episode iv (3.9mb pdf)
TRANSCRIPT
EPISODE IV TEACHERS’ GUIDE
Nancy O’Brien Wagner, Lansing Shepard,
Carol Schreider, Barbara Coffin
A joint project of the College of Natural Resources, University of Minnesota
and the Education Department of the Minnesota Historical Society
II
USE AND PHILOSOPHY .......................................................................................................................................... II
SERIES OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................................................... V
EPISODE IV: SECOND NATURE
ORIENTATION .......................................................................................................................................................... 2
VIEWING GUIDE ...................................................................................................................................................... 5
LESSONS
Lesson 7: The Great Lakes........................................................................................................................................... 8
Lesson Worksheet ........................................................................................................................................................ 10
Lesson 8: Second Nature............................................................................................................................................. 14
Lesson Worksheet ........................................................................................................................................................ 16
ANSWER KEYS
Viewing Guide Answer Key .......................................................................................................................................... 19
Lesson 7 Worksheet Answer Key ................................................................................................................................... 21
SUGGESTED RESOURCES ...................................................................................................................................... 23
WEB SITE ............................................................................................................................................................ 24
MAPS ............................................................................................................................................................. 25
CONTENTS
III
Minnesota: A History of the Land is a four-part documentary series that weaves
together human and natural history and illustrates the historical and ongoing
importance of Minnesota’s landscapes to the social, cultural, and economic systems
of the region.
Throughout time, humans have altered their landscapes. In the 500 years since Europeans
arrived on this continent, the physical landscape has changed profoundly. Minnesota: A
History of the Land tells part of that story chronicling the vast changes that Minnesota’s
ecosystems have undergone, from presettlement to the present. By showing how humans
have shaped and interacted with the land, this series provides a powerful context for under-
standing the region’s current environmental challenges.
A set of powerful insights about the relationship between the physical environment and
humans binds the four episodes of the series together:
• How humans view the land determines how humans use the land. In Minnesota, for
example, different people have viewed (and thus used) these lands very differently.
Because of human perception and action, the landscape has been altered dramatically
and, in many cases, irrevocably.
• Apart from human perceptions, these lands have always had their own existence.
Landscapes are first and forever ecological entities that react to disturbances in ecologi-
cal ways—through an immense web of complex interdependencies, cycles, and energy
flows that is connected to landforms, soils, seasons, and rainfall patterns.
• The gap between human perception and ecological reality has led repeatedly to unin-
tended and often negative consequences. Because of this, people have been forced to
adjust their view of the land and thus their use of the land. This halting, adaptive
process means that the landscape shapes people even as people shape the landscape.
• In changing these landscapes, people not only replace old, complex landscapes with
new, simplified ones, they set the terms of engagement—the limits of what is possible
for future generations.
The series can be viewed in a number of ways: as social and political history, as a history of
environmental thought, as a history of technology, or even as lessons in ecology.
For more information about the series, visit: www.historyoftheland.org
USE AND PHILOSOPHY
The series can be viewed
in a number of ways —
as social and political
history, as a history of
environmental thought,
as a history of technology, or
even as lessons in
ecology.
T H E F O U R - P A R T D O C U M E N T A R Y S E R I E S D V DOriginal soundtrack by Peter Ostroushko
IV
Goals for Student LearningThis teachers’ guide is intended to help middle-school students view the Minnesota: A History
of the Land video series and develop an understanding of the following key concepts:
• The land (physical environment) has played a powerful role in shaping Minnesota’s
economies and communities.
• Minnesotans have had an enormous impact on the state’s waters, plants, and wildlife and
have an important role to play as stewards of the environment.
• The historical causes of the landscape’s current condition—its health, use, and long-term
sustainability—are essential to understanding crucial issues of conservation and natural
resource management.
How to Use the Teachers’ GuideWhile the video alone is an effective educational tool, this curriculum is designed to help
middle-school teachers guide students to uncover the main points in each episode and to
expand the ideas described above. As you watch the video in your classroom, we suggest you
break your viewing into smaller sections. Each hour-long episode is composed of three to
four segments that range from twelve to twenty minutes in length.
I. The Episode Orientation presents a synopsis of each one-hour video as well as an easy-
to-follow guide to viewing and using each video. The orientation includes:
• a summary of each episode’s content and a time-coded abstract for each segment
• Northern Lights links, which cue users to related chapters of Northern Lights: The Story of
Minnesota’s Past, a middle-school curriculum of state history developed by the
Minnesota Historical Society
• key terms needed to understand the concepts in the video, along with brief definitions. You
may find it useful to preview these terms with your students before watching the video.
• discussion questions that explore concepts presented in each episode and require students
to synthesize information, think through implications, and draw conclusions
II. In addition, a viewing guide for each episode provides a list of questions that help students
identify the main concepts of each segment. You may find it helpful to pause the video after
each segment to allow students to discuss and revise their answers.
III. Each episode has two lessons designed to amplify the central ideas presented in that
episode. Each lesson contains a lesson plan to guide teachers in setting up and conducting
that exercise, and a reproducible worksheet on which the students’ work is done. Additional
ideas for related extension activities are included for each episode.
IV. Additional resources such as reference maps, suggested resources, and answer keys are
included to help the teacher and students.
USE AND PHILOSOPHY continued
Northern Lights LinksN
T E A C H E R S ’ G U I D E
Nancy O’Brien Wagner, Lansing Shepard,
Carol Schreider, Barbara Coffin
A joint project of the College of Natural Resources, University of Minnesota
and the Education Department of the Minnesota Historical Society
V
EPISODE I: Ordering the Land / 16,000 BP–1870s
Witness 16,000 years of Minnesota’s fascinating early history.
