This video explains why summer heat can be worse in some neighborhoods within a city due to racist city planning policies dating back decades.
The video examines one of the most extreme examples of this phenomena, the historically black Lower Albina neighborhood in Portland, Oregon.
Teaching Tips
Positives
The video highlights the intersection between racial and environmental justice.
It highlights Albina Vision, an organization taking actionable steps to right some of the injustices described.
Additional Prerequisites
The video only briefly introduces the history of racist city planning like racial covenants and redlining. For this video to be most impactful, it may help to have a conversation with students about these terms prior to viewing.
Differentiation
This video could be integrated into a social studies, civics, or history course when learning about systemic racism, city planning, racial covenants, redlining, or the impacts of racism on our cities today.
This video could also be used as an example for how people and organizations are working to right historical injustices and inspire students to research other organizations doing similar work in their community.
Students could use the video as inspiration to propose how their city could redesign an urban area or neighborhood to right historical injustice and environmental racism.
Cross-curricular connections could be made with science courses by further discussing the urban heat island effect, how green spaces can cool cities, or how urbanization is contributing to climate change.
Other resources related to the positive impact of green spaces include this video that describes its benefits, this video that looks specifically at green roofs, and this video that focuses on the design aspects of green spaces.
Although the practice of redlining was federally prohibited in 1968, it has a lasting impact on many communities, primarily communities of color. This video resource highlights how redlining causes two different neighborhoods in Portland, Oregon to differ by up to 18°F. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Standards
English Language Arts
Speaking and Listening (K-12)
SL.6-8.2 Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric.
Social Studies
History
History 1 (D2): Students understand major eras, major enduring themes, and historic influences in the history of Maine, the United States, and various regions of the world by analyzing major historical eras, major enduring themes, turning points, events, consequences, and people in the history of Maine, the United States and various regions of the world.
