This document outlines a lesson plan for an 8th grade social science class focusing on 21st century public transit systems. Students will be grouped according to their transportation methods and research different public transit systems. They will then analyze perceptions and misconceptions about public transit before presenting models for public transit infrastructure and addressing issues like safety, costs, environment, and accessibility.

1. 21st Century Public Transit Systems

2. 8th Grade Social Science-
Geography
21st Century Public Transit
Overview
21st
century
Public
transit
Bicycle and
pedestrian
trailwasys
Buses, carpools,
light rail, ferries
subway-
elevated trains,
and trams
Reduces traffic
congestion, reducing
carbon emission, and
pollution
Environmental
sustainability,
personal and
collective
agency,
economic
,physical, and
socio-cultural
benefits
 In this unit we will explore the
economic, environmental, and
socio-cultural benefits of public
transit in the 21st century.
 Explore the challenges and
misconceptions about public
transit in urban and rural America.
 Explore the infrastructure of public
transit in America and several
European countries
 Create a model public transit
system for transportation to school,
work, shopping, and other leisure
activities

3. 21st Century Public Transit Introductory
Exercises-Week I
Demographic Grouping
Students will fill out an
address form and
questionnaire, listing if they
walk to school, ride the
school bus, parent drop-off,
carpool, or ride public
transportation, check if bus,
trolley car, subway, or light
rail to school.
Student will be assigned to
groups according to
proximity of other students
and their diverse mode of
transportation.
Ex: Group A lives in NW
corridor of the city and
utilizes the five modes of
transportation.
Compiling and Data
Assessment
Each group will review
the questionnaire forms
about modes of
transportation, assess
the information and
create pie charts,
graphs, and statistics
about the modes of
transportation being
utilized
Internet Research
Each group will conduct a brief
internet research about 21st
century public transit systems in
urban communities.
They have six choices: St. Louis,
Mo. Philadelphia, PA., Dallas TX.,
and Los Angeles, Ca.,
Cambridgeshire, England, Zurich,
Switzerland
Each group will create a 5
minute media presentation
detailing public transit systems
according to the urban
community they chose, also they
will incorporate their data
assessment into this presentation,
list any questions they have or
misconceptions that were
confronted, addressed, or
remains unresolved from their
research

4. 21st Century Public
Transit Websites
I will provide three internet sources to assist you
in your internet research, however you are not
obligated to utilize these resources, you can
decide as a group to utilize other internet
sources.
Internet Sources:
http://www.streetfilms.org/category/transit/
http://www.transitpeople.org/lesson/transit.ht
m
http://www.uspirg.org/issues/usp/21st-century-
transportation

5. 21st Century Public Transit-
Brainstorming Session: Facts,
Perceptions, Misconceptions, and
Questions Week II
What are the facts/misconceptions about public transportation?
Is public transportation safe? Which perspective does the statistics support
What is the economic feasibility of public transportation, how does it benefit our personal and collective
economies?
What are the environmental consequences if the public infrastructure doesn’t support public
transportation? What are the environmental benefits of public transportation?
What are the socio-cultural benefits of public transportation?
Group brainstorming session: First we will view several short film on public transportation, then follow up with
a twenty-minute brainstorming session, student will access the internet, textbooks, and prior social studies
notes to probe, analyze, and deconstruct misconceptions about public transportation in an urban and
global community.

6. 21st Century
Brainstorming Session
cont’d-Week II/III
 http://www.streetfilms.org/lakewood-oh-
the-suburb-where-everyone-can-walk-to-
school/
 http://www.streetfilms.org/william-holly-
whyte-in-his-own-words-the-social-life-of-
small-urban-spaces-1980/
 http://www.streetfilms.org/category/transit/
 http://www.publicpurpose.com/21stcent.ht
m
We will review approximately four
short films on public transit in an
urban- surburban communitiy in
Lakeland, Ohio, New York City,
Cambridgeshire, England, and Zurich
Switzerland.
We will also review an article entitled,
21st Century Transportation:
Expanding Mobility through
Technology from the Urban Transport
Fact Book
This article and films will assist us in
deconstructing the misconceptions
about public transportation and
developing strategies, concepts, and
facts they will help us construct the
infrastructure for a model public
transit system

7. 21st Century Public Transit Analysis
Presentations-Week IV/V
Addressing Misconceptions
 Week IV-Each group will present a 10
minute presentation analyzing the
misconceptions of public
transportation. Short Q & A and
discussion will follow each
presentation, to gauge the group
practical knowledge of the subject,
and individual competence and
contribution.
 Group A-Public Safety Issues
 Group B Economic Feasibility and
Benefit
 Group C- Not environmentally
friendly
 Group D-Lack of accessible
infrastructure
Plans, Strategies, & Solutions
 Week V-Each group will present a
10 minute presentation outlining
their plans, strategies, and
solutions for building a 21st century
public transit system model.
 Each group will choose from the
public transportation models of
metro transit systems, bike and
pedestrian systems, carpooling,
light rail, and a boat or ferry
system.
 Extra Credit Challenge: Group can
also build or offer strategies for a
futuristic public transit system- This
will be worth 25-50 points

8. 21st Century Public Transit Analysis
Presentations/Public Transit Model Cont’d
Week IV/V-XV
Week V-XV Public Transit
Model
 Each week groups will be given
one class period to work on their
public transit models- These
sessions will foster and promote
the skills of teamwork,
collaboration, research analysis,
group discussion, and strategic
planning.
 Week XII-Each group will conduct
a mock presentation of their
public transit model-this will allow
time for final changes before the
project is due
Grading Rubric & Peer
Review
 A grading rubric will be assigned to
each upon their decision of which
public transit model they will
construct.
 The Peer review panel will consist of
2-high school student volunteer from
the local high school, the Social
Studies teacher, myself, and 1-eighth
grade student from Ms. Taylor’s class
 Also I am scheduling several trips on
the public transit system, a walking
trip along the pedestrian walkway-
trail, & other possible public transit
systems to help with understanding
the infrastructure of public
transportation.

9. References
 http://www.publicpurpose.com/21stcent.htm ; retrieved on
06/27/15
 http://www.streetfilms.org/category/transit/ ; retrieved on 06/28/15
 http://noimpactproject.org/educators-middle-high-school-
environment-curriculum-html/transportation-lesson-plan/ ; retrieved
on 06/28/15
 http://www.transitpeople.org/lesson/transit.htmhttp://www.uspirg.or
g/issues/usp/21st-century-transportation ; retrieved on 6/28/15