Its unique place in North America is revealed through state-
of-the-art animations and graphics. Prominent members of
Minnesota’s Native American community describe their long
relationship with the land. With the arrival of Europeans
comes a new way of looking at the land, one that will change
the region forever. See how this is expressed in the land sur-
vey, which carves the natural world into squares that can be
bought and sold. The fur trade era and early lumbering are
brought to life with historic re-creations and photographs.
Discover what happens when early entrepreneurs fail to
understand the geology of St. Anthony Falls.
EPISODE II: Changes in the Land / 1870s–1900
Voices from the past and stunning nature videography re-
create the natural world Euro-Americans first encountered.
Find out what happens to North America’s most abundant
species as commercial hunters and the railroad arrive in
Minnesota. The majestic Big Woods are cut down to make
room for farms and villages. Visit one of the little-known
crown jewels of Minnesota, the Bluestem Prairie. Find out
why Minnesota has some of the richest soils in the world
and how Minneapolis becomes the flour-milling capital of
the world. Historic re-creations bring to life the bonanza era
of wheat farming. And experience the catastrophic fire that
ushers in a new way of looking at the land.
EPISODE III: Out of the Ashes / 1900–1940s
Never-before-seen historic footage brings to life the begin-
nings of conservation in Minnesota. Discover why
Minnesota is at the forefront of conservation in the United
States and the key role that women play. See what happens
to the Mississippi River as the population of the Twin Cities
explodes. Graphic animations help viewers imagine the
results of one man’s plan to flood the boundary waters
region. Then, get to know the fascinating character who
helps to save the region from destruction. In the series’ most
ambitious historic re-creation, find out which prominent
Minnesota conservationist begins his career promoting the
destruction of wolves.
EPISODE IV: Second Nature / 1940s and Beyond
Unique historic footage and photographs depict the
momentous changes brought to Minnesota during and after
World War II. A vivid re-creation brings to life the revolu-
tionary work of a University of Minnesota graduate student.
Simple inventions like nylon nets and the introduction of an
exotic species bring the fishery of Lake Superior to the brink
of collapse. Through rarely seen footage, experience the
extensive pollution of Lake Superior caused by the disposal
of over 60,000 tons of waste a day. Then, hear firsthand how
a group of citizens plays a central role in stopping this pollu-
tion. Discover the ways in which our own homes and busi-
nesses result in changes in the land as far away as the rain
forests of South America. Consider how the stories of
Minnesota’s past can inform our choices for the future.
SERIES OVERVIEW
Minnesota: A History of the Land brings to life the epic story of the people and landscapes of Minnesota from
the retreat of the last ice sheets to the growth of today's suburbs. This four-part documentary series features nature
videography from across the state, never-before-seen historic images, state-of-the-art animations, and historic
recreations. The original soundtrack for the series is by award-winning composer Peter Ostroushko.
For more background information on the series, visit www.historyoftheland.org
1
Second Nature1940s and Beyond
E P I S O D E I V :
2
Episode SummaryBefore World War II, ecology was still more art than science. In 1942, the work of a young University of Minnesota graduate stu-
dent, Ray Lindeman, jump-starts the modern field of ecology, giving people unprecedented insight into how ecosystems work. His
discoveries come at a critical time, because with the war’s end, the industrial technology that won the war begins to be used to
reshape the Minnesota landscape at an unprecedented rate and scale. At the same time, developments in ecological understanding
move some citizens to question the way we use our natural resources.
Lake Superior was home to a thriving commercial fishery. But from its beginning in the nineteenth century, sequential overfishing
of select species led to significant declines. By the early twentieth century fishermen have turned to lake trout, and harvesting accel-
erates through World War II. Trout populations reach a tipping point when a new exotic species enters the lake. The widening of the
Welland Canal opens the way for the sea lamprey, and in a matter of a few years they destroy what was left of the commercial lake
trout fishery. At the same time the purity of Lake Superior is threatened by massive dumping of taconite tailings by Reserve Mining
Company. Local concerns and citizen action result in a landmark federal court case. With the final end of dumping in the early
1980s and with the success in treating lamprey, the restoration of the fishery can begin.
But even as these events are unfolding, far greater transformations are occurring across the rest of the state. The end of World War II
brings with it a return to prosperity, which along with the new federal highway system ushers in a period of unparalleled suburban
expansion. The consequences for the landscapes of Minnesota are enormous as productive agricultural land is lost and hydrologic
systems are altered. But there are implications that reach beyond Minnesota all the way to the rain forests of South America. And the
loss of biodiversity may have unforeseen consequences for us all. These stories and those portrayed throughout the series are briefly
reviewed in the hope that lessons from the past will help us make better choices for the future.
ORIENTATIONEpisode IV: Second Nature (1940s AND BEYOND)
6.0 minutes Episode Introduction. An introduction describes thework of Raymond and Eleanor Lindeman and what theirresearch meant for the field of ecology and our under-standing of how our ecological landscapes function.
10.0 minutes Big, Bold, and Cold is the story of the collapse of LakeSuperior’s once vast fishery. A century of overfishinghad depleted populations of the lake’s top fish preda-tors, which were also the heart of the commercial fish-ery. The arrival of the sea lamprey, an exotic ocean-going fish predator, provided the final blow. With noevolved defense against the lamprey, Superior’s laketrout population collapsed.
20.0 minutes A Landmark Case tells the story of the nation’s firstmajor federal environmental pollution case. By the1960s, decades of mining had exhausted the high-gradeiron ore, when a new process came online that couldutilize the remaining low-grade iron ore. Taconite pro-
duction pumped new economic life back into the IronRange but at a cost. Reserve Mining began dumpingthe waste directly into Lake Superior, polluting the lake,and possibly endangering the health of people and fish.The action fueled a popular challenge to the company’spractice. Local and national environmental groupspressured the state and federal government into filingthe nation’s first major environmental pollution lawsuit.Eventually the company was forced to move its tailingsonto land.
