are not viable commuting
options.[6] Sprawl negatively impacts land and water quantity and quality and may be
linked to a decline in social capital.[4]
Car-dependent communities
Areas of urban sprawl are also characterized as highly dependent on automobiles for
transportation, a condition known as automobile dependency. Most activities, such as
shopping, commuting to work, concerts, etc. require the use of a car as a result of both
the area's isolation from the city and the isolation the area's residential zones have from
its industrial and commercial zones. Walking and other methods of transit are not
practical; therefore, many of these areas have few or no sidewalks. In many suburban
communities, even stores and activities that are close by are contrived to be much further,
by separating uses with fences, walls, and drainage ditches.
Problem Statement, Know/Need to Know Boards, Possible Resources
Problem Statement
How can we, as a civil engineer, surveyor/mapper, and
environmentalist devise a plan for public transportation in Bay
County that will:
 detail the estimated cost of completion
 provide at least two viable options
 have the least environmental impact possible
 and meet the needs of as many residents as possible.
Know
 Increasing gas prices are
putting a strain on commuters.
 Many cities are classified as
sprawls or are becoming so.
 Many areas do not have
adequate public transportation.
 Urban sprawl has a negative
affect on the environment.
 Many people do not like the
thought of having to take
public transportation.
 Bay county only offers limited
trolley routes and times.
 Traffic jams are releasing a lot of
pollution into the air.
Need to Know
 Which cities have modeled
good public transportation, and
how was it done?
 What are the shortfalls of
public transportation in Bay
County?
 How can public transportation
ease urban sprawl and help the
environment.
 What method of public
transportation would work best
for Bay County given the
geographic and infrastructure
limitations?
 Are there types of public
transportation that will not
work in Bay County?
 Are there areas of future
growth predicted in the area
that will need consideration
when planning routes?
 Where would the routes need to
go to best serve the needs of
Bay County?
 Which forms of public
transportation are the most cost effective?
 How much would public
transportation need to charge for
rides?
 Would it be better to simply
increase trolley routes and
ridership?
Capstone Performance Description
Students will need to present their projects “in character” meaning that they should look
and act the part of a group of professionals presenting to professionals. This includes
professional dress for this event. The room will also be set up to represent a board room,
typical of those in city hall where such presentations may take place. There will be a
water pitcher with cups, and an easel set up for charts, etc.
Through community outreach, adult volunteers have been selected to make this
presentation more real for the students, and to provide their input. This includes a
volunteer from a local civil engineering firm, a representative from the planning and
zoning group, and a member of natural resources on Tyndall AFB to give environmental
feedback. Not only will this make it seem very real for the students, but it will provide
extra incentive for the students to perform well.
Students will be given a rubric prior to their presentation so they know what is expected,
and copies of the rubrics will also be given to the professional volunteers to give them an
idea of what was expected of students before they ask questions, but will not be used for
grading. A large portion of the presentation will be oral, and each person in the group
will need to say something about their part of the project. One student can not do all the
talking. In other words, the “environmentalist will talk about the environmental aspects
of the project, etc. Each student will only be graded on his or her part, and each student
will also turn in a written report. There will also be visual aspects, such as maps of where
the routes would go and where the stops will be. The students will have several options
for doing this. The may wish to use posters with maps and present them on an easel, they
may choose to make a PowerPoint presentation and use the screen and computer to
present, or they may wish to make a video showing the stops. The presentation will be
expected to be at least ten minutes long, but not longer than twelve minutes and the
students must present at least three options, giving the pros and cons and financial
information for each. In the real world in situations like these, options are critical.
The students will also have to answer questions from the group as well as the
professional panel at the end. Arrangements should be made ahead of time if certain
equipment is needed such as the VCR or other media materials. It is up to the students to
make sure their materials such as disks, etc. work prior to entering the room. The teacher
will play the role of a concerned citizen attending the meeting and will ask at least one
question to each group.
Rubric for Assessing the Capstone Performance
Chris
Smith
Superior
Adequate
Weak
Presentation
Student discussed his or her
role in detail, as it related to
the two options, and made
and defended a suggestion
for the best option with at
least three justifications.
Student could answer
questions clearly, and at
least three environmental
factors were mentioned.
The presentation stayed
within the time limit.
Student discussed their role
in detail and made a
suggestion but only had two
justifications
Or
The student could not answer
some of the questions asked
clearly and only two
environmental factors were
listed.
Or
The student went one to two
minutes over or under the
time limits.
The student did not seem
prepared to discuss the role
clearly. And could not
provide researched
justifications. The student
was not able to answer
questions from the audience
or was more than three
minutes off the time
requirements.
Or
One or no environmental
aspects were discussed.
40
The student provided a
visual aid relevant to their
role in the project. (Each
student is responsible for
one.) Visual aids are clearly
related to the topic labeled
clearly. Information
contained is accurate and all
sources are cited.
25
Visual aid is slightly off
topic or not clearly labeled.
Viewers may need to ask
questions to understand the
visual aid. One or two
details may not be checked
for accuracy or sources may
not be cited.
