Geography · 10th Grade

Active learning ideas

Informal Economies in Cities

Active learning works because informal economies are dynamic and place-based, requiring students to engage with real spatial patterns rather than abstract theories. By mapping, comparing cases, and analyzing perspectives, students see how geography shapes economic survival strategies in cities. This approach moves beyond definitions to build spatial reasoning skills that textbooks alone can’t provide.

• Common Core State Standards
• C3: D2.Geo.9.9-12
• C3: D2.Eco.13.9-12

• 20–35 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Case Study Analysis
• 25 min · Pairs

Map Analysis: Where Informal Work Clusters in the City

Provide a stylized or real city map showing transit lines, wealthy districts, industrial zones, and informal settlements. Student pairs annotate where they predict informal economic activity is highest and lowest, then compare their predictions against survey data or satellite imagery. Debrief focuses on the geographic logic driving clustering.

Analyze how informal economies in slums support the wider city economy.

Facilitation Tip

During Map Analysis, have students first sketch their own maps of informal clusters before comparing them to official city maps to highlight discrepancies.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine you are an urban planner in a rapidly growing city in India. What are the top two geographic challenges posed by the informal economy, and what is one strategy you might propose to address them?' Facilitate a class discussion where students share their ideas and reasoning.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Decision-Making
• Self-Management

Activity 02

• Case Study Analysis
• 35 min · Small Groups

Case Comparison: Nairobi vs. Bogota Informal Sector Policy

Give small groups a one-page briefing on how Nairobi and Bogota have each approached informal vendors , one using enforcement-heavy relocation, one using formalization programs. Groups identify which approach produced better economic and social outcomes and what geographic factors shaped each city's options. Groups present their findings to the class.

Differentiate between formal and informal economic sectors in urban settings.

Facilitation Tip

For Case Comparison, assign each small group one policy document and one newspaper article to ensure they analyze multiple perspectives before synthesizing differences.

What to look for

Provide students with a simplified map of a fictional city showing informal settlements, transit lines, and commercial zones. Ask them to identify and label three areas where informal economic activity is likely to be concentrated, explaining their choices based on geographic principles.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Decision-Making
• Self-Management

Activity 03

• Think-Pair-Share
• 20 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Is Informality a Choice or a Constraint?

Students individually answer: do workers choose informal employment for its flexibility, or are they excluded from formal work? Students write a one-paragraph position, then pair with someone who argued the opposite. Pairs must produce a single nuanced statement that acknowledges both forces before sharing with the class.

Evaluate the challenges and opportunities presented by informal economies for urban planning.

Facilitation Tip

In Think-Pair-Share, provide a short reading with conflicting viewpoints on informality to ground the discussion in evidence rather than opinions.

What to look for

On an index card, have students write one sentence differentiating the informal economy from the formal economy, and one sentence explaining a geographic pattern observed in informal economies.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 04

• Gallery Walk
• 30 min · Small Groups

Gallery Walk: Informal Economy Stakeholder Perspectives

Post six stations with quotes or short testimonials from a street vendor, a formal business owner, a city planner, a tax authority official, a domestic worker, and a city resident. Students circulate, noting each stakeholder's interest in the informal economy and points of conflict. Final discussion: whose interests should urban policy prioritize?

Analyze how informal economies in slums support the wider city economy.

Facilitation Tip

In Gallery Walk, place images of informal workspaces alongside quotes from workers to humanize data and avoid abstract discussions.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine you are an urban planner in a rapidly growing city in India. What are the top two geographic challenges posed by the informal economy, and what is one strategy you might propose to address them?' Facilitate a class discussion where students share their ideas and reasoning.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should anchor lessons in students’ lived experiences by starting with familiar examples, such as street food vendors or ride-sharing drivers, before introducing global data. Avoid framing informality as a problem to solve—present it as a rational adaptation to urban constraints. Research shows that students grasp spatial inequities better when they map their own neighborhoods first, then compare those patterns to official data.

Successful learning looks like students identifying geographic clusters of informal work, explaining policy differences between cities, and articulating why informality persists despite formalization efforts. They should connect spatial patterns to policy outcomes and stakeholder needs with evidence from maps, cases, and discussions. Misconceptions should be challenged with data and examples during activities.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Map Analysis, watch for students labeling all informal work as illegal or criminal.

  Use the survey data provided in the activity to have students categorize activities as legal but unregistered, quasi-legal, or illegal, and explain the geographic distribution of each.

• During Case Comparison, watch for students assuming formalization is always beneficial.

  Have students analyze both successful and failed formalization case studies side by side, noting how context—such as access to credit or police corruption—affects outcomes. Direct them to compare tax revenue gains against displacement risks.

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Methods used in this brief

• Case Study Analysis
• Think-Pair-Share
• Gallery Walk