Redlining: Understanding Our Past to Reimagine Our Future
Provided by: UCI Science Project |Published on: March 13, 2024
Lesson Plans Grades 6-8, 9-12
Synopsis
This three day lesson plan will teach students about the unequal distribution of green spaces in cities, with a culminating activity that encourages activism through art.
Students will learn about the historical background of redlining, how it impacts health, green spaces, and the importance of parks.
This lesson is thorough, interdisciplinary, and engaging.
The teaching notes, which can be viewed below each slide, are excellent and include citations that allow for continued learning.
Additional Prerequisites
Students will need their Google account information to sign into Adobe in order to create an infographic during the third day of the lesson.
Differentiation
This lesson would work well in science, history, or art classes; classes can focus on the data and science behind the importance of green spaces, the historical implications and impacts of redlining and equality, and how art is a powerful tool for activism.
The worksheets included allow for individual and group work and will facilitate engaging class discussions.
Each of the two worksheets can be used with younger students as a whole class or small group activity, while older or advanced students could each work on different cities and share or chart their findings.
For the culminating infographic activity, you could scaffold by providing information for younger or struggling students.
Other related resources include this lesson plan about redlining and environmental racism, this lesson and activity where students create their own equitable cities, and this video about urban heat impacts in communities of color.
Scientist Notes
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
About the Partner Provider
UCI Science Project
UCI Science Project is grounded in research-based educational practices and understands the paradigm shifts needed for the Next Generation Science Standards. Our goal is to support educators as transformative leaders who build capacity in their schools through empowering learning experiences. We are firmly committed to addressing racial, social, and environmental injustices through collaborative efforts that position educators as agents of change for community action.
Related Teaching Resources
All resources can be used for your educational purposes with proper attribution to the content provider.