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The Secret Lives of Public Spaces

Grade 2, Interdisciplinary

Description of Unit

In this task, students will explore the history behind a local park or public space. Students investigate the design of the space, examine its significance historically, understand its usage by community participants, and propose additions or modifications to encourage further awareness or use of the space. Students learn about key contributions by citizens and governmental representatives and identify to whom to address a persuasive letter suggesting their changes. Students work as a team to design improvements, depict them in a brochure, and craft a letter to send to the appropriate city official. Individuals within each small group then build on this research to develop interdisciplinary products aligned with their interest. For instance, students interested in English Language Arts and Reading might create original works of fiction, students interested in mathematics might conduct data analysis and make projections, students interested in science might design and environmental impact study, and students interested in social studies might create a campaign for a public celebration of the space.

This guide links The Secret Lives of Public Spaces unit to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for second graders. The Secret Lives of Public Spaces is an interdisciplinary unit that allows students to study a local public space such as a park or public square from a variety of angles—history and civics, mathematics, natural sciences, and English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR). For example, students will compose original texts and engage in persuasive writing, as outlined in the ELAR TEKS; identify ways in which people have modified the physical environment, as described in the Social Studies TEKS; apply mathematics to problems arising in everyday life, society, and the workplace, as outlined in the Mathematics TEKS; and plan and conduct descriptive investigations, as described in the Science TEKS. The following document includes the applicable TEKS and the details of The Secret Lives of Public Spaces unit. The final section of this document presents the applicable Texas College and Career Readiness Standards adopted by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) on January 24, 2008.

Phase I. Learning Experiences

  1. Introduce students to the concept of shared, public spaces. Hold a discussion on the differences between public and private spaces such as parks and public squares versus private homes and lands. You may want to share some clips from the PBS documentary, History of the National Parks at http://www.pbs.org/nationalparks/history/. On the board, or on a large sheet of chart paper, create five columns. In the first column, generate a list of the public spaces in the local area. Ask students how they have used public spaces such as parks over the course of their lives. Write the answers in the second column. Ask students what other activities and events might happen in these places and write these responses in the third column. In the fourth column ask students if they know how these parks/public spaces came into being. (Most likely students will now know these answers yet — add a question mark to signify this as an area for research.) In the final column, ask students how they might improve upon the space (again, this most likely will not yet be known).
  2. Divide students into small groups and give each a KWL chart. In collaboration with the school or local librarian, conduct research on one of the local parks or public spaces. Each small group should focus their research on the history of the location and associated events and individuals.
  3. Invite a speaker from the city parks department or local historical society to give a press-­‐conference presentation to the class on the history and future projections for the space. Ask students to form interview questions and gather information from the speaker for their KWL charts. Possible questions might include:
    • Who provided the land for the park or public space?
    • What contributions to the park or public space resulted from actions by concerned citizens?
    • What local groups or governmental agencies help to maintain the space?
    • How many individuals visit the space and how do they use its resources?
    • What challenges in maintaining the space does the city face?
    • What obstacles or barriers to use exist for various populations who might wish to access the space?
    • What hazards or dangers exist in the space?
    • How does the space accommodate natural plants and animals?
    • What materials compose the manmade structures and why were these materials selected?
  4. Create a timeline depicting the history of the park/public space.
  5. Take a field trip to the space. Collect measurements, observe natural and manmade structures, postulate hypothesis on the natural organisms and food chains within the space, and list possible additions or changes that might improve the space. Depict these findings through maps, diagrams and sketches.
  6. Conduct interviews and focus groups with family and neighbors to gather their perspectives on the current uses of the park/public space and ascertain the effectiveness of suggested alterations, interventions, or modifications to the space.
  7. Create a proposal for a new feature or program for improving the park/public space. Write a persuasive letter to the city council, parks department head, or mayor. Create a brochure depicting your proposed solution to include with the letter.

During the product development in Phase II: Independent Research, students will work independently to extend their small group findings by creating interdisciplinary products highlighting their learning. For instance, a student interested in natural sciences may augment his/her group’s proposal by studying the food chain in the environment and suggesting ways to increase natural habitats. A student with interests in English Language Arts and Reading might create an original work of fiction, depicting the story of the park, told from the point of view of the park as a character or told from a character who encounters the park as part of the story’s setting.

Phase II. Independent Research

A. Research process

  1. Selecting a topic. As each student reflects on the findings from the small group research projects, he/she should determine which final product best aligns with his/her interests. For example, students who have interests in English Language Arts and Reading might choose to write a work of historical fiction based on the group’s findings.
  2. Asking guiding questions. Each student must determine if the information the group collected is sufficient to inform his/her original composition or study. The student should refer back to the group KWL chart and pose additional questions such as:
    • What other sources might I need to contact to find additional information related to my individual project?
    • How will I gather the necessary data?
    • In what ways will I organize my work to create the final product?
  3. Creating a research proposal. Brainstorm with students how to find the answers to the questions in their W column. Since each student may pursue a different interdisciplinary area for his/her final product, possible sources of information will vary from conducting field experiments, to collecting quantitative data from archived records, to conducting interviews and holding focus groups.
  4. Conducting the research. Students should conduct their research to support their interdisciplinary project. Collaboration with librarians and/or parent volunteers for scientific field research may be required for some projects.
  5. Sharing findings. Each student presents their findings to the class following the small group presentations on the history and proposed alterations of the space.

B. The product

Students demonstrate their learning through the development of one of the following products depending upon individual interests:

  1. The creation of a short work of fiction based on the research—either told from the point of view of the park/public space as a character, or depicting a plot that unfolds within the park/public space as a setting
  2. A natural habitat impact study resulting in a proposal for a conservation program in the public space
  3. A study on the usage patterns of the public space presented through numerical data using charts and graphs. Students pursuing this project should make projections based on their data for how the proposed alterations to the space might impact the usage numbers
  4. A poster campaign inviting people to attend a celebration of history of the park or public space. Posters should include information depicting the events of the day, a map of where activities will occur within the park/public space, and program dates and times

C. Communication

Each group will present their proposals for improvements to the park or public space. Individual students within the group will then present their interdisciplinary original works. An informal Q&A session will be held following each presentation.

D. A completed project consists of:

  1. KWL chart
  2. Historical timeline and map of the space
  3. Persuasive letter for proposed changes
  4. Brochure illustrating suggested modifications and summarizing small group research
  5. Individual composition or study extending the group research across disciplines
  6. Video or audio of the classroom presentations and Q&A sessions
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