Geography · 9th Grade

Active learning ideas

North American Urban Models

Cities are dynamic, human-made systems where patterns emerge from economic, social, and geographic forces. Active learning lets students test these patterns themselves, not just memorize them. By moving from abstract diagrams to real-world maps, students see how theory meets practice in ways that stick.

• Common Core State Standards
• C3: D2.Geo.5.9-12
• C3: D2.Geo.2.9-12

• 15–35 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Jigsaw
• 35 min · Small Groups

Jigsaw: Urban Model Experts

Divide students into three groups, one per model (Burgess, Hoyt, Multiple Nuclei). Each group learns their model thoroughly, then students regroup with one expert from each model. Together they apply all three to a provided US city map, arguing which fits best using evidence. Each group presents its conclusion and reasoning.

Analyze how transportation technologies (trams, cars, highways) shape city layout according to urban models.

Facilitation Tip

During the Jigsaw, assign each expert group a model and one real city to map, so they practice fitting theory to place.

What to look for

Provide students with a simplified map of a US city and ask them to sketch where the CBD, industrial zones, and different residential areas might be located according to the Concentric Zone Model. Then, ask them to identify one factor that might cause deviations from this model in that specific city.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 02

• Gallery Walk
• 25 min · Small Groups

Gallery Walk: City Maps vs. Models

Post large printed maps of four or five US cities. Student groups rotate, sketching which model best fits each city and adding sticky-note evidence. Debrief focuses on what factors (age, transportation technology, topography) explain why different cities fit different models.

Explain why different ethnic or economic groups cluster in specific urban zones.

Facilitation Tip

For the Gallery Walk, hang maps and model diagrams side by side, and ask students to annotate mismatches directly on the posters.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'How has the widespread adoption of the automobile and the development of suburban highways challenged the predictions of the Burgess and Hoyt models?' Facilitate a discussion where students cite specific examples of urban sprawl or decentralized commercial centers.

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

Activity 03

• Think-Pair-Share
• 15 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Why Does Wealth Move Outward?

Project a cross-section graphic of a generic concentric-zone city. Pairs discuss why wealthy residents historically moved to outer rings rather than staying near the center. Share-out leads to a class discussion connecting transportation technologies (trams, highways) to the spatial logic of each model.

Compare the applicability of the Concentric Zone, Sector, and Multiple Nuclei models to a specific US city.

Facilitation Tip

In the Think-Pair-Share, give students 90 seconds to sketch a simple timeline for one model’s formation before they pair up to compare notes.

What to look for

Ask students to write down which of the three urban models (Concentric Zone, Sector, or Multiple Nuclei) they believe best describes their own city or a major city they are familiar with. They should provide one specific piece of evidence from the city's geography to support their choice.

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

A few notes on teaching this unit

Start with the models as historical snapshots, not timeless laws. Use analogies students know: concentric rings like tree rings, sectors like pizza slices, and nuclei like scattered islands. Avoid presenting these as finished products; instead, show how each model was a response to the limits of the last. Research shows that when students trace the flaws in a model, they grasp its purpose better than when they simply learn its steps.

Students will move from recognizing model names to explaining why a single model rarely fits any real city perfectly. They will analyze maps, debate trade-offs, and justify their choices with clear evidence. By the end, they should critique models as tools, not truths.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Jigsaw: Urban Model Experts, some students may assume the Burgess Concentric Zone Model accurately describes all American cities.

  During the Jigsaw, assign each expert group a post-1950 city like Phoenix or Las Vegas and ask them to map it using the Concentric Zone Model. When they notice mismatches, direct them to add arrows and notes showing where highways, airports, or deserts disrupt the rings.

• During Gallery Walk: City Maps vs. Models, students may treat the models as neutral descriptions of how cities naturally grow.

  During the Gallery Walk, include a short reading on redlining and exclusionary zoning next to each map. Ask students to circle any language in the models that reflects these historical practices, then share one example with the class.

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Methods used in this brief

• Jigsaw
• Gallery Walk
• Think-Pair-Share