Activity 01
Jigsaw: Location Theories
Divide class into expert groups, each assigned one theory (Weber, Hotelling, behavioral). Experts study key elements and examples for 15 minutes, then regroup to teach peers and apply theories to a case study. Conclude with whole-class synthesis.
Explain how Weber's Least Cost Theory accounts for the location of manufacturing industries.
Facilitation TipIn the Jigsaw Protocol, assign each expert group a specific location theory to teach and provide a one-page summary with a worked example so they stay focused during peer teaching.
What to look forPresent students with a scenario: A company wants to build a new electronics assembly plant. Ask them to identify two factors from Weber's theory and two factors from contemporary globalization that would influence their site selection, and briefly explain why each is important.
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Activity 02
Mapping Activity: Historical vs Modern Sites
Provide maps of Canada and global regions. Pairs plot past industries (e.g., pulp mills near forests) and current ones (e.g., tech assembly in Ontario), annotating influencing factors from theories. Discuss shifts in a gallery walk.
Compare and contrast the factors influencing industrial location in the past versus today's globalized economy.
Facilitation TipFor the Mapping Activity, give students two colors: one for historical sites and one for modern sites, and require a legend with at least one sentence explaining each site’s location logic.
What to look forFacilitate a class discussion using the prompt: 'Imagine you are advising a company considering relocating its manufacturing from China to Canada. What are the top three advantages and disadvantages they might face, considering both historical and modern location factors?'
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Activity 03
Debate Circles: Past vs Present Factors
Form inner and outer circles. Inner debates transportation vs labor in past eras; outer observes and switches to argue globalization factors. Rotate twice, then vote on most influential changes.
Predict how automation and artificial intelligence might alter future industrial location patterns.
Facilitation TipDuring Debate Circles, post the key factors from Weber’s theory and globalization on the board so students must explicitly reference them in their arguments.
What to look forAsk students to write down one specific industry that might be considered 'footloose' today and explain in 2-3 sentences why its location is not heavily dependent on raw materials or traditional transportation costs.
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Activity 04
Simulation Game: Site Selection
Students act as executives choosing factory sites based on randomized cost cards (transport, labor, etc.). In small groups, negotiate trade-offs using Weber's model, then present decisions and recalculate with AI scenarios.
Explain how Weber's Least Cost Theory accounts for the location of manufacturing industries.
Facilitation TipRun the Simulation Game in rounds, debriefing between rounds to let students revise their choices based on new cost data or constraints.
What to look forPresent students with a scenario: A company wants to build a new electronics assembly plant. Ask them to identify two factors from Weber's theory and two factors from contemporary globalization that would influence their site selection, and briefly explain why each is important.
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Generate Complete Lesson→A few notes on teaching this unit
Experienced teachers approach this topic by first anchoring students in concrete cases before introducing models, because abstract theories make more sense after students feel the tension between costs and benefits. Avoid starting with Weber’s formulas; instead, let students grapple with why a steel mill might locate near a coal field or a market, then formalize the theory afterward. Research shows that students retain these models better when they first experience the cognitive dissonance of competing location priorities, which active learning activities naturally create.
Successful learning shows up when students can apply Weber’s cost-balancing logic to new cases, explain how historical and modern factors interact, and critique simplistic assumptions about industrial location. Evidence of growth includes revised initial predictions after simulations, precise location choices in debates, and clear links between factors and outcomes in mapping exercises.
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
During the Simulation Game, watch for students who assume industries always locate near raw materials.
Use the Simulation Game’s cost sheets to have students compare scenarios where labor or market access overrides raw material proximity, then ask them to revise their site selection and explain the trade-offs they discovered.
During the Mapping Activity, watch for students who think globalization removes all location constraints.
Have students annotate their maps with arrows showing supply chain connections, then lead a peer review where students compare maps to identify persistent constraints such as policy zones or infrastructure limits.
During Debate Circles, watch for students who claim automation makes all sites equally viable.
Prompt students to cite specific factors from the debate prompts that still shape location choices, such as energy costs or data infrastructure, and require them to defend their positions with evidence from the discussion materials.
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