This interactive map of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin features demographic and environmental data.
Students can explore historically redlined neighborhoods, zoning districts, environmental hazards, areas prone to flooding, green spaces, and public health statistics, among other things.
Teaching Tips
Positives
There is so much great data in this map. Before delivering more guided instruction, you can allow students to simply explore the map to see what they can learn.
Students can use this data to better understand how low-income communities and communities of color are disproportionately impacted by climate change and environmental hazards. This data is imported from the EPA's Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool and is listed under "Brownfield and Environmental Hazards."
Additional Prerequisites
The heart of this tool is the Layers function, which is the second-from-right button in the top right-hand corner of the interactive map. There are 12 macro-categories of layers. Each macro-category has additional layers embedded underneath.
It is necessary to click the "eye" icon to make the different layers show up on the map. More specifically, the "parent" and "child" categories must both be viewable for that layer to show up on the map (e.g., both "Demographic" and "Heat Vulnerability Index" must be viewable in order to see that data).
Depending on age and ability of students, there may be vocabulary and concepts that will need to be explained before or during the lesson. Examples include HOLC Neighborhood Grades, Aldermanic Districts, and Median Surface Temperatures.
There are three boxes on the left-hand side of the screen showing basic data. Each of these boxes is a carousel featuring three different items. Click the left or right arrows to view more data.
Differentiation
This map might be overwhelming for individual students, so it may be best to have groups of students explore this map together. Groups of students can talk through the map as they explore.
History teachers can use this map to show the connection between historically redlined neighborhoods and environmental impacts felt today. To do so, enable Climate Safe Neighborhoods > HOLC Neighborhood Grades and one or more of the following:
Brownfield and Environmental Hazards > any of the EJ Index indicators
Water and Flooding > % Population Below the Poverty Line vs. % Block Group Area that Floods in 10yr Storm; % Population Below the Poverty Line vs. % Block Group Area that Floods in 100yr Storm
Green Space > Parks and Parkland
Demographic > Heat Vulnerability Index
Health > % of Adults with Asthma; % Adults with Cancer
CAPA Strategies Heat Watch Campaign > any indicators
Heat and Land Cover > any indicators
Social studies and civics teachers can discuss any number of demographic indicators and how they relate to geography, including race, median household income, poverty, and public health.
Science teachers can use this map to discuss the environmental benefits of green spaces and urban trees.
Scientist Notes
This map depicts climate-related risk in Milwaukee County. The population, health infrastructure, household income, green spaces, and other development priorities of the government have been impacted by climate change. The map can serve as a risk evaluation tool for people to develop adaptive strategies that can build climate and livelihood resilience in their neighborhoods. The metadata, data layers, and methods used in the map analysis are reliable, accurate, objective and well-sourced. On that account, this resource is recommended for teaching.
Standards
English Language Arts
Reading (K-12)
R.7.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases, including figurative and connotative meanings. Analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning, tone, and mood, including words with multiple meanings within a text. (RI&RL)
Health
Standard 1: Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention to enhance health.
1:3:A4 Describe how physical and social environments can affect personal health.
Social Studies
Geography
SS.Geog1.b.m Interpret patterns in a variety of maps, charts, and graphs to display geographic information (contour, cartogram, population, natural resource, historical maps) and explain relationships among them.
SS.Geog1.b.h Interpret maps and images (e.g., political, physical, relief, thematic, virtual, electronic) to analyze geographic problems and changes over time.
