Three Different Types Communities: Urban, Suburban and Rural
This lesson involves characteristics of the different types of communities (rural, urban, and suburban) on a second-grade level.
Lesson Created By: ErinWatson
Essential Question
What are the characteristics of suburban, urban, and rural communities?
Grade(s):
- Kindergarten
- 1
Subject(s):
Recommended Technology:
Smart Board
Laptops/Chromebooks
Other Instructional Materials or Notes:
If students are 1 to 1 with ipads, it will be easier to use the Padlet. If not, the teacher can type from their computer.
Lesson Progression
- The teacher can gain interest in learning about different types of communities by reading the book (link in resources section):
Lily's New Home
Or by showing the video "The City Mouse and the Country Mouse" Read Aloud for Kids (link in resources section)
- The teacher will introduce three different types of communities.
- Explain to your students that urban means a city community, often with tall buildings and homes close together, rural refers to a community with open land and sometimes farms and that suburban as a community located near a city, often more family-oriented with neighborhoods/subdivisions.
- The teacher should locate examples of each using google images.
- The teacher should ask students to determine the similarities and differences of each community. For example, the teacher may point out the different ways people in a rural area travel versus those in an urban area.
- The teacher will show the video about the three different types of communities. Students will complete the "Three Different Type of Communities" handout.
- Students will draw a picture of their community/find pictures online that depict their community.
- Students will need to label at least 5 things and determine which category they would you place their community? Why?
Teacher Notes
- Enrichment: Watch Brain Pop video on three different types of communities. Create Google slideshow of different types of communities around the US.
- Remediation-Students can find pictures online rather than writing/drawing.
Communities Introduction
This video is an introduction to Urban, Suburban, and Rural communities.
View ResourceRural, Suburban, and Urban video from Brain Pop
Brain Pop video on three different types of communities.
View ResourceLily's New Home
Lily and her parents move from their suburban neighborhood to New York City. Lily is used to living in a house on a quiet street. When they arrive at their new apartment, Lily notices the amount of activity all around. Kids play jump rope on one corner. Buses and taxis zoom by. Lily feels like a small ant on such a busy block and worries that she’ll never feel at home. As she and her parents explore their new, multicultural neighborhood, Lily discovers that sometimes change can be a good thing.
View ResourceStandards
- K.2 Utilize the college and career skills of a geographer to apply map skills and draw conclusions about place in one’s personal community.
- 1.H.1 Identify similarities and differences between one’s community and other South Carolina communities over time.
- 1.G.3 Identify and differentiate between rural, suburban, and urban areas within South Carolina.
- 1.E.3 Research and describe how goods and services differ in rural, suburban, and urban areas in South Carolina.
Assessments
Students create a map of a community showing the characteristics of their chosen community.