Module Overview -- Machine Space

General Module Objectives: After completing this module, students will be able to:

• understand how urbanization alters the natural environment
• recognize the role that technology, particularly transportation technology plays in modern urban life
• relate patterns of urban growth to changes in air and water quality
• list three major types of machine space
• estimate the amount of machine space in a study area
• describe how the presence of machine space affects environmental quality
• describe how machine space affects the quality of life and human activity within the urban environment

Key Geographical Concepts addressed by the Module:

• human-environment interactions
• geographic fieldwork

Materials Requirements:

• large-scale maps (zoning maps like those used by city planning offices are well-suited to this activity)
• PCs and GIS software and digitizing tablets if you plan to conduct this as a GIS exercise
• a postal scale or transparent overlay grid if you plan to conduct this as a non-computerized exercise

Activities:

• students will undertake a field survey of a small section of an urban area to determine how much of the urban environment is machine space
• (optional) students will use a GIS package to determine the percentage machine space in their study area
• (optional) students will write a short report or make a brief classroom presentation of their findings

Time Requirements:

• 3 days to 1 week, depending on the size of the study areas assigned and the amount of laboratory work (for GIS projects) is required

Difficulty:

• This module can be adapted to a wide range of grade levels (grade 8 through university upperclassmen).