10
Visual aid does not support
the presentation or are not
labeled clearly
Or
Sources are not cited and
information is not checked
for accuracy
Or
Visual aid is missing.
15
Two justifications are given
for choosing one option over
the other. Justifications may
be based on unscientific
information and a
counterargument may not be
fully addressed. One or two
grammatical errors may be
present.
10
One or no justifications are
given for choosing the best
option, and it is based on
unreliable sources. No
counter argument was taken
into consideration. Many
grammatical errors are
present.
Visual
Aids
25
Written
Report
Three justifications for
choosing one option over
the other are given in the
bibliography. Justifications
are based on researched
information, and
counterarguments are taken
into consideration. Paper is
free of grammatical errors.
25
15
Bibliography At least 10 sources are
included, from a variety of
media. Facts have been
checked and justifications
for the reliability of sources
are provided.
10
At least 8 sources are
included from a variety of
media
Or
Some sources have not been
checked for accuracy and
justifications are not given.
5
7
Fewer than 8 sources are
provided
Or
All sources are from the
same media
Or
The sources are biased and
have not been checked for
reliability. 1
Two Alternative Solutions, “Best” Solution Analysis
Solution One:
The team recommends adding more trolleys to the Bay Town Trolley system, including
more direct routes and more stop locations. They discuss where the new stops would
need to be to accommodate the needs of the residents and where the routes should go, as
well as times.
Pros
Cons
 This option is cheaper initially
 Maintenance of trolleys can be costly
 Many residents are already aware of the
 Perception of the trolley by residents is
trolley
not very good
 There is no initial construction of
 Unless the trolley is carrying many
transportation routes
passengers, they are not fuel efficient.
 This would be very quick to start
 Trolley stops could cause traffic
congestion
Consequences:
1. More residents would be encouraged to use the trolley because of increased routes and
stops.
2. The cost of buying additional trolleys and longer hours for drivers could make the cost
of riding increase.
Solution Two
The team recommends utilizing the extensive railway system in Bay County to add more
lines to and develop a commuter rail system. They provide information on the cost and
difficulty of installing rail lines, and where stations and routes would be.
Pros
Cons
 The commuter rail would use very little
 The initial starting cost would be very
fuel
high
 Trains could move a larger number of
 There would not be a direct route to the
people at one time.
beach, unless one was built
 Passenger trains are quite roomy,
 Land would have to be cleared for
making shopping trips easy.
more track
 The train track could easily reach
 There would be a limited number of
residents in rural Bay County
routes and stops in the beginning.
Consequences:
1. Riders of the commuter rail would have to plan their trips much in advance.
2. Land would have to be purchased or annexed for additional railway to be put down.
Justification:
Based on current information, the best solution for Bay County is option one. The tax
revenue that would be needed to start a commuter rail is just too great for a small
community. The trolley can easily go across the bridge to the beach without any new
structures being built.
Many residents have criticized the trolley for riding around without passengers wasting
gas. Extending the stops and the routes would encourage more people to try the trolley,
which should increase the number of people riding. Also, the new trolleys that are being
added are being designed so that they are much more fuel efficient than the older models.
In a survey, many residents complained that the trolley took too long to get to your
destination because of all the stops that had to be made. As a result, new direct routs
have been added to many popular destinations, such as the mall, the college, and
downtown areas. This option should serve the needs of Bay County very well for the
next twenty years, at which point other options could be discussed.
Debriefing Plan and Coaching Questions
Debriefing Plan
All assembled teams will present their solutions to all other teams as well as the panel of
community professionals. Each student will be given a chart before the presentations
begin, where they will write the team names, the aspects of each teams chosen best
solution, and a rating from one to ten, ten being the best, of how good they think the best
solution is. The rating system will be based on five essential concepts as listed below.
1. Location of stops around population centers
2. Location of stops around existing infrastructure
3. Low environmental impact
4. Start up costs
4. Validity of researched information
At the end of all the presentations, each groups points will be tallied, and the group with
the most points will be the final best solution. If two solutions are very close in points or
tied, a class discussion will be held to see if the two could be combined in any way to
make an even better solution.
Sample Scoring Chart
Group
Name
Best Solution Characteristics
There would be enough charts for every group.
Score
(1-10)
Coaching Questions
C-Cognitive
M-Meta Cognitive
E-Epistemic
Meet the Problem
C
M
E
What is the main idea of the articles you have read?
Are there aspects of public transportation that you do not understand?
What will be the hardest part of solving this problem?
Know/Need to Know
C
M
E
How could you find the information in the need to know section?
How do you know the “know” information is accurate?
Why is it important to find out the need to know information?
Problem Statement
C
M
E
What types of public transportation do other cities use?
Does the problem statement you have written meet the needs of the assignment?
Have considered the needs of those affected by this problem (residents) when writing your
statement?
Information Gathering and Sharing
C
M
E
How can you verify the accuracy of the facts you have obtained?
How have you assigned the roles in your group?
Why is this information important to your finished product?
Generating Solutions
C
M
E
What are some of the strengths of your weaker solution?
If you went with your alternative solution, what would be some consequences?
Do you think the residents of Bay county would agree on your best solution decision? Why?