What do playgrounds mean? And how does that meaning change over time? This writing project challenges you to explore a nearby playground and analyze it as a physical space but also as a site of possibly conflicting purposes and values.
Begin your project by picking a playground to explore for meaning. Drawing on site visits, our class readings, and independent research, you will analyze assumptions about the purposes for and organization of play reflected in your chosen playground. Your project should ultimately situate your interpretation of this space within broader perspectives about play.
Possible Playgrounds
- Forest Park Playground
- Summit Tot Lot
- Caldwell Green Tot Lot
- Fisher Farm*
- Bailey Road Park*
- Parham Park*
See also this list of playgrounds in Davidson. (* means you probably need a car)
Your Question
This project is fairly open-ended. It will be up to you to synthesize our readings about play and playgrounds and use them to inform your interpretation of your chosen playground. Your goal is not to merely describe the playground, but to analyze it as a space abounding with explicit and implicit meanings. The most compelling papers will pull in some outside research (say, into the history of your particular playground) and consider what you’ve observed during your site visits.
I suggest organizing your paper around a question about the playground. Your question should be something that is not immediately obvious, or at least does not have immediately obvious answers. Above all, it should be a question you are genuinely interested in.
Schedule
- First three paragraphs due by class on Monday, October 3.
- Draft of 1,000-1,250 words due by class on Wednesday, October 5. Be sure to include illustrative images of your park.
- In-class peer review will take place on Wednesday, October 7 and Friday, October 9
- Final version due by class on Friday, October 12.
Header Image: The Caldwell Tot Lot in Davidson, image courtesy of the Town of Davidson