Unraveled Teacher

Urbanization didn’t begin randomly. It followed patterns shaped by site, situation, trade, defense, resources, and transportation. To help students truly understand why cities form where they do, this hands-on simulation puts them in the role of early planners deciding where to establish a brand-new city.

In this small-group activity, students analyze fictional physical and cultural maps and must choose the most strategic location for settlement. Using real geographic reasoning, they justify their decision based on the same forces that shape real-world urban growth.

This simulation works best after students understand the origin and influences of urbanization, including site, situation, and migration factors.

This activity directly targets:

• PSO-6.A – Explaining the processes that initiate and drive urbanization
• PSO-6.A.1 – Understanding how site and situation influence the origin, function, and growth of cities

Activity Overview: “The New Settlement Challenge”

Students are placed into small planning teams and given a blank fictional region map that includes physical and human geographic features such as:

• Rivers, coastlines, plains, and mountains
• Resource zones
• Transportation corridors
• Nearby population centers

Each group must:

1. Select ONE location to start a new city
2. Identify the site advantages (physical characteristics of the exact location)
3. Explain the situation advantages (relationships to trade routes, resources, and other cities)
4. Predict how the city might grow over time based on those factors

There is no single “correct” answer! Only stronger or weaker geographic reasoning.

Teacher Instructions

Group Setup

Put students in groups of 3–4

Give each group:

• A fictional map
• A response sheet (or notebook paper)

Decision-Making Phase (15–20 Minutes)

Each group must:

• Pick a settlement location
• Justify it using:
  • At least 2 site factors
  • At least 2 situation factors
• Predict:
  • What economic activities might emerge
  • Whether the city would likely industrialize, specialize in trade, or remain small

Present & Defend (Optional 10–15 Minutes)

Groups briefly present:

• Their chosen site
• Site factors
• Situation factors
• Whether they believe their city would grow into a small town, major city, or megacity

Classmates can challenge each other using geographic reasoning.

Extension Ideas

• Have students rank each other’s city locations
• Add a second map layer showing future highways or rail lines
• Introduce a natural disaster and ask which city sites survive best
• Connect directly to suburbanization by asking where suburbs would form next