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How to Become a Windshield Geographer

Cultural Landscape Field Study
Using video, photographs and oral interviews to capture local cultural landscapes
The Local Cultural Landscape
Believe it or not, most people never associate the cultural aspects of the local landscape of their communities with
geography. Surprisingly, ones local cultural landscape is the most accessible of all geography. As teachers and students of
geography, we must seize these opportunities to become better geographers and promote not only the field of geography
but also an awareness of our own geographic surroundings. Once the awareness is made, students of geography can learn
to analyze all that is around them. After completing this lesson, everyone should become a windshield geographer. That
is, as you drive around your city, suburban or rural residence, look at the imprints on the landscape. Even better, if your
local area is pedestrian-friendly, get out and walk.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. You will work in groups agreed upon in class. *Make sure that among your group members you have access
to a computer, camera and the internet.
2. Field World - Drive and walk around the Bamako area. There are many different ethnic groups living in Bamako
and the surrounding areas as well as people from the West (Europe/US) and East (India, Middle East, China etc),
and they all have left their imprint on Bamako in some way.
a. Observe the material culture: housing types, signs, sign names, religious sites, businesses, business
names, restaurants (ethnic food), schools, school names, monuments and other evidence. Use these and
other elements to identify the various culture(s) and cultural imprints on Bamako.
b. Take photos, shoot video which both typify and show what you find. ALSO do the same for possible
anomalies (weird out of place things) in the cultural landscape.
i. Some examples of places to get you started: Presidential Palace hill there is an interesting
monument park to past conquerors of Mali, Bozo people who live along the river, old Colonial
buildings, Madrasas, etc. Be creative ASK AROUND (your guard or house-help may be a
great help in helping you find places where particular ethnic groups live too)
3. Powerpoint/Video - Your group will photograph evidence on the landscape.
a. The group should take at least 25 photos that represent the cultural landscape.
b. Or you can create a video which includes the same representation of the landscape you are observing.
c. Each photo or a group of photos on a slide MUST HAVE A CAPTION or minimal text which fully
explains the information you are trying to convey.
i. Remember to keep text on PowerPoint slides to a minimum!
4. Oral Interview Each member of your group needs to interview AT LEAST ONE local resident(s).
a. Ask them how the cultural landscape of where they live has changed since the time they moved to or has
been living there?
i. If the person you interview has emigrated from somewhere to our local area, ask them how this
new cultural landscape differs from that of where they moved from?
ii. Try to interview someone who lives in an area you have identified and documented as part
of this project.
b. Include the findings of your interview in your presentation at the completion of the project.
5. Reflection paper - Each group member needs to write a minimum - 1 page word-processed response that
summarizes your impressions of your local cultural landscape.
a. For example, areas you have never been to before, what surprised you, what was interesting, etc For
places you have been to before, discuss aspects of the landscape you never noticed before.

EXTENDED ACTIVITIES
6. Go to the web site listed below to construct the following:
Construct a graph or chart which shows the ethnic breakdowns of any THREE places you choose in the United
States. However, please choose a place you consider small town, medium town/city and then large city for your
three places.

U.S. Census Bureau:

Race and ethnicity website:
http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFPeople?
_event=&geo_id=01000US&_geoContext=01000US&_street=&_county=&_cityTown=&_state=&_zip
=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010&_submenuId=people_10&d
s_name=null&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry=
Choose city and state and then race and ethnicity to obtain data.
7. Go to the web site listed below to construct the following:
An age-sex diagram of one of the places you chose in question #7.
An age-sex diagram of place #2.
An age-sex diagram of place #3.
*September 18 lesson on creating population pyramids will give you a clear description of how to put
together an age-sex/population pyramid using MS Excel.

U.S. Census Bureau:

Data to create U.S. Population Pyramids:
Go to:
http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFPeople?_submenuId=people_2&_sse=on
Make sure you click on the year 2000.
Put in the town, city that you would like to research and then click GO.
Then click on age groups and sex to get your data by age cohort.
8. Finally, your group will put all of the above information (except for your individual paper) into a Power Point
presentation or video. The Power Point/video will be presented to the class as a group. You should also SAVE it to
a flash/thumb drive or CD so it can be accessed from my laptop in class.

AP Geography Cultural Landscape Group Project

Parent/Guardian Awareness and Student Permission Form

Your parents must be aware and approve of your participation in this project.
Obey all traffic and local laws.
Drive carefully and be careful when out of your vehicle taking photographs.
Work on the photograph portion of this project only during the daylight hours.
You must take photographs with a partner. Never go alone.

I understand that my child is working in a group taking photographs in the area and producing a
Power Point presentation/video Students may take photographs in the immediate Danbury area.
Students will go outside of the Danbury area only with specific permission from you, the
parents/guardian.
Parent Name (please print) __________________________________________________
Parent Signature ___________________________________________________________
Date ___________________________________
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AP Geography Cultural Landscape Group Project

Parent/Guardian Awareness and Student Permission Form

Your parents must be aware and approve of your participation in this project.
Obey all traffic and local laws.
Drive carefully and be careful when out of your vehicle taking photographs.
Work on the photograph portion of this project only during the daylight hours.
You must take photographs with a partner. Never go alone.

I understand that my child is working in a group taking photographs in the area and producing a
Power Point presentation. Students may take photographs in the immediate Danbury area.
Students will go outside of the Danbury area only with specific permission from you, the
parents/guardian.