4.0 minutes Restoration of Lake Superior is the story of the recov-ery of Superior’s lake trout populations. After fiftyyears of trial and error, fish stocking, and lampreycontrol, naturally reproducing lake trout are increas-ing in numbers. The rehabilitation of lake trout in LakeSuperior is one of the major successes in fisheriesmanagement worldwide. (continued)
SEGMENT LENGTH DESCRIPTION
3
16.0 minutes The Crabgrass Frontier chronicles the effects of abooming economy and growing population on thestate’s landscapes. Proliferating suburbs and the arrivalof the federal highway system served to accommo-date a newly affluent and growing human populationbut at a tremendous cost to the environment. Paved-over natural landscapes altered hydrological cyclesand caused widespread water-quality problems. Assuburbs and roads expanded, they also swallowed upfarmland and what remained of the state’s alreadycompromised natural lands. Biological diversity suf-fered, as those landscapes became fragmented—afact exemplified by Minnesota’s declining neotropicalbird populations. But the real challenge is the predict-ed increase of one million more people to the state’spopulation in the next decades.
3.0 minutes Unfinished Journey features reappearances by pastcommentators, who review the journey we’ve taken inthis series. It is suggested that we need to learn fromthe mistakes we’ve made—to question the assump-tions we commonly make. But it is also clear thatMinnesotans have demonstrated capacity to do theright thing. The film’s conclusion suggests that we havean obligation to future generations as the stewards ofthis “amazing” planet.
Note: The bold face type listed here in the “segment descriptions” indicates that an intertitle marks the beginning of a new segment in the episode.
The italic type indicates the beginning of a new segment in the episode, but the transition is made through visuals and narration.
SEGMENT LENGTH DESCRIPTION (continued)
Episode IV: Second Nature ORIENTATION continued
Episode Key Terms
tailings or slag: the waste rock and other materials that come from
processing taconite
exotics: species that are transferred from their home environment to a new
environment and whose introduction to this new environment may cause
economic or environmental harm to its natural balance
point-source pollution: pollution that comes from clearly identifiable
sources, like factories, pipes, and sewage treatment outlets
non–point-source pollution: pollution that comes from dispersed sources
that are not easily identified, such as fertilizer runoff from lawns and leaking
oil from cars
impervious surface: solid surfaces, like parking lots and rooftops, that do
not allow water to drain to the soil
stewards: people who are responsible for taking care of something
or someone
Northern Lights Links
The following chapters have contentthat connects to this episode:
Chapter 17: Cold War, Warm Kitchens
Chapter 19: Transforming the Land
N
4
Discussion Questions
1. Why was the work of Raymond and Eleanor Lindeman so important?
2. New technologies like nylon nets and outboard motors made fishing easier and more
productive. Can you think of other technologies that may have sped up the
transformation of Minnesota landscapes over the past fifty years?
3. Why do people like to live in the suburbs? How do suburbs hurt the land?
4. Why should we care about species like the Henslow sparrow?
5. Do you think Minnesota’s environment is getting better or worse? Why?
6. How has watching this film changed what you think about Minnesota’s landscape?
7. If you had to choose to protect one environmental area of Minnesota, what would it be?
How would you try to protect it?
?
Episode IV: Second Nature ORIENTATION continued
5
Big, Bold, and Cold
1. What makes Lake Superior so unique?
2. Why did the arrival of sea lampreys have such a huge effect on Lake Superior?
A Landmark Case
3. Why did the Reserve Mining company establish its plant on the North Shore?
4. How was the creation of the Reserve Mining plant good
for local people?
Name: __________________________________________ Date: ______________ Class :_______________________
VIEWING GUIDEEpisode IV: Second Nature (1940s AND BEYOND)
Reserve Mining Plant, 1962.
Photo courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society.
6
5. Why was the dumping of waste into Lake Superior so bad?
6. Why was the final court decision against Reserve Mining so significant?
Crabgrass Frontier
7. What are the positive aspects of living in or developing the suburbs?
8. What are some of the consequences of developing farmlands into suburbs?
9. How does the creation of more roads and parking lots affect the water cycle?
10. How does the development of forests into suburbs affect birds?
Episode IV: Second Nature VIEWING GUIDE continued
Overall Episode
11. Do you think we are more aware of the consequences of our actions than we were one hundred years ago?
Why or why not?
12. If you could go back and change one thing in our environmental history, what would it be and why?
13. Which of the environmental problems in this episode (pollution, invasive species, suburban growth)
do you think is the biggest? Which one affects you the most?
7
Episode IV: Second Nature VIEWING GUIDE continued
Packing Lake Superior lake trout, June 1936.
Photo courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society.
8
Lesson Objective Upon completion of this lesson, students will understand:
• How the origin, diversity, and rate of arrival of exotic species
have changed over the past two hundred years
• How technological developments and changes in modes of
transportation have affected the arrival of exotic species
MaterialsLesson 7 Worksheet
Background Non-native species have become a significant threat to
Minnesota’s ecosystems, including rivers, lakes, and land areas.
It is estimated that in the Great Lakes only about 10 percent of
non-native species have caused harm to agriculture, industry,
human health, or the natural environment. However, even that
number of species has caused significant environmental and
financial damage.
Almost half of the non-native species in the Great Lakes are
likely to have entered through ballast water on ships. When a
ship travels without cargo, it requires ballast or weight to pre-
vent it from bobbing too high in the water. After removing
cargo, many ships pump in water from harbors to act as bal-
last. When they reach the next port, they empty out the ballast
water and take in new cargo. This ballast water and any sedi-
ments captured in these foreign waters can carry non-native
species. When ships travel to the Great Lakes from regions that
have similar water temperatures and salinity (like the Caspian
and Black seas), there is a higher likelihood that these non-
native species can adapt and thrive in the Great Lakes environ-
ment. If the ballast water was collected in salt water or tropical
areas, the dangers of non-native species flourishing are smaller.
