Big Towns and Little Towns
What makes a town grow? What makes a town shrink?
Why do some towns form by rivers and others out on the prairie? This episode looks at what has made towns like Sioux Falls and Rapid City grow continuously and why some towns like Detroit, SD, disappear. It examines the economics of city growth and rural decline throughout our state's history.
Related Resources
Additional videos, activities, and more below.
Drive-In Theaters Videos and Activity
Activity - Inverse Proportions and Shadows in the Real World
In this video, students take a quick trip through the history of drive-in theaters and are then asked to consider the question, "What is the relationship between the size of an object’s shadow and the object’s distance from a light source?"
In the accompanying classroom activity, students do a hands-on experiment about the size of their own shadows at different distances from a projector or other light source.
Activity: Local Landmarks
Every town, big or little, has unique things and places. Your students should research and photograph local Landmarks.
-
At Yankton's historic Mead Building, a dedicated crew of craftspersons works to preserve the architectural remnant of Dr. Leonard Mead's altruistic vision. -
On a hill overlooking the deep, cool water of Pickerel Lake, nestled among the verdant hills of Day County, sits Zoar Norwegian Lutheran Church. -
The Minneapolis St. Louis line never quite could compete with the railroad Goliaths. Nonetheless, the little line left an imprint on Northeast South Dakota.
For more information about
SDPB's educational resources and services,
contact Steven Rokusek at [email protected]
(605)222-3422
