Impacts of Urbanization on the Environment

As the city populations grew...more and more...

We have previously learned a great deal about the impact of urbanization on individuals and society but what about the environment?  
Take a journey to discover the changes industrialization and urbanization during the late 1800's and early 1900's brought to our nation's natural resources:  land, water, and air.  Throughout your quest you will also discover how these unwanted changes spurred new policies and reforms that our city planners and government policy makers follow today in order to protect our valuable resources....

Select "Task" from the menu to begin your Webquest.

Your task for this unit is to follow the links for our characters, "Then" and "Now," as they guide you through urbanization impacts on land (waste managment), air, and water.  You will create an outline and a product of your choosing to demonstrate your understanding of the changes brought to our natural resources as a result of rapid growth of large population centers.

So without further ado, allow me to introduce:

CITIZEN THEN

and

CITIZEN NOW

Follow the link to "Process" to learn more about your task.

First Steps:

1. You will be working with a partner.  Decide who will explore this topic by following Citizen Then and who will be Citizen Now.
2. Follow your character's readings and images to learn more about urbanization and industrialization impacts on air, water, and land (garbage and litter).
3. As you explore this webquest and learn on your journey, use the information to create an outline for your partner to share your findings.  This outline will be turned in for an individual grade.  It will also help you and your teammate to create your final collaborative product.
4. After you and your partner have completed your quests and shared your findings, use this information to demonstrate the contrast of then and now as it relates to the period of the industrial revolution and today.  Choose a project to work on together.

Resources:

1. Citizen Then worksheet and outline organizer.
2. Citizen Now worksheet and outline organizer.

Collaborative Project Choices:

1. Create a wiki or blog describing the environmental hazards that occured in the big industrial cities in the late 1800s -- early 1900s and what our local and/or national governments do today to help prevent this devastation.
2. Create a crossword puzzle or wordsearch with at least 10 important terms from this webquest using accurate definitions for clues.
3. Create a Powerpoint slide show or Prezi presentation that contrasts enviornmental hazards during the industrial revolution and what Americans do today to help conserve our natural resources.