This lesson illustrates one way that the study of geography can be applied to planning for the future. Students will research an environmental issue that affects their town or region, draw pictures assuming two possible outcomes for the problem in fifty years (one negative and one positive), and create a plan to educate the community about this issue.

Geography, history, economics, current events

Standard 18: "How to apply geography to interpret the present and plan for the future"

Four to five hours

• Computer with Internet access
• Pictures of Bodie, California
• Drawing materials

Students will

• research an environmental issue concerning their town or region;
• make a class list describing the different facets of this environmental problem;
• draw two pictures of their town in fifty years, one with the environmental problem fixed and one with the problem worsened;
• discuss how studying this problem might contribute to its solution; and
• devise a plan to educate the community about the environmental issue.

Have students look at pictures of Bodie, California. Tell them that Bodie was once a booming gold mining town but became a ghost town after the gold mining industry went downhill. People had to leave the town to look for work, and eventually no one was left. It's now a state historic park.

Have students discuss what they think their town was like 120 years ago, when Bodie was at its prime. What do they think people did for work? What did they wear?

Students can make thoughtful guesses, or perhaps some students know some things they can share with the class. If their town is newer than this, have them describe what they think was in its place 120 years ago.

Ask students if they know of any environmental issues that people in their town or region are concerned about. If they live near the ocean, they might mention ocean pollution or marine wildlife populations; if they live in a city, they might say smog or traffic congestion.

Help students find out about one local or regional environmental issue. They can use the Internet, library, or other relevant resources. As they learn about the issue, have them contribute information to a class list on the board that describes different aspects of the issue.

A class list concerning smog might include "too many cars and trucks," "leaf blowers," "people have a hard time breathing," and "we need to drive less and use our bicycles more." Be sure to have students investigate possible solutions to the problem.

Ask students to think about what their town or region might be like in 50 years. Have them think about two different scenarios: one in which the environmental problem is fixed, and one in which it is not fixed and continues to worsen. Have them draw pictures and write captions describing what the town or region might look like in 50 years like under these two different scenarios.

After students have drawn their pictures, discuss with the class how learning about a problem or potential problem can help solve it or prevent it from getting worse. How might studying this environmental issue help make it better in the future?

Have the class devise a plan to educate members of their community about this environmental issue, with the goal of helping them plan for their town or region's future. They can develop a Web site, skit, brochures, or other presentation to share with their parents and other members of the community.

Help students research the history of their town, using the library, the Internet, or other resources. If possible, bring in some pictures of the town in previous decades for students to examine. Ask them to draw pictures of their town as it looked in the past; they might want to draw a few pictures showing the town in different historical time periods.

After the students have illustrated their town's past, have them draw pictures of their town today and a hundred years into the future. Ask them to include as much detail as possible and to draw features of the natural landscape as well as human-created objects and structures.

Discuss with the class the similarities and differences between their three pictures. What things remained the same? What things changed? What things do people have control over (e.g., transportation or housing style), and what things cannot be easily changed, barring unforeseen technological breakthroughs (e.g., climate, soil, or natural resources)? How realistic do they think their future pictures are?

Bodie, California Ghost Town
National Geographic: Xpeditions Activity—History Through Headlines