Since 1993, law has required that ships entering the Great Lakes
from outside U.S. or Canadian waters must exchange their bal-
LESSON 7 PLANEpisode IV: Second Nature (1940s AND BEYOND)
LESSON 7 PLAN: The Great Lakes
last water at sea. However, the effectiveness of this law is suspect.
It is difficult to gauge how many ships actually do exchange their
water. Even so, the ships that do bother to exchange their water
may still carry non-native species. After emptying ballast water,
up to 15 percent of the original water may remain in the tanks
and pipes, and a residual sludge of sediment often remains at the
bottom of the tank. Scientists are looking into the possibilities of
cleaning ballast tanks through radiation or other processes, but at
this time, such ideas are too time-consuming and expensive for
shipping companies to implement.
Procedure1. With the class, review the section Big, Bold, and Cold in
Episode IV.
2. Ask students how familiar they are with the subject of “exotic
species” or “invasive species.” Could they write a definition of
these terms? What are some animals or plants that are consid-
ered to be exotic species in Minnesota? What are some consid-
ered to be “invasive”? What might make some exotic species
harmful, and others harmless?
3. Discuss with the class the process of transporting species
through ballast water (see above).
4. Divide students into small groups, and have each group study
one aspect of the worksheet such as When Did They Come?,
Where Did They Come From?, and What Are They?
5. Ask students to create a “Live Film Strip” with their group that
explains what they have learned. In the “Live Film Strips” one
person is the narrator, and the rest of the group poses as what
the narrator describes. For example, the narrator could describe
how many invasive species are transported into the Great Lakes
in bilge water in three “scenes” or “slides.” As the narrator
explains this, the other students pose as invasive species getting
sucked into a boat, sitting in the bilge water in the bottom of a
boat, then being flushed out of the boat in the Great Lakes.
9
Follow-Up Allow students to present their “Live Film Strips.” Possible
discussion questions include:
• How do these presentations tie together?
• What could we do to stop the transportation of exotic species
by shipping? How reasonable are those possible solutions?
Episode IV: Second Nature LESSON 7 PLAN continued
Extension Ideas:
• Learn more about the health of our Great Lakes. TheMinneapolis Star Tribune has a series written by TomMeersman in June 2004 that is available online at www.startribune.com
• The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources hostsinformation on invasive species in Minnesota. Check out http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/ecological_services/invasives.html
• Internet lessons that support the Minnesota GeographyStandard: Cities and Urbanization athttp://mage.geog.macalester.edu/mngeog/CitiesInetLessons/citiesInetLessons.html
• The Center for Great Lakes Environmental Education offersvaluable information for teachers and students atwww.greatlakesed.org
• The Environmental Association for Great Lakes Education, at www.eagle-ecosource.org, is an activist organizationlooking to protect the health of the Great Lakes.
10
Name: __________________________________________ Date: ______________ Class :_______________________
LESSON 7 WORKSHEET The Great Lakes
Lake Superior is the deepest and coldest of the Great Lakes, and the farthest inland from the Atlantic Ocean.All of these factors protected Lake Superior from foreign fish and plant species that might enter from distantwaterways. Fish, plants, and organisms in the Atlantic Ocean had a hard time traveling up the St. LawrenceRiver, over the many waterfalls, and across the other Great Lakes to reach Lake Superior.
However, human changes have made the arrival of non-native species common. Now, a new non-native species
is discovered in the Great Lakes about once every seven months. Most of these plants, fish, and tiny creatures
appear to be harmless. Others cause enormous damage to the Great Lakes environment. Why is this happening?
What is going on? With your group, study one of the main aspects of invasive species in the Great Lakes, then
complete the questions in your section, and create a “Live Film Strip.”
L a k e Sup e r io r
LakeHuron
Ontario
LakeErie
Lake
La
ke
Mic
hig
a n
O t t a w aR
i v e r
St
L aw r e n c eR
LakeSt Clair
Buffalo
Chicago
Green Bay
Milwaukee
Duluth
ThunderBay
Mi s s i s
s
i pp
iR
iv
er
Toronto
Ontario
New York
IllinoisI di
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Michigan
Pennsylvania
Quebec
Sault Ste. Marie Locks
Niagara Falls
WellandCanal
ErieCanal
ChicagoShip Canal
N
Montréal
1825
The Erie Canalopens, linking LakeErie with the HudsonRiver and theAtlantic Ocean.
1829
The Welland Canalopens, allowingships to bypassNiagara Fallsbetween Lake Erieand Lake Ontario.
1853
The Sault Ste. MarieLocks open, allowingboats to bypass therapids between LakeSuperior and LakeHuron.
1900
The Chicago shipcanal is built, allow-ing boats to connectfrom Lake Michiganto the Illinois River,Mississippi River,and Gulf of Mexico.
1919
The Welland Canalis deepened, allow-ing better access tothe Great Lakes forboats and exoticcreatures.
1959
The St. LawrenceSeaway opens,allowing ocean-going ships to enterthe Great Lakes fromthe Atlantic.
LAKE SUPERIOR TIMELINE
ST. LAWRENCE SEAWAY
Canada
USA
EUROPE
ASIA
Iceland
UK
NONorth Pole
Russia
NORTH AMERICA
Equator
ATLANTIC OCEAN
International Date Line
International Meridian
© 2001. Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, Natural Resources Canada.
Gulf of Mexico
Hudson Bay
Mississippi R.
0 700 1400 km
11
Invasive Species: When Did They Come? How Did They Get Here?Take a look at the charts above, which show the number of invasive species that arrived in the Great Lakes by
each decade from 1830 to 2000 and by percentage. Also consider the time line of major events that occurred in
the Great Lakes, then answer the following questions.
