Learning Objectives

1. To examine factors to consider when selecting a place to live. (PSVS)

Students use focused imaging to select an ideal location to live in five years and give reasons for their choice. List factors that determine the choice of location.

Factors may include: where you were born, climate, marital status, income, family, zoning controls, where you work, rural or urban location, the country, province or region, the community, the neighbourhood, and the site.

Students may suggest a suitable place to live using criteria given in a case study.

2. To investigate criteria for choosing a region in which to live. (CCT)

Region refers to an area of the world, country, or province where you live. Some of the determining factors in the choice of region are: climate, scenery, employment, income, savings, family, marital status, and the ease of mobility. Explain how each of these factors might determine a choice of region. (COM)

3. To examine community options available when choosing a place to live.

A community may be a large city, small village, or rural area. Define the terms rural, urban and suburban. Consider advantages and disadvantages of urban, rural, and suburban living. Discuss reasons why someone may live in the city. Students may conduct interviews with people who live in various sizes of communities to discuss benefits and drawbacks of community size. Debate the advantages of city vs suburban vs rural living.

Rural, urban and suburban developments are divided into neighbourhoods. Ask the students to write a definition of neighbourhood. Compare the variety of definitions from the class. How might the definition be different for someone living in a rural, suburban, or urban area? Consideration must be given to the physical and social aspects of neighborhoods.

The social neighbourhood includes the make up of people who live in the community. Define physical and social neighbourhoods and discuss their importance to neighbourhood developments. Identify factors that make up a homogeneous neighbourhood such as similarity in age, ethnic background, income level, and occupation.

Consider transportation and its impact on community and neighbourhood life.

How has the automobile changed communication in the neighbourhood? Explain how garages with automatics doors have reduced communications with neighbours.

Discuss high density population within a neighbourhood development. What problems can occur? In what parts of a community development does a high density population often occur? Do suburban subdivisions support creating "community" or do they alienate people?

The physical neighbourhood is determined by the planning of the land and buildings. Discuss the use of land for schools, parks, churches, shopping, and how these amenities serve the needs of the community.

4. To evaluate the aesthetic and cultural composition of neighbourhoods. (CCT, IL)

Describe what is meant by the cultural make up of a neighborhood. Create a list of cultural and aesthetic features in a neighborhood. Examples such as community pride, desirable neighbours, visual appeal, and topography may be listed.

Obtain a map of the local area, another familiar city, or a town. Note the divisions on the map or divide the area into neighborhoods. Ask the students to determine how they think areas in a development are divided into neighbourhoods. Discuss how each neighborhood on the local area map varies in character, using the ideas previously discussed.

5. To consider factors that affect the site location for a dwelling. (TL)

Define site location. Students should reflect back to their description of their ideal location for a home in Learning Objective 3.1 of this module. They should examine their description to determine if it includes a description of site. Discuss the importance of site location.

6. To examine the considerations for the selection of a site.

Some considerations to list in the selection of a site/lot location would be type of street, highway or road, width of street, backlanes, size of lot, lot set back, shape of lot/site, and orientation to the site. For a rural settings consider town or farm, the north, ravine, valley, lake. Discuss the type of street and how it may affect the decision of a site. Keep in mind that streets will provide access to facilities. List the types of streets: main traffic arteries, curved local traffic, cul-de-sac, crescents, and grid roads. Obtain a map of a new neighbourhood development and identify the different types of street design. List the advantages and disadvantages of each type of street. Relate these features to needs during various stages in the family life cycle.

In groups, students may design a concept web identifying the various kinds of lots with which they are familiar. List the advantages and disadvantages for each type of lot shape. Have students provide feedback from their groups to the class.

Consider implications for taxation, ease of maintenance, and the family life cycle with respect to lot shape, in your discussions with the class.

Discuss the shape of the lot (rectangular shaped, wedge shaped, and corner lot) and how it will affect the character of the property. Identify the various shapes of lots that students have not identified by referring to a map of the area or another community development.

Discuss the contour of the land and soil characteristics and how they will affect a site selection.

7. To devise a list of the services and facilities that are desirable in a neighbourhood.

Ask the students to list the services and facilities that they would want if they were choosing a neighbourhood. Remind students that they may want to begin with the services and facilities that are available in their area and expand on them. Remind students to consider services that may be reached by walking, cycling, driving, or using public transit.

8. To differentiate between essential and non-essential services in a community or neighborhood (PSVS, CCT)

From the students’ list of services, ask students to separate essential services from non-essential services. Discuss in groups the reasons why certain items are on each list. How might these lists look in rural, suburban, or urban areas?

Services that should be considered essential may relate to:

• maintenance of streets and roads (paving, snow removal)
• protection (fire and police)
• communications technology (telephone, mail, and delivery of supplies)
• health care facilities and services
• garbage removal
• service availability (power, gas, water, sewage)
• grocery stores
• recreation facilities
• schools and child care
• facilities

Relate the essential services to basic family needs.