This Instagram post shows the disparity in tree cover between neighborhoods in six cities: Denver, CO; Boston, MA; Baltimore, MD; Portland, OR; Columbus, OH; and Austin, TX.
The image is accompanied by a description, which identifies the average income of each neighborhood.
Teaching Tips
Positives
This resource provides a visual representation of inequality in urban areas.
Students will easily see the difference in tree cover between the two neighborhoods pictured.
Additional Prerequisites
Students should be familiar with the terms income and poverty.
Differentiation
This resource could be incorporated into science lessons about photosynthesis, ecology, and the carbon cycle to connect the biological functions of trees with their benefits to communities.
History, social studies, and civics classes could use this resource when discussing historical prejudices, practices such as redlining, or the need for community involvement in government decisions.
The resource describes the correlation existing between income level and tree cover. It depicts species richness and biodiversity levels with income using two scenarios in a city. Datasets on income are just estimates and not actual figures; educators should note these contradictions. This resource is recommended.
Standards
Social Studies
Geography
Geography 1 (F1): Students understand the geography of the community, Maine, the United States, and various regions of the world, and geographic influences on life in the past, present, and future by using the geographic grid and a variety of types of maps, including digital sources, to locate and access relevant geographic information that reflects multiple perspectives.
Personal Finance & Economics
Personal Finance (F1): Students understand the principles and processes of personal finance by explaining how scarcity influences choices and relates to the market economy.