1. What is the general pattern of the number of invasive species that are discovered each decade?
2. What connections do you see between time line events and increases in invasive species?
3. What method of release has been the most common in the past fifty years? Why might that be?
The Great Lakes: LESSON 7 WORKSHEET continued
Total Percentage of Types of Method of ReleaseMethod of Release into Great Lakes by Decade
47%
11%
8%
6%
28%
Shipping
Accidental release
Canal construction
Stocking or otherdeliberate release
UnknownNum
ber o
f Spe
cies
Year
1830
s
1840
s–50
s
1860
s–70
s
1880
s–90
s
1900
s–10
s
1920
s–30
s
1940
s–50
s
1960
s–70
s
1980
s–90
s20
00s
40
35
30
25
15
10
5
0
20
12
Invasive Species: Where Did They Come From?Consider this chart that shows what areas of the earth
the invasive species in the Great Lakes came from. For
invasive species to survive in the Great Lakes, they
need to have come from habitats with similar tempera-
tures, food sources, and salinity (water saltiness).
4. What area of the earth has the fewest number of inva-
sive species in the Great Lakes? Why might that be?
5. What area of the earth has the greatest number of invasive species in the Great Lakes? Why might that be?
Invasive Species: What Are They?Take a look at this chart showing the types of invasive
species, and think about what you have learned about
how invasive species were released into the Great
Lakes, when they arrived, and where they came from.
Then answer the following questions.
6. Which types of invasive species are most common?
7. Why do you think there are more microscopic plants and animals than larger plants and animals?
The Great Lakes: LESSON 7 WORKSHEET continued
Origin of Species by Total Percentage
8%
12%
8%
6%
3%63%
Atlantic
Europe, Asia or both
Pacific
North America
Unknown
Widespread
Types of Invasive Species
Plants
Zooplankton(microscopic animals and other invertebrates)
Fish
Phytoplankton(microscopic plants)
Worms or clams
Other
16%
6%
32%
14%
15% 17%
13
Create a “Live Film Strip”!With your group, identify the most important things that you learned about invasive species. Decide what you
think the rest of the class should learn about. Create a “Live Film Strip,” where one person is the narrator, and
the rest of the group poses as what the narrator describes. Strong “Live Film Strips” will:
• Clearly and accurately explain three or more main points ___ /15
• Be carefully done (effective slides, quick slide changes, creatively thought-out) ___ /15
Total: ___/30
The Great Lakes: LESSON 7 WORKSHEET continued
14
Lesson Objective Upon completion of this lesson, students will understand:
• How choices in neighborhood density and design affect job
needs, transportation needs, and pollution
MaterialsLesson 8 Worksheet (hint: do not copy this back-to-back,
but use two pages)
Colored pencils
Background Today, most people are aware that urban sprawl causes signifi-
cant regional consequences. Even so, many new developments
continue to be built in a sprawling way, creating expensive low-
density housing and dispersed business and industrial zones,
greater freeway traffic, and a decrease in natural areas. However,
few people are aware that smart growth or planned growth can
create neighborhoods that are attractive, safe, and better for our
communities and our surroundings. This lesson helps expose
students to some of the choices considered to be “smart growth.”
Note that we did not attempt to consider the costs of these hypo-
thetical decisions. The Internet sites listed in the “Extension
Ideas” section are particularly valuable if students want to evalu-
ate in more detail the financial implications of their choices.
Procedure1. With the class, review the section Crabgrass Frontier in
Episode IV.
2. Ask students to spend 10 minutes drawing a map that shows
the plan for the development of a city, suburb, and nearby
rural community. Ask them to include transportation corri-
dors, housing types, business zones, and native plant and ani-
mal habitat. If they are unfamiliar with one or more of these
categories, that is okay. Students will have an opportunity to
explore these categories in the following exercise. After 10
minutes, ask the students to share their drawings, and create a
master list of the characteristics associated with each of the
development types.
3. Discuss with the class why people like living in the suburbs,
city or rural community. What are the benefits? What are the
drawbacks?
4. If you have time, have students explore the Internet sites sug-
gested in “Extension Ideas.”
5. Summarize the steps that students will need to take to com-
plete this activity. If you have time, model going through the
decision-making process yourself.
6. Divide students into small groups. (This activity works well as
an individual activity or as homework, too.) Ask students to
go through the worksheet carefully and choose how to develop
their area. Students may need assistance understanding how to
color in the map key and the map.
7. When students are done, see who created the highest density,
the lowest density, the most jobs, the fewest jobs, the worst
pollution score, and the best pollution score.
LESSON 8 PLAN: Smart Growth or Sprawl
LESSON 8 PLANEpisode IV: Second Nature (1940s AND BEYOND)
15
Extension Ideas:
• The average two-car family takes ten car trips a day. Ask yourstudents to keep a week-long diary of how many transporta-tion trips they take. Have them note what type of transporta-tion they used (bus, car, train), how far they traveled, and howmuch time it took. At the end of the week, compile the stu-dents’ information and have them estimate the consequencesof their classroom’s transportation needs: consider gas used,pollution created, and time used.
• National Geographic has an online activity that allows stu-dents to compare sprawl and new urbanism. Go tohttp://www.nationalgeographic.com/earthpulse/sprawl/index_flash.html
• The Sierra Club has a series of “before and after” imagesshowing what the development of smart growth could looklike in typical communities. Go tohttp://www.sierraclub.org/sprawl/community/transformations/index.asp
• Internet lessons that support the Minnesota GeographyStandard: Cities and Urbanization athttp://mage.geog.macalester.edu/mngeog/CitiesInetLessons/citiesInetLessons.html
Follow-Up Ask students how they scored on their land development.
• Why did you make the choices that you did?
• How does the density of housing affect job needs?
• How does the density of housing affect transportation needs?
• How does the density of housing affect pollution?
• How could we make this simulation more realistic?
What other factors could we consider?
