This video is mostly about the principle of "Autoluw," a Dutch urban planning concept that closely translates to nearly car-free, how more cities can incorporate this concept, and why some attempts, such as one in Fresno, have failed.
Students will learn about the benefits of bike paths and pedestrian walkways in city and suburban planning.
Teaching Tips
Positives
It addresses counterarguments you might hear against car-free areas and then debunks each talking point.
It includes images of international cities that can serve as inspiration for what green and accessible city planning can look like.
Additional Prerequisites
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Differentiation
Students in ELA classes can use this as a mentor text for opinion writing using counterarguments.
Students in art classes can create a visual representation of their ideal "Autoluw" area.
Students in civics classes can think about accessibility in their own communities and how they can advocate for cleaner air and increased access.
This resource is a 6-minute video discussing the concept of "Autoluw" or "Nearly Car-Free" cities and towns. Examples of European towns that have removed cars from downtown centers are shown, and the advantages (increased foot traffic, increased accessibility, cleaner air, etc.) are presented. This resource presents a convincing case that cars are not needed in many downtown centers. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Standards
College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Standards
Dimension 2: Civics
D2.Civ.13.9-12 Evaluate public policies in terms of intended and unintended outcomes, and related consequences.
Dimension 2: Economics
D2.Eco.1.9-12 Analyze how incentives influence choices that may result in policies with a range of costs and benefits for different groups.
Dimension 2: Geography
D2.Geo.4.6-8 Explain how cultural patterns and economic decisions influence environments and the daily lives of people in both nearby and distant places.
D2.Geo.10.9-12 Evaluate how changes in the environmental and cultural characteristics of a place or region influence spatial patterns of trade and land use.
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
ETS1: Engineering Design
HS-ETS1-3 Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts.
