Neighborhood/Block Conjecture Assignment - Due 10/28

SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT:  (Will be written in class tomorrow 10/28)

Making conjectures based on your neighborhood data:

Step One:  Go to the Brooklyn block-by-block website and look back at the streets you walked for the ages of the buildings (10pts)

CHOICE:

Option 1:  Sketch out a map of your neighborhood walk.  Name the streets.  Add building ages to the streets.

Option 2:  Write a list of the streets that you walked.  List the building ages.

Step Two:  Read the timeline notes for the eras of your buildings.    Highlight or star any information in the timeline notes that suggest reasons for building growth in your neighborhood from those time periods (This is the beginning of how you make conjectures!) (5pts)

Step Three:  Go back to your neighborhood reading and read it again, looking for information that talks about when and why buildings were built in your neighborhood.  Highlight or star that information.  (5pts)

Step Four:  Writing your conjecture (Due by the end of class tomorrow!)

Using the information you gathered from your inventory, block research, timeline, and neighborhood reading, in paragraph form, write your educated guess as to why the buildings you observed on your walk were built.  Reference specific evidence from your research, timeline, or reading to support your ideas.  Minimum three quarters of a page handwritten.  (Summative)

When you are ready to write your Block Conjecture below are some sentence starters you should be sure to include:

I noticed this…

This made me think/wonder….

My timeline said….

My neighborhood reading said….

BUILDING INVENTORY PHOTOGRAPHY ASSIGNMENT - Due 10/27

YOUR TASK:

I.  Choose a block in your neighborhood that you feel depicts the character of your neighborhood.  This could be because:

1. The buildings on the block are very typical of the types of buildings in your neighborhood
2. The buildings on the block are varied, and thus show the changes over time
3. The buildings on the block are historic for one reason or another
4. The buildings on the block best show your neighborhood’s character

II.  Once you have chosen the block to photograph, you will be taking “building portraits.”  This means you will be photographing one building at a time, framing the entire building in the frame. 

1. If your block has smaller buildings on it, you must take between 6 – 8 photos (one each of 6 – 8 buildings),  on  BOTH SIDES OF THE BLOCK.
2. If your block has large buildings, you must make at least 3 building portraits.  If you can’t fit the entire building in the frame, be creative!  Take photos on both sides of the block.
3. You might have to figure how to best frame your buildings, which means you might need to take more than one photo of a building.  Try not to take more than 2 – this will save printing later on. 

BE SURE TO STAY ONLY ON ONE BLOCK, AND TO PHOTOGRAPH BOTH SIDES

OF THE STREET!

REMEMBER: WRITE DOWN THE ADDRESSES OF THE BUILDINGS YOU HAVE PHOTOGRAPHED! You will need this information later.

III.  Consider the time of day you will go and how your buildings will line up once printed and cut.  Be careful of cars, and of owners of homes.

1. Building portraits need to be taken at the same time of day
2. Buildings should line up fairly well (but they don’t have to be perfect)
3. You will likely have to stand in the street to take your photos.  Please be careful and be aware of cars.
4. You might encounter some people who will ask you why you are taking a photo of their home.  You can politely answer that you have been given an assignment to document the character of your neighborhood for school.  Don’t forget to smile when you answer. J

IV. AFTER YOUR PHOTOS ARE TAKEN:

If you have a computer and color printer:

1. Down load your photos to the computer.
2. Print your photos out at 4” x 6”. 
3. Cut your photos, leaving the white borders at the top and bottom.
4. Tape your photos together using transparent tape.
5. Label the neighborhood and street at the top.
6. Label the addresses and ages of the buildings at the bottom.

If you have a computer but no color printer:

1. Down load your photos to your computer.
2. Save them to our flickr site in your album

Once your photos are printed:

1. Cut your photos, leaving the white borders at the top and bottom.
2. Tape your photos together using transparent tape.
3. Label the neighborhood and street at the top.
4. Label the addresses and ages of the buildings at the bottom.

If you do not have a computer at home:

1. Bring in your camera, or camera card to school.
2. Down load your photos to a school flickr site into your album.

Once your photos are printed:

1.  Cut your photos, leaving the white borders at the top and bottom.
2. Tape your photos together using transparent tape.
3. Label the neighborhood and street at the top.
4. Label the addresses and ages of the buildings at the bottom.

Building Inventory Assignment - Due Wednesday 10/26/15

BUILDING INVENTORY

An inventory is list of things, usually a type of property, such as items in a store.  A building inventory is a list of the types of buildings in your neighborhood.  You will be doing a building inventory of your neighborhood as well as creating an accompanying photo document of one of your neighborhood’s blocks. 

I.  STEP ONE, IN CLASS:  How old are the buildings in my neighborhood?

1. Log on to the following link:

http://bklynr.com/block-by-block-brooklyns-past-and-present/

2. Find your neighborhood.  Look at the color of the buildings and compare that color to the date graph at the lower right hand corner. 

3.  Move your curser over the buildings in your neighborhood.  The address of the building and the date it was built will appear in the upper right-hand corner.

4.  Answer the following questions:

How old are the oldest buildings in your neighborhood?  Where in the neighborhood are they located?

How old are the newest buildings in your neighborhood?  Where are they located in your neighborhood?

CONJECTURE:

Looking at our timeline, and using your prior knowledge of your neighborhood, can you make an educated guess as to why the oldest buildings might have been built when they were? As to why the newest buildings might have been built when they were?  About where they are located?

II.  STEP TWO Due Monday October 6^th

IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD:  What kinds of building are in my neighborhood?

Choose a section of your neighborhood to investigate.  Or choose two sections!  That’s up to you, but each section must include at least a 5 x5 block area. 

Where did you walk? ________________________________________________________

INVENTORY OF RESIDENCES

Which types of residences are in your neighborhood?

res·i·dence n  the house, apartment, or other dwelling in which somebody lives

CIRCLE All THAT APPLY TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

1.   

ROW HOUSES:

FAÇADES (the Façade is the Face of the building):

• Brownstone  (painted or unpainted)
• Brick               (painted and unpainted)
• Limestone
• Aluminum siding

Average # of floors:   _____________________

Stoops                                  Y                      N

Gates                                    Y                      N

Ornamentation?                     Y                      N

If yes, describe: 

2.  LARGE APARTMENT BUILDINGS:

• Brick
• Glass and steel

Average # of floors:  ___________________________

Ornamentation?

If yes, describe:

Were these apartments:

• Built to be apartments                                               Y                      N
• Renovated Industrial buildings                                   Y                      N
• Renovated commercial buildings                               Y                      N
• Renovated municipal or religious bldgs                     Y                      N

4.  INDIVIDUAL HOUSES

• Wood
• Brick
• Stone

Average # of floors ________________________________

Front yards?                  Y          N

Porches?                       Y          N

Steps?                           Y          N

Gates?                          Y          N

Ornamentation?            Y          N

If yes, describe:

CONJECTURE:

Which types of residences are most prevalent (widely occurring) in your neighborhood? Looking at our timeline, and using your prior knowledge of your neighborhood, can you make an educated guess about why these building were built when they were? About where they are located?

COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS               

COMMERICAL

• Where located?
• Mom-and-Pop                         Y                      N
• Big Box Store                         Y                      N

INDUSTRIAL

• Where located?
• In use as a factory today?                    Y                      N

CONJECTURE

Why might these commercial and/or industrial buildings be located where they are in your neighborhood?  When was the average date the commercial and/or residential buildings were built?  Looking at our class timeline, can you make an educated guess as to why they were built at this time?