Episode IV: Second Nature LESSON 8 PLAN continued
16
Name: __________________________________________ Date: ______________ Class :_______________________
Imagine that you are a land developer who has boughta 36-acre old farm on the edge of the suburbs. Youneed to choose how you will develop that land. If youaren’t careful, you could end up with sprawl: areaswith little natural land, population densities of sevento twelve people per acre, jobs that require lots of cartravel, and lots of pollution. With care, you can devel-op a smart growth area: plenty of natural land, popu-lation densities of over twelve people per acre, jobsthat don’t require too much car travel, and decreasedpollution.
Consider each of these steps carefully. In the end, rate
your choices, and see how well you did. Remember to
use colored pencils, so you can change your mind and
erase things!
Step 1. Choose what types of homes and businesses to build.
HOMESFirst, color in the key below and the map above to show which types of homes you will build, and where you will build
them. Make sure you reserve some areas for developing businesses and—if you want—creating parks. After that, com-
plete the chart to show how many acres of each type of home you will develop, and how many people live there.
LESSON 8 WORKSHEETSmart Growth or Urban Sprawl
= 1 acre
Private homes 4 2 8
Estate homes 4 .05 .2 (1 home for every (4 people for 20 acres) 20 acres)
Mixed-use homes 20 3 60and businesses (match color below)
Parks, recreation 0 0 0space, or green space
Total number of people living in your development=
Number of people Number of buildings Total number of Total number Total number Key Type of home per building per acre people per acre of acres of people
17
Smart Growth or Urban Sprawl: LESSON 8 WORKSHEET continued
BUSINESSESColor in the key below and the map above to show which types of businesses you will build, and where you will
build them. After that, complete the chart to show how many acres of each type of business you will develop, and
how many jobs there will be.
Step 2. Evaluate the density and job base of your development plan.
How is your density? Take your total number of people, and divide by 36. If you got
< 7 people per acre: Fine choice. You decided to not develop your land very much.
7 to 12 people per acre: Uh-oh. You created a sprawling development.
> 12 people per acre: Good job! You built an efficient, smart-growth density!
How is your job base? Take the total number of people you have, and divide by the total number of jobs you
have. If you got
0.1 to 1: Fantastic! You created a smart-growth job base!
1.1 to 2: Pretty good! Many people will be able to work near their homes.
2 to 4: So-so. Some people can work locally, but more will have to travel.
> 4 : Uh-oh. Almost everyone will have to travel far for jobs.
Strip mall or 20 1 20big box retail
Industrial park 80 1 80
Mixed-use homes 12 3 36and businesses (match color above)
Total number of jobs developed in your development =
Number of jobs Number of buildings Total number Total number Total numberKey Type of business per building per acre of jobs per acre of acres of jobs
18
Smart Growth or Urban Sprawl: LESSON 8 WORKSHEET continued
Step 3. Choose what types of transportation to develop.
(Using the same map, place transportation symbols over the same squares where homes, businesses, and parks have
been located in Step 1).
If you have more people than jobs, you will need to create transportation systems to get them to jobs located
elsewhere. Choose which transportation solutions you will use, locate them on your map, and analyze the pollu-
tion consequences of your choices.
Step 4. Evaluate the pollution consequences of your planned transportation network.
What were your pollution consequences? Add up your pollution consequences. If you got
< -1000: Yikes! The land has changed dramatically, and the people are causing a lot of pollution.
-1000 to -1: Well, you made some efforts to consider the environment.
> 0: Hooray! You built a development that protects the environment!
How do you compare? Ask your fellow students how they did. What were the highest and the lowest numbers in
the class? What kinds of strategies or decisions helped make the most environmentally friendly development?
Can you alter your development to improve things?
Transportation Solves transportation Pollution Pollution solution needs for people in formula consequences
Build highways or freeways 4-acre area number of people in affected area x -10
Build light-rail and bus routes 3-acre area number of people in affected area x -1
Build bike paths and sidewalks 1-acre area number of people in affected areax 0
19
ANSW
ER K
EY
Co
nse
qu
ence
s in
clu
de
rem
ovi
ng
pro
du
ctiv
e so
il fr
om
ag
ricu
ltura
l use
, rem
ovi
ng
top
soil
that
is im
po
ssib
le t
o r
epro
du
ce, d
iffic
ulti
es in
tra
nsp
ort
atio
n f
or
farm
ers
wh
o r
emai
n, a
nd
th
e cr
eatio
n o
f im
per
vio
us
surf
aces
.
Wh
en m
ore
imp
ervi
ou
s su
rfac
es a
re c
reat
ed, w
ater
can
no
t se
ep in
to t
he
soil
and
be
slo
wly
filt
ered
. In
stea
d, w
ater
ru
ns
off
th
e p
avem
ent
and
dir
ectly
into
riv
ers,
lake
s, a
nd
str
eam
s w
itho
ut
bei
ng
filt
ered
.
Wh
en h
ou
ses
are
bu
ilt, t
he
hab
itat
for
bir
ds
is d
ecre
ased
. In
stea
d o
f h
avin
g
man
y p
lace
s to
nes
t o
r re
st, b
ird
s h
ave
few
er o
ptio
ns.
Th
is c
an le
ad t
o t
he
dis
app
eara
nce
of
bir
d s
pec
ies.
Po
sitiv
e as
pec
ts in
clu
de
go
od
co
mm
un
ities
, aff
ord
able
pro
per
ty, n
ewer
ho
usi
ng
,an
d lo
wer
den
sity
.
Th
e co
urt
dec
isio
n f
orc
ed R
eser
ve M
inin
g t
o s
top
pu
ttin
g it
s ta
ilin
gs
into
Lak
eS
up
erio
r. It
was
on
e o
f th
e fir
st e
ffo
rts
by
stat
e an
d f
eder
al a
gen
cies
to
sto
p a
maj
or
po
llute
r. A
lso
, th
is w
as a
vic
tory
fo
r g
rass
roo
ts e
nvi
ron
men
talis
ts a
nd
sho
wed
th
at c
itize
ns
cou
ld t
ake
on
a b
ig c
om
pan
y an
d w
in.
