Urban Expansion
Data, Graphs, and Maps
Grades6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12Biology, Earth and Space Sciences, Geography
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Provided by Google Earth
What it is
- This interactive time-lapse map takes students to Las Vegas, Dallas-Fort Worth, Seoul, Shanghai, São Paulo, Lagos, Paris, Dubai, and Singapore to explore urban expansion over time.
- Satellite imagery dates back to 1985 and each location includes a summary of the changes observed and some of the unique features of each location.
Teaching tips
Positives
- The descriptions provide information about the drivers of urban expansion, mitigating factors, and/or some solutions to the challenges faced in different locations.
- Seeing these changes from satellite imagery is a powerful way to introduce students to a number of related topics.
Additional Prerequisites
- If you are using wireless Internet or a slower connection, it may take longer for the images to load.
- Pausing the progression of images allows students to compare the images from different years and identify all of the changes.
Differentiation
- Students could use this resource as a whole-class activity, in groups, or as an individual activity.
- Connections with social studies, history, or economics classes could be made when discussing how the distribution of people within a country and/or the overall population size of a country might affect various factors such as trade, education, living standards, pollution, or inequality.
- Other resources related to this topic include this lesson plan on analyzing land changes over time, this interactive map of the world's air pollution, and this video on what would happen if we cut down all of a city's trees.
From the scientist review
This resource displays precise spatial locations of areas of urban expansion. The resource is recommended for teaching.
Ready to use it?
Hosted on earth.google.com
Want this to fit your class?
Add your location for local examples, questions, and action ideas.
