1: Comparing and Contrasting Communities in Minnesota

2: Guide Creation Information

Guide Author

Erick Boe

District

St. Peter Middle/High School ISD 508

Date Created

06/06/2011

Guide Description

This guide has students using plat maps, historical atlases, and Google Earth to explore changes in the geography of Minnesota. Land use issues have become increasingly controversial. Some of the possible topics include: urban sprawl, agricultural/residential conflict, eminent domain, developing new transportation systems, and urban planning. Students should be able to indentify land use patterns in the past and present, and predict possible land use patterns of the future.

3: Guide Characteristics

Title of Main Academic Standard used in Guide

Minnesota DRAFT K-12 Academic Standards in Social Studies (April 29, 2011)

Grade Level

8

Learning Level

Reinforced

National Holiday/Special Occasion (optional)

Source Format Emphasized

Maps, Plat Books, and Historical Atlases

Geographic Region Emphasized (optional)

I recommend you focus on a current land use issue in your local community.

Other Minnesota Reflections Guide(s) Related to this Guide (optional)

4: Main Standard Emphasized in Guide

Standard Title

Minnesota Draft K-12 Academic Standards in Social Studies April 29, 2011

Category

Social Studies

Strand

Geography

Sub-strand

The World In Spatial Terms

Standard

Geographers use maps and other geographic representations, tools, and technologies to acquire, analyze, and report information from a spatial perspective.

Benchmark 1: standard number

8.3.6.1.1

Benchmark 1: text

Obtain and analyze geographic information from a variety of print and electronic sources.

Benchmark 2: standard number

8.3.6.1.2

Benchmark 2: text

Select the most useful geographic tool to investigate places and answer specific questions.

Benchmark 3: standard number

Benchmark 3: text

Benchmark 4: standard number

Benchmark 4: text

5: Another Standard Emphasized in Guide (optional)

Standard Title

Category

Strand

Sub-strand

Standard

Benchmark 1: standard number

Benchmark 1: text

Benchmark 2: standard number

Benchmark 2: text

Benchmark 3: standard number

Benchmark 3: text

Benchmark 4: standard number

Benchmark 4: text

6: Additional Standards and/or Skills (reading, math, media literacy, interdisciplinary)

Reading: standard number

Reading: standard text

Math: standard number

Math: standard text

Media Literacy: standard number

9.9.5.5

Media Literacy: standard text

Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations.

Interdisciplinary Connection

Minnesota Reflections Resources

7: Search Strategy

Things to Think About

What are some of current land use issues in your community? How has your community changed? What do you think your community will look like in the future?

Keywords

Atlas, Plat Book, Township, Patron, Survey

Other ideas (to assist with discovery)

Student interest will increase if they are able to study the community in which they live or one in which they have a personal interest. In larger communities, students may want to focus on a neighborhood or some smaller subunit.

Challenges to finding resources on this standard

Historical atlases are not available for every area of the state.

8: Minnesota Reflections Top Picks

Title

Date created

Description

Format (photo, map, letter)

"Cite the Item" link

Plat Book of Nicollet County Minnesota, 1899

1899

The book includes 31 pages of color maps of all 13 Nicollet County townships, its 8 cities and villages.

Atlas

http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/nico/id/2012

Map of Duluth: City of Duluth 1865

1865

An early map of the city of Duluth.

Map

http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/nemhc/id/2766

Plat book of Hennepin County, Minnesota; Plat book of Ramsey County, Minnesota

1898

Maps of all of the townships and communities in Hennepin County and Ramsey County.

Atlas

http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/mhs/id/1299

Plat Book of Stearns County Minnesota, 1896

1896

Plat book of Stearns County, Minnesota. 37 Stearns County townships and 36 cities and towns.

Atlas

http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/stearns/id/389

Atlas of St. Paul, Minn. (plat book) - Volume 1, 1891-01

1891-01

An atlas for the city of St. Paul compiled by the Rasher Insurance Map Publishing Co. Volume 1 of a 4 volume set.

Atlas

http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/spp/id/480

Standard Atlas of Mower County, Minnesota of 1896

1896

Standard Atlas of Mower County, Minnesota, 1896. A plat book of the villages, cities and townships of the county.

Atlas

http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/ref/collection/mow/id/404

9: Specific Minnesota Reflections Collection(s) to Consider (optional)

I recommend looking for resources in the communities that your students live in. If resources are not available for their own community, they should select another location that they have some connection with.

10: Helpful Tips (optional)

Plat maps are used in agribusiness and natural resource management industries. Locating landmarks that can be found on the historical maps as well as Google Earth will help students identify changes that have occurred over time. Students could share the results of their research in a PowerPoint slide show with side-by-side comparisons of locations in the community they studied. The county recorderÕs office is also an excellent source of information.

11: Ideas for Lesson Plans Using this Guide (optional)

In my experience, students enjoy exploring how their communities have changed over time.

12: Other Online Collections that Help Teach this Standard (optional)

Library of Congress collection of Panoramic Maps 1847-1929 http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/pmhtml/panhome.html