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Finding housing in Montréal

The following is a learning situation developed by the Recitus - Univers Social site and intended for teacher (and student) use in the new Quebec Secondary Geography program.  It offers an organized educational approach, and draws from and expands upon materials gathered in the
Metropolises resource collection on Montreal.

Certain elements may have been changed and adapted during the translation process.  (If you are interested in visiting the original site, click the image to the right.)

If you have experimented with these activities or have additional resources or comments to add, a forum discussion around this LES has been started here.


Focuses and Pegagogical Aim

Focuses of development:   To get students to distinguish between their wants, their needs and the limits imposed by the real world. Faced with this reality, students will analyze existing power relationships and assess personal versus collective needs.

Pedagogical aim:  To make students aware that finding housing in a metropolis like Montréal is an important territorial issue. Using information and communication technologies, students will be asked to read on the subject and represent the territory in question. They will have to explain the issue and explore possible solutions.


QEP Connections: Competencies, Content and Concepts


Cross-curricular competencies

Uses information and communication technologies



Subject-specific competencies

Understands the organization of a territory: Montréal

Interprets a territorial issue: finding housing in a metropolis


Program content (concepts, strategies, techniques and attitudes)


Urban territory:  Montréal

Elements that are relevant to the territory and the issue: large population, limited land area, island, boroughs, organization based on sectors of activity, organization based on distribution of wealth

Territorial issue:  Finding housing in a metropolis

Elements that are relevant to the territorial issue: drawing power of a metropolis, vacancy rate, income spent on housing, factors influencing housing choices, regulations

Central concept:  Metropolis

Characteristics of the concept: large and dense population; concentration and variety of services as well as economic and cultural activities; local, regional and international influence
Related concepts: imbalance (rich and poor neighbourhoods), urban development

Technique: Geographical sketch


(Referencing the Québec Education Program)


Task Division

Culminating Task

Students must address the issue of the housing crisis by becoming a cartoonist for a day. They must put themselves in the shoes of one the players involved (tenant, landlord, government or real-estate developer) and depict the issue in the form of a caricature, photo story, collage or comic strip.

Task Overview

Analyze the situation

(Preparation Phase)
1- Looking for a roof over my head

(Production Phase begins)
2- Is it hard to find housing in Montréal?
3- Geographical sketch
4- Where will I live?

Find possible solutions
5- Points of view

Take a position
6- Cartoonist for a day: Finding solutions to the housing crisis

(Integration Phase:  reviewing initial perceptions.)


Task overview table link (activities, competencies and concepts)


Context

For several years now, the housing crisis has made headlines every July. What explains this situation? Why is it being called a crisis? Who is affected? What are some of the possible solutions?


 


Credits

This task was created by Annie Coulombe, Caroline Gagnon, Marc-André Lalande, Julie Larivière, Steve Quirion and Sophie Turbide.

Associated files were created by Annie Coulombe and Julie Larivière.   Graphics and layout for original French site were done by Steve Quirion and Mathieu Rocheleau. 

Complimentary English links and resources provided by LEARN.

This task was tested in spring 2004.