Exploring Mall Locations
Students will examine the significance of the location of shopping malls. Huntsville, Alabama, is used as an example to illustrate that different human activities have different location requirements.
Content Preview: This investigation examines the significance of the location of shopping malls. Huntsville, Alabama, is used as an example to illustrate that different human activities have different location requirements. Studying malls helps students to develop a spatial perspective. Students use this spatial perspective to explore how malls and other commercial land uses relate to the location of residences, roads, and local traffic. Studying malls helps students understand economic patterns in the landscape.
1. Have students develop a list of different topics that they think NASA scientists are studying. Share the list with the class. Discuss the topics presented and have students identify which topics are local issues and which may be global issues.
2. Using this discussion as a starting point, explain to students that NASA scientists study many different topics and use photos and data gathered by airplanes as well as images and data gathered by satellites. Sometimes the topics that NASA scientists study are very important in local communities. In all locations, it is important for us to know how human activities affect the use of land.
3. Open the discussion of the impact of shopping malls on the landscape by asking students to write some reasons why it is important to have convenient places to shop. List the reasons on the board or overhead transparency. Student ideas may include:
a) People have diverse needs and wants that are filled by buying goods and services.
b) People like to go to nearby places to buy everyday items.
c) It saves time to shop near one's home or work.
d) Places to shop should be easy to get to and easy to use.
e) People like to keep travel costs low.
4. Ask students to identify some advantages and disadvantages of walking versus driving to shopping places. Discuss the differences between walking to shopping places and driving to shopping places. Discussion may include:
f) Walk-to places may have few parking spaces.
g) Drive-to places may have many parking spaces.
h) Having a car influences where people go to shop.
i) Places farther away from home are more accessible with a car.
5. Ask students to read the Briefing Handout on malls and distribute Investigation 1: Log 1. Small groups may discuss the questions and complete the rankings of land uses most important for malls to be near. Display group responses.
1. Have students develop a list of different topics that they think NASA scientists are studying. Share the list with the class. Discuss the topics presented and have students identify which topics are local issues and which may be global issues.
2. Using this discussion as a starting point, explain to students that NASA scientists study many different topics and use photos and data gathered by airplanes as well as images and data gathered by satellites. Sometimes the topics that NASA scientists study are very important in local communities. In all locations, it is important for us to know how human activities affect the use of land.
3. Open the discussion of the impact of shopping malls on the landscape by asking students to write some reasons why it is important to have convenient places to shop. List the reasons on the board or overhead transparency. Student ideas may include:
a) People have diverse needs and wants that are filled by buying goods and services.
b) People like to go to nearby places to buy everyday items.
c) It saves time to shop near one's home or work.
d) Places to shop should be easy to get to and easy to use.
e) People like to keep travel costs low.
4. Ask students to identify some advantages and disadvantages of walking versus driving to shopping places. Discuss the differences between walking to shopping places and driving to shopping places. Discussion may include:
f) Walk-to places may have few parking spaces.
g) Drive-to places may have many parking spaces.
h) Having a car influences where people go to shop.
i) Places farther away from home are more accessible with a car.
5. Ask students to read the Briefing Handout on malls and distribute Investigation 1: Log 1. Small groups may discuss the questions and complete the rankings of land uses most important for malls to be near. Display group responses.
6. Distribute Investigation 1: Log 2. Ask students to complete the activity ranking the features that are most important and least important to the location of community facilities (sports stadium, airport, high school, fire station, and hospital). Discuss the results.
Materials Needed:
Briefing Handout (PDF)
Investigation 1: Log 1 Handout (PDF)
Investigation 1: Log 2 Handout (PDF)
Assessment Information:
Investigation 1: Logs 1 and 2 Assessment (PDF / MS Word)
Teacher Resources