KPF@HOME
neighborhood ExplorersWhat makes up a neighborhood? When we walk around the streets near our homes and schools, there are all sorts of buildings and places all around us.
What does a neighborhood need? Make a quick list of places that every community needs to feel like home. To help, check out these common buildings found around the Upper West Side.
Activities
Map a Neighborhood Worksheet
Now let’s look at the list you made of all of the buildings and places that make up a neighborhood. What does yours look like? Maybe you listed restaurants, apartment buildings, schools, hospitals, parks, libraries, or bodegas.
On the worksheet below, you get to design your own neighborhood! Write down the top 6 buildings that you think are most important in a neighborhood, and color in the box next to them with its own unique color. Then, on the map on the bottom, draw and color in those buildings! Remember, we live in a very crowded city- you can fit lots of buildings on your map!
Materials:
Worksheet (print it out or draw on it on your device)
Time:
20 minutes
Explore Using Google Maps!
Google Maps lets us explore our streets without ever going outside! Use your mouse and the arrows to move around the neighborhood.
Observe a Neighborhood Worksheet
Instructions:
As you explore the neighborhood using Google Maps, pay attention to the different kinds of buildings and things that you see on the street. Count the number of each type that you see and write it in the worksheet.
Materials:
Worksheet (you can also fill it in on your device), pens and pencils
Time:
As much time as you want to explore!
Make Your Own Building
Create the front of a building in your imaginary neighborhood using paper. Watch the video to see how you might make a brownstone house! You can also make a restaurant, a school, a store, or anything else you want.
Materials:
Paper, scissors, glue or tape, pens, pencils, and coloring utensils.
Time:
1 hour, including time cutting out shapes
Check Out Our Other KPF Kids Programs
Building Detectives
Let’s learn all about a special type of building called a brownstone! Create and draw your own buildings while learning about their parts, decorations, and history.
Local History Detectives
What did your neighborhood look like 100 years ago? Explore old photographs and maps to see how the streets around you have changed over time.
Acknowledgements
KPF is made possible by the contributions of Council Members Helen Rosenthal and Mark Levine, as well as the New York State Council of the Arts (NYSCA) and the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA). With their support, Landmark West’s KPF program offers a suite of seven 3-part courses aligned with the NYC Core Curriculum in Upper West Side public schools for free every year.
