Where does your community begin and end? That's not a very easy question to answer, is it? After all, as we discoverd in our first lesson, there are so many different sorts of communities. Plus, people divide areas into communities for many reasons. Just think, cities are divided into districts for voting. Neighborhoods are divided into different zones for schools. The possibilities are endless. Where do you think the line should be drawn for what is inside and what is outside of your community? Is it similar to your community's "official" boundaries? What buildings, parks, schools and stores are within your community?

To solve this puzzle, you should follow these general steps:
 
  • On a city map, label where you live and landmarks that you recognize
  • Draw your own boundary around your community
  • Identify buildings and parks that are in your map, but not part of "official" maps. What structures are in the official maps but not in yours?
    Online Off-line
    • Maps given to you by your teacher
    • A street map of your area
    • Various government maps


This map shows Houston ISD's boudaries for the Hogg Middle School community. Click on the picture to see a lager map.

Step A: So Where Do You Live?

Step B: Tell Me Where Your Community Begins and Ends
Step C: The Grand Finale
  1. Find a partner to buddy up and mark these places on the map your teacher handed out:
    • Your House
    • Your Current School
    • Your Elementary School
    • Your Supermarket
    • Parks
    • Your Church
    • Other Landmarks
    Use Mapquest or Yahoo Street Maps to look up addresses and find these places on a map.

    2. Looking for major streets near these places will make it easier to find and mark them on your map.
  1. Draw what you think are your community's boundaries on your map
  2. Get together with a couple of friends and compare maps. Does your map look like your friends? What's different? What's the same?
  3. Examine the official map of your community and brainstorm several differences between your map and the official ones.
    What are some things you think should be part of the map that aren't? What are some things included in the map that you don't think should be? Why?
    You can also look at this historic map of Houston in 1891 to see many changes in your neighborhood.
  1. As a class, redraw the boundaries of your community based on everyone's boundaries.

The pink lines in this map show where the boundaries for Congressional Voting Districts are in the Hogg community. To see maps of all types of boundaries in your community, check out the
Census Bureau's Tiger Map System.
During this lesson, you have to follow many directions given by you teacher.  By following these directions closely and actively participating in the class discussions, you will make a good grade. Think carefully about your answers to any questions asked in this lesson and create neat maps.
Now that you have completed this lesson, you probably have a better idea of where communities begin and end, but I bet the question still gets many different answers. Check your knowledge by reviewing these questions:
  • Where does my community end?
  • What buildings must be inside a community?