Target Audience for Activity: Grades 4-12
Objectives:
- Students will learn about historical figures in Atlanta's history.
- Students will learn about leaders in Atlanta's government.
- Students will learn how Ivan Allen contributed to the growth of Atlanta.
Supplies:
- Students can draw their own map.
- Markers, Highlighters
Topic 1: Ivan Allen's Six-Point Program
Ivan Allen created a six-point development program for the city of Atlanta during his term as president of the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. During his two terms as mayor of Atlanta, he made considerable progress in each of the six areas of the program:
- auditorium
- stadium
- urban renewal
- expressways
- schools
- rapid transit
Questions for class discussion:
- Describe how Ivan Allen Jr was involved with each of the six areas.
- What challenges did Ivan Allen encounter with each area?
- What structures, transportation systems, and improvements were made?
- How has each structure, transportation system or improvement grown or changed since 1970?
- What is the status of each structure, transportation system or improvement now?
- Draw a map of Atlanta. Using a different color for each of the six program areas, identify structures, transportation systems, and areas of the city that were changed by Ivan Allen Jr.
Topic 2: The Mayors of Atlanta
Make a timeline of Atlanta listing all the mayors of Atlanta and their terms of office. Have each student or student group choose a mayor to research.
- What was the mayor's term of office?
- What were his/her major contributions to the city?
- Draw a map of Atlanta and highlight/color the structures, transportation systems, and areas of the city that were built or improvement during his/her term
- Find photographs of the city during the mayor's term of office.
- Compare the photographs with those taken during other mayors' terms of office. How has the city layout and skyline changed?