Which is more important: understanding where you are from or understanding the world beyond that place? Trick question. In our increasingly interconnected world, it is becoming more and more important for our students to both understand their own community and how it connects and compares to a broader world. A Community Migration Story In this activity, students have an opportunity to make these connections through … Continue reading Weekly Warm-Up: Your Community Migration Story
GEOGRAPHY Urban smellscape researcher Kate McLean travels the world mapping scents: Edinburgh smells of the brewery and penguin poo, New York’s summer is ripe with garlic and spilled beer, while Amsterdam smells of … damp? (Guardian) Chart your own “smellscape” and other geography adventures with Mission: Explore! Teachers, scroll down for a quick list of key resources in our Teachers’ Toolkit. “My process of smellmap … Continue reading Sniffing out Cartography
UNITED STATES New studies show that where poor kids grow up has a huge effect on how much money they earn as adults. How does your county measure up? (New York Times) “Neighborhoods matter in a really big way,” says one researcher. Use our resources to better understand neighborhoods. Teachers, scroll down for a quick list of key resources in our Teachers’ Toolkit. Discussion Ideas … Continue reading Where You Grow Up Matters
UNITED STATES Chinatowns are at risk of disappearing due to accelerated gentrification, according to a new report. The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) surveyed Chinatowns in Boston, New York, and Philadelphia and found that the Asian populations in all communities are decreasing while rent and median housing value are increasing. (China Daily) Use our resources to better understand neighborhoods and cultural diversity … Continue reading Chinatowns Threatened by Gentrification
Can you walk to buy groceries? To school or work? To your favorite restaurant? To the nearest hospital? These are just a few of the factors that are
taken into account when determining just how walkable a neighborhood is. Walkscore.com
ranks neighborhoods in the US,
Canada, and the United Kingdom
on a scale of 1-100 for their walkability. A neighborhood with a score below 50 is considered
“car-dependent.” A score of 90 to 100 is a “Walker’s
Paradise.” Sarah C., resident blogger here at MWW, lives
in a DC neighborhood with a Walk Score of 98. And, to boot, she walks to work every day!
With skyrocketing gas prices and increasing rates of
obesity in our country, it’s no wonder people are becoming more concerned about
the walkability of their communities. What
makes a neighborhood walkable? According
to Walk Score, it’s about having a pedestrian-friendly central area of town
where most businesses, schools, and public spaces are located. The site recently released a list of the most
– and least – walkable communities in the country, with San Francisco and New York
coming out on top. Certain neighborhoods
in these cities scored a perfect 100! (e.g. San Fran’s Chinatown)
Walk Scores for cities with the highest walkability …
1. San Francisco: 86
2. New York: 83
3. Boston: 79
4. Chicago: 76
5. Philadelphia: 74
6. Seattle: 72
7. Washington, D.C.: 70
8. Long Beach, Calif.: 69
9. Los Angeles: 67
10. Portland, Ore.: 66