Th
e ta
con
ite w
aste
s cl
ou
ded
th
e w
ater
. Als
o, t
he
was
tes
wer
e ca
rryi
ng
fib
ers
that
loo
ked
like
asb
esto
s an
d m
igh
t h
ave
hel
d d
ang
ero
us
po
lluta
nts
fo
r p
eop
le a
nd
fish
an
d o
ther
wat
er s
pec
ies.
Th
e cr
eatio
n o
f th
e p
lan
t h
elp
ed
crea
te n
ew jo
bs.
Lake
Sup
erio
r is
the
larg
est f
resh
wat
er la
ke in
the
wor
ld. I
t is
very
dee
p an
d ve
ry c
old.
Mor
e th
an fi
fty
diff
eren
t spe
cies
of f
ish
coex
iste
d in
a d
elic
atel
y ba
lanc
ed s
yste
m.
Sea
lam
prey
s w
ere
an e
xotic
spe
cies
. The
y w
ere
from
a d
iffer
ent e
nvir
onm
ent.
Whe
n th
ey e
nter
ed L
ake
Sup
erio
r (t
hrou
gh th
e W
ella
nd C
anal
), th
ey b
egan
to a
ttac
hth
emse
lves
to th
e la
ke tr
out a
nd fe
ed o
ff o
f the
m. T
he la
ke tr
out h
ad n
o na
tura
lde
fens
es a
gain
st th
e se
a la
mpr
ey, a
nd th
eir
popu
latio
ns q
uick
ly d
eclin
ed.
This
loca
tion
was
con
veni
ent f
or R
eser
ve M
inin
g be
caus
e it
coul
d us
e th
e w
ater
topr
oces
s th
e ta
coni
te a
nd d
ispo
se o
f the
was
te.
20
ANSW
ER K
EY
An
swer
s w
ill v
ary.
An
swer
s w
ill v
ary.
An
swer
s w
ill v
ary.
21
ANSW
ER K
EY
Gen
eral
ly, m
ore
an
d m
ore
inva
sive
sp
ecie
s ar
e d
isco
vere
d e
ach
dec
ade.
Th
ere
was
an
incr
ease
in t
he
nu
mb
er o
f in
vasi
ve s
pec
ies
in t
he
1960
s, a
fter
th
e S
t.La
wre
nce
Sea
way
was
cre
ated
. Th
ere
may
hav
e b
een
an
incr
ease
aft
er o
ther
can
als
wer
e m
ade,
bu
t th
e g
rap
h d
oes
no
t sh
ow
an
yth
ing
dra
mat
ic.
Sh
ipp
ing
has
bee
n t
he
mo
st c
om
mo
n m
eth
od
of
rele
ase.
Sin
ce t
he
St.
Law
ren
ceS
eaw
ay w
as b
uilt
, oce
an-g
oin
g s
hip
s ca
n n
ow
en
ter
the
Gre
at L
akes
dir
ectly
.
22
ANSW
ER K
EY
On
ly 3
per
cen
t o
f in
vasi
ve s
pec
ies
cam
e fr
om
th
e P
acifi
c. T
hat
is p
rob
ably
bec
ause
th
e P
acifi
c is
far
aw
ay, a
nd
th
ew
ater
is s
alty
.
Eu
rop
e, A
sia,
or
bo
th is
th
e o
rig
in f
or
63 p
erce
nt
of
the
inva
sive
sp
ecie
s in
th
eG
reat
Lak
es. T
hat
is p
rob
ably
bec
ause
th
ey h
ave
sim
ilar
clim
ates
an
d in
lan
dfr
esh
wat
er p
ort
s w
her
e sh
ipp
ing
mat
eria
ls a
re lo
aded
.
An
swer
s m
ay v
ary.
Po
ssib
le a
nsw
ers
incl
ud
e: M
ore
an
d m
ore
sp
ecie
s ar
ear
rivi
ng
th
rou
gh
sh
ipp
ing
, an
d s
mal
l org
anis
ms
can
mo
re e
asily
su
rviv
e in
smal
l am
ou
nts
of
resi
du
al b
alla
st w
ater
or
slu
dg
e o
r se
dim
ents
in s
hip
tan
ks.
Wh
en b
alla
st w
ater
is t
aken
into
a s
hip
, th
ere
are
pro
bab
ly s
om
e fil
ters
th
atp
reve
nt
larg
er s
pec
ies
fro
m g
ettin
g s
uck
ed u
p.
Th
e fo
ur
larg
est
gro
up
s ar
e aq
uat
icp
lan
ts, z
oo
pla
nkt
on
(m
icro
sco
pic
an
i-m
als
and
oth
er in
vert
ebra
tes)
, fis
h, a
nd
ph
yto
pla
nkt
on
(m
icro
sco
pic
pla
nts
).
23
SUGGESTED RESOURCES
Web Sites
Census Bureau: www.census.gov/
Great Lakes Environmental Education: www.greatlakesed.org
Invasive Species: http://dnr.state.mn.us/ecological_services/invasives.html
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources: www.dnr.state.mn.us/
Minnesota Department of Planning Maps: http://www.lmic.state.mn.us/mapping_services.html
Minnesota Environmental Atlas: http://www.lmic.state.mn.us/EPPL7/Atlas/
Minnesota Geography Standard: Cities and Urbanization:
http://mage.geog.macalester.edu/mngeog/CitiesInetLessons/citiesInetLessons.html
Minnesota History Curriculum, Northern Lights: http://www.mnhs.org/school/classroom/nlights.html
Minnesota Office of Environmental Education: www.moea.state.mn.us/ee/index.cfm
Minnesota Population Distribution Map: http://www.mnplan.state.mn.us/maps/2001/DotState.pdf
National Geographic Sprawl Exploration: www.nationalgeographic.com/earthpulse/sprawl/index_flash.html
Sierra Club Sprawl “Before and After”: www.sierraclub.org/sprawl/community/transformations/index.asp
Upper Mississippi Subbasin: www.epa.gov/msbasin/upper.htm
Books for Teachers
Tester, John. Minnesota’s Natural Heritage. University of Minnesota, 1995.
