Urban Liveability Introduction

Lesson Overview

Lesson Title: Most & Least Liveable Cities
Unit: Exploring Urban Liveability (Lesson 1 of 13)
Year Level: Year 7
Subject: Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS)
Class Size: 30 students
Lesson Duration: 70 minutes
Curriculum Links:

• Australian Curriculum – HASS / Geography (Year 7)
  • ACHGK043: Factors that influence the decisions people make about where to live and work, at a range of scales.
  • ACHGK044: The influence of environmental quality on liveability.
  • ACHGK045: The influence of accessibility to services and facilities; and environmental quality, on the liveability of places.
  • General Capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking, Intercultural Understanding, Ethical Understanding.

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Learning Intentions

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

• Define urban liveability and understand key contributing factors.
• Examine and compare different cities to understand why some are considered more liveable than others.
• Reflect on personal priorities regarding liveability.

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Success Criteria

Students will:

• Actively participate in discussions about liveable cities.
• Identify and explain at least three factors that contribute to liveability.
• Complete an exit slip reflecting on their learning and preferences regarding urban environments.

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Resources

• Visuals of 6 contrasting cities (e.g., Melbourne, Helsinki, Lagos, Tokyo, Dhaka, Zurich)
• Printed student handouts (Liveability Factors Table)
• Projector with audio for short video clips
• Sticky notes or mini-whiteboards for brainstorming
• Google Earth (optional for interactive mapping activity)
• Exit slips (printed or digital via Google Forms or equivalent platform)

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Lesson Breakdown (70 Minutes)

1. Welcome and Warm-Up (10 mins)

Hook Question: “If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?”

• Students write a short response individually (in their notebooks or on whiteboards).
• Pair-share and then open up to a whole class discussion.
• Use responses to highlight how different priorities (e.g., climate, safety, pollution levels, job opportunities) reflect different criteria for liveability.

✨ Teacher Tip: Have students stand behind their chairs. Call out liveability preferences (e.g., “Good public transport”, “Low crime rates”) – students ‘sit’ if that factor is important to them. Great way to get them moving and engaged right away.

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2. Introducing the Concept of Liveability (15 mins)

Explicit Teaching:

• Use a short, narrated infographic or teacher-led slideshow to introduce:
  • What is liveability?
  • Common factors: safety, health care, education, access to services, infrastructure, culture, environment, affordability.
  • Introduce the Global Liveability Index and how cities are ranked.

Visual Display: Slide with world map showing top 5 and bottom 5 cities on the latest Global Liveability Index.

Guided Note-Taking: Students complete a “Liveability Factors” notes table with key definitions and examples.

🧠 Extension Prompt: “Do you think a city ranked low on liveability can still be a great place to live for someone? Why or why not?”

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3. City Snapshots Activity (20 mins)

Group Task (Small Groups of 5):

• Each group is assigned one city from a mix of high and low liveability scores.
  • E.g.: Melbourne, Dhaka, Helsinki, Jakarta, Zurich, Lagos

Each group receives a city profile sheet with details on:

• Population
• Transport
• Healthcare
• Education
• Environmental issues
• Housing
• Cultural aspects

Task Instructions:

• Identify 3 major strengths and 2 challenges related to liveability.
• Prepare a postcard-style ‘pitch’ to the class: “Come live in our city!” – using either persuasive or honest truths depending on their city.

🎨 Differentiation Opportunity: Artistic students may draw postcards or create a short skit; visual learners can create an infographic using Canva or paper.

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4. Class Show-and-Tell (15 mins)

Presentations:

• Each group shares their 90-second ‘pitch’ to the class.
• As groups present, the rest of the class uses a T-chart in their books to jot down:
  • Things that make cities liveable
  • Things that make cities hard to live in

Teacher Facilitates Discussion:

• Compare characteristics across cities.
• Lead into a reflective discussion: “Are the most liveable cities the most liveable for everyone?”

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5. Reflect and Exit Slip (10 mins)

Individual Task:

• Complete an exit slip responding to:
  1. What are three key things I learned about city liveability today?
  2. Which city presented today would I most want to live in, and why?
  3. What’s one question I still have about cities or liveability?

Exit options:

• Written on paper or digital submission (e.g., Microsoft Forms / Google Forms)
• Display 2–3 student responses on the board (anonymously) for whole-class reflection if time permits.

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Differentiation and Inclusion

• EAL/D Learners: Provide glossaries of new terms with visuals (e.g., “infrastructure”, “affordability”, “sanitation”).
• High-Ability Learners: Challenge them to find their own global city and compare it with Melbourne.
• Students Needing Support: Pair with a peer, pre-highlight text in city info sheets, or provide scaffolded sentence starters for reflections.

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Assessment Opportunities

• Formative: Class discussions, group work contributions, accuracy and detail in notes.
• Summative: Exit slips (recorded and reviewed for understanding)
• Teacher Observations: Engagement, cooperation, use of geographical terminology.

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Reflection & Teacher Notes

• Consider tracking shifts in student understanding by re-asking the warm-up question at the end of the unit.
• Reflect on cities chosen for diversity and global reach—adapt based on classroom demographics.
• Follow up next lesson with: “What do we value most in liveability – and how does our own city rank?”

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Next Lesson Preview

Lesson 2: What Makes a Place Liveable?
Students will evaluate a range of environmental, economic, and social factors that affect liveability and begin to assess their local city's strengths and challenges.

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This lesson sparks global thinking, critical questioning, and personal reflection, setting the tone for a unit that’s as meaningful as it is informative.