Lesson Plan

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Lesson Plan
Grade: Date: 17/01/2026
Subject: Geography
Lesson Topic: Characteristics of different residential areas
Learning Objective/s:
  • Describe the main residential zones and their typical housing types.
  • Explain how land‑value gradients, transport, socio‑economic status and planning policies influence residential zonation.
  • Analyse a residential zonation model (e.g., concentric zone) and compare it with another model.
  • Evaluate the social implications of gated communities and informal settlements.
Materials Needed:
  • Projector and screen
  • PowerPoint/Google Slides with zonation diagrams
  • Printed handouts of the residential zones table
  • City map or GIS printouts
  • Worksheet for model comparison
  • Whiteboard and markers
 Introduction:
Begin with a quick think‑pair‑share: where do you live and why? This activates prior knowledge of housing choices and prompts students to consider factors shaping location. Explain that today’s success criteria are to identify residential zones, explain influencing factors, and use a model to illustrate distribution.
Lesson Structure:
  1. Do‑now (5’) – Students note the type of housing in their neighbourhood and one reason for its location; responses collected.
  2. Mini‑lecture (10’) – Present key concepts and factors influencing residential zonation using slides and a concentric‑zone diagram.
  3. Table analysis (10’) – In pairs, examine the residential zones table, label each zone on a blank city map, and discuss characteristic features.
  4. Model comparison activity (12’) – Groups compare the concentric zone model with the sector model via a worksheet, noting strengths and limitations.
  5. Case‑study discussion (8’) – Evaluate the rise of gated communities and informal settlements, linking back to socio‑economic and planning factors.
  6. Check for understanding (5’) – Quick quiz (exit ticket) with three short questions on factors and zone characteristics.
Conclusion:
Summarise how economic, transport and planning forces create distinct residential zones and why exceptions like gated communities occur. For the exit ticket, students write one key factor influencing their own neighbourhood’s location. Assign homework: research a local residential area and produce a brief report linking its features to the factors discussed.