Grades 9-12 Lesson Plan - Expanding Communities

Map 16 Main Page

Core Map: "Pictorial Map of the 130 Acre Farm of Jonathan Miller, on West half of section 36, Township 18, Range 6, Northwest suburbs of Athens, Menard Co., Illinois." In Illustrated Atlas of Menard County, Illinois (Edwardsville, IL: W. R. Brink & Co., 1874). Newberry Library call number: +F896565.43. (Printable PDF version of the Core Map)

Resources related to Map16.
Curator's Notes for Map 16.

Overview
In this lesson, students analyze the economic community in a Midwest agricultural region and identify patterns of an expanding sense of community based on the type of services provided.

Objectives
Students will be able to:

1. determine economic activities in a community by exploring a county atlas from 1874.
2. explain the relationship between economic services and distance.

Materials
Computer image or overhead of the core map; Township 18 North, Range 6 West; Township/Range Business Profiles; Sketch of Athens; Mr. Miller's Expanding Community; Sectional Map of Menard County Illinois; highlighters

Suggested Time
Two 45 minute periods

Key Terms
models, township and range, economic activity, primary economic activity, secondary economic activity, tertiary economic activity

Getting Started

1. Pair up students. Distribute the core map to each pair or have them access it on-line. Give students background about the map (see Curator's Notes). Ask students to study the map and pictures and to list information that they can learn about Mr. Miller by studying it.

2. Have students share the information about Mr. Miller. Ask students: What economic activity does he appear to be engaged in? What other economic goods and services might he need in order to sustain his economic activity? From where would he obtain these goods and/or services?

3. Introduce students to three economic terms and the activities which they include: primary, secondary, tertiary. Ask students to identify to which group Mr. Miller belongs.

1. Distribute the Township 18 North, Range 6 West Sectional Map, and the Sectional Map of Menard County to each student. Inform students that the township and range system was developed as a locational device. Counties often have townships, which may or may not follow the township and range system. Help students to see the relationship between the township map and the county map. (For background information on the township and range system, see the Understanding Township and Range and USPLS Sections handouts from Map 6.)

2. Have students locate Mr. Miller's farm in Section 36 of the Township 18 North, Range 6 West Sectional Map. Have students locate Township 18, Range 6, the Town of Athens, and Mr. Miller's Farm on the Sectional Map of Menard County. Explain that township and range numbers are useful for finding the same location on two maps. Encourage students to look for common features such as railroads to locate Mr. Miller's Farm.

3. Pass out copies of the Sketch of Athens. As they review the information on the Township/Range Business Profiles handout, discuss new insights about the distribution of economic activities in Menard County. For example, Petersburg is the county seat, but each section in the county also has a city. How are these connected? What services do each provide?

4. With their partner, have students add to their list of information that they can learn about Mr. Miller from the map and reading. Discuss whether Mr. Miller can obtain all the goods and services he needs within his immediate community of Athens, within his extended community of his section, within his township. What goods or services might he still need which are not immediately available?

5. Have students complete the Mr. Miller's Expanding Community handout.

6. What is Mr. Miller's Community? Have students write a short paper explaining the expanding communities of Mr. Miller. They should summarize his needs and services and how distance plays a role in where the tertiary activities are located.

For 3 points, the student writes a well-composed essay titled "What is Mr. Miller's Community?" The essay includes the expanding community, discusses some of the economic activities in the communities, and explains in some detail the relationship between economic services and distances. The student identifies tertiary activities.

For 2 points, the student writes an essay titled "What is Mr. Miller's Community?" Discussion of the expanding communities and some knowledge of economic activity in relationship to distances is included.

For 1 point, the student writes an essay titled "What is Mr. Miller's Community?" The essay has significant grammatical errors and does not define the relationship between economic activities and distance.

Extensions

1. Have students use their neighborhood or town as another example of expanding communities. Identify which types of economic activities are prominent in their community. Then determine additional needs and services. To where would they need to travel in order to receive these services?
2. Introduce or review economic models which show the relationship of distances for goods and services. Ask students to apply the models to the maps and information about Menard County. Which model seems to be best represented?
3. Discuss quaternary economic services.
4. Discuss the impact of the development of Internet on one's "community."