Teacher Preparation

Go to google.com.au and click on the maps tab on the top menu bar or download Google Earth for free athttps://www.google.com/earth/. Does your school have access to Landsat websites or CDs?

Student challenge

Part 1: What is Green Space?

Help your students learn what the term 'green space' means by conducting a quick Think, Pair, Share (explained below).

Students will have ten seconds to silently think of their own definition of green space. After ten seconds, each student should pair up with another student and discuss possible definitions. Students should explore what the concept might mean and decide on the best answer. Select a few pairs of students to share their answer with the class. Help them to realise that green space is undeveloped land that is near to residential or industrial land. It should be maintained for purposes of conservation and recreational enjoyment.

Part 2: Google Maps

Use Google Earth or another online aerial land photography website or CD resources. Students are provided with the questions below to answer. They need to think about the most effective way to estimate and compare areas, eg 80% of the land is roads and housing.

1. Define the school's neighbourhood.

2. What is the main land use in the neighbourhood? What percentage or fraction does it take up?

3. What percentage or fraction of land is green space?

4. Is there a pattern to where green space occurs?

5. Are there different types of green space? What are they?

6. What percentage of homes have blocks covered in trees?

7. How does the school compare with the local area? Does it have a significant amount of green space?

8. What else can be interpreted from the aerial photos that affects the neighbourhood?

At the conclusion ask students to discuss how they went about solving the questions. Ask them if the aerial photos are a good way of studying land use.

Reflection

Give groups of students printed or photocopied versions of the maps of their neighbourhoods (students will need to draw on these maps). Ask each group to identify areas where levels of native vegetation could be increased, considering how existing green spaces are used (i.e. you wouldn't turn a heavily used oval into a dense forest that could only be used by animals). Remind students to think about sites such as:

Roadside verges
Street trees
Backyards
Bike trails
Picnic areas
Existing patches of native vegetation that could be improved.

Ask groups to present their maps to the class, explaining why they have nominated the sites addressed.

Seeking a green neighbourhood

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