Wagner, Nancy O’Brien and Hilary Wackman. Northern Lights: The Stories of Minnesota’s Past (annotated
Teacher’s Edition). Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2004.
Books for Students
Arthus-Bertrand, Yahn. The Future of the Earth: An Introduction to Sustainable Development for Young Readers.
Harry N. Abrams, 2004.
Dolan, Edward. Our Poisoned Waters. Dutton Books, 1997.
Hoose, Phillip. The Race to Save the Lord God Bird. Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2004.
24
WEB SITE
Minnesota: A History of the Land is a four-part documentary series that weaves together human and natural
history and illustrates the historical and ongoing importance of Minnesota’s landscapes to the social, cultural,
and economic systems of the region. To learn more about the series, and dig deeper into the history of
Minnesota, visit the web site. On the site, you can:
• View Interactive Maps
• View 4-minute Video Clip
• Order the CD Soundtrack
• Order the Series on DVD
www.historyoftheland.org
The Minnesota: A History of the Land web
site provides brief overview of each episode,
behind-the-scenes information, video trailer,
interactive maps, and much more.
On the web site, you will have
access to interactive maps featured in
the 4-part video that illustrates
Minnesota’s major biomes, water-
sheds, and glacial history.
25
Scale:
0 50 mi
Major Lakes & Rivers LAC QUI PARLE
BIG STONE
STEVENS
SWIFT
TRAVERSE
CHIPPEWA
LINCOLN LYON
MURRAYPIPE-STONE
YELLOW MEDICINE
REDWOOD
RENVILLE
ROCK NOBLES JACKSON MARTIN FARIBAULT
NICOLLET LE SUEUR
COTTON-WOOD WATON-
WANBLUEEARTH
BROWN
FREEBORN
DODGE
RICE GOODHUE
MOWER
STEELEWASECA WINONAOLMSTED
WABASHA
FILLMORE HOUSTON
SCOTT DAKOTA
CARVER
SIBLEY
MCLEOD
MEEKERHENNEPIN RAM-
SEY
WASHIN
GTON
ANOKA
CHISAGO
ISANTIBENTON
WRIGHT
COOK
ITASCA
KOOCHICHING
LAKE
ST. LOUIS
Aitkin CARLTON
CASS
BELTRAMICLEARWATER
CLAYBECKER
DOUGLASGRANT
KITTSON
MAHN-OMEN
LAKE OF THE WOODS
MILLE LACS
KANABEC
HUBBARD
CROW WING
NORMAN
PENNINGTON
POLK
RED LAKE
ROSEAU
OTTER TAIL
MARSHALL
WADEN
A
TODD
STEARNS
MORRISON
KANDIYOHI
POPE
PINE
SHERBURNE
WILKIN
Upper Red Lake
Lower Red Lake
Lake of the Woods
Rainy Lake
Lake Winnibigoshish
Lac qui Parle
Lake Pepin
Mille Lacs
Leech Lake
Lake Superior
Big Stone Lake
Red River
Red River
Mississippi River
Mississippi River
Root River
Minnesota River
Cannon River
St. Croix River
Saint Paul
Duluth
Mankato
Minneapolis
Grand Marais
InternationalFalls
Worthington
Morris
Bemidji
Hinckley
Moorhead
Roseau
GrandRapids
Brainerd
Rochester
MAP 1: MINNESOTA COUNTY REFERENCE MAP
26
Lake Superior
Mississippi
Red River
Watersheds
MAP 2: MAJOR WATERSHEDS OF MINNESOTA
Lake Superior
Mississippi
Red River
Watersheds
27
Lake Superior
Basin
Mississippi HeadwatersBasin
Minnesota River Basin
Lower Mississippi-
Cannon-Root
Rivers Basin
Lower Mississippi-
Reno Rivers BasinLower Mississippi-Cedar-
Wapsipinicon Rivers Basin
Des Moines
River Basin
Red River Basin
Rainy River Basin
Missouri-Big Sioux Rivers Basin
Missouri-Little Sioux Rivers Basin
Major Watersheds
St. Croix River
Basin
MAP 3: SUBWATERSHEDS OF MINNESOTA
28
Prairie
Deciduous Forest
Coniferous Forest
Biomes (around 1850)
MAP 4: MAJOR BIOMES OF MINNESOTA (around 1850)
Prairie
Deciduous Forest
Coniferous Forest
Biomes (around 1850)
29
Over 16001400-16001200-14001000-1200600-1000Lakes
Elevation (feet)
MAP 5: ELEVATIONS OF MINNESOTA
Over 16001400-16001200-14001000-1200600-1000Lakes
Elevation (feet)
30
Low
Middle
High
Precipitation
MAP 6: PRECIPITATION PATTERNS OF MINNESOTA
Low
Middle
High
Precipitation
31
Population DensityPer Sq. Mile 2000
10 or fewer
11 to 50
51 to 100
101 to 200
More than 200
MAP 7: MINNESOTA POPULATION DENSITY/SQUARE MILE (circa 2000)
32
Major RiMajor Ri
Develocombined and minin
AgricuForest/combined and brush
Wetlanprairie wepeatlands
Lakes Rivers
Land Use inMinnesota
MAP 8: LAND USE IN MINNESOTA 2000
Major RiversMajor Rivers
Developed combined urban, rural, and mining development
AgricultureForest/Brush combined forested landand brushland
Wetland prairie wetlands,peatlands, forest swamp
Lakes Rivers
Land Use in Minnesota 2000