using the above global cities map, observe that new york city is a beta-ranked world city.

Project the map titled Boston Now, and point out the lines that show the original shoreline. Ask: What physical changes could have happened? What human-made changes could have happened? Invite students to come to the projected map and describe their ideas.ģ.

Why do you think Boston was settled on a peninsula? (Possible responses: the settlers wanted a place that was close to water for ships but also easy to defend from attacks access to Boston via the narrow connection to the mainland was easy to protect.)Īsk students to imagine how this area may have changed over time.

What landforms do you see? (The city was a peninsula the Charles River flowed into Back Bay.).

Have students describe the land and water they see on the map. Ask: Does this show what Boston looks like today? How do you know? (No the date on the map is 1775.) Explain that we call a map like this a historical map, because it shows what the land was like at a particular time in history, or it reflects what people knew at the time.

What are some examples of physical changes affecting a place? (Possible responses: rivers can flood shorelines can change and volcanoes and earthquakes can affect a place.).

Are there physical changes that have affected the area? (Explain that human changes are often more visible, although physical changes affect a place over time too.).

Are most of these changes human-made? (Yes.).

What has changed in our community in the last five years? (Encourage thinking about new roads, shopping or business areas, housing developments, and areas for recreation.).

Have a whole-class discussion about how land use has changed in students’ community over time. Focus on changes in students’ community over time.

Using the above global cities map, observe that new york city is a beta-ranked world city.