MONGKOK旺角
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What can a city’s landscape tell us about its people?
Mapping Culture — Sketching Hong Kong’s Human Geography
Building on their exploration of Pop Art and Popular Culture in Hong Kong, Grade 9 students shifted their lens from pop to place. In this interdisciplinary project, students explored the urban fabric of Hong Kong through the lens of Human Geography—mapping culture, space, and social systems through a series of observational pen-and-ink sketches.
The Learning Arc:
Students began by visiting the Hong Kong Museum of History to trace the city’s evolution—from fishing village to vertical metropolis. Using sketchbooks, they captured artifacts and dioramas that told the story of transformation. Then, sketchbooks in hand, they hit the streets of Yau Ma Tei—a neighborhood steeped in history and contradiction—drawing scenes from bustling markets, temples, and historic architecture.
Sites Explored:
Hong Kong Museum of History ( 100 Chatham Road South, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong)
Temple Street Market (Temple Street)
Tin Hau Temple, Temple Street, (Public Square St and Shanghai St)
Jade Market (Kansu St and Battery St)
Yau Ma Tei Police Station (627 Canton Rd)
Red Brick House - Engineer’s Office of the Former Pumping Station (8 Waterloo Rd)
Yau Ma Tei Theatre (6 Waterloo Rd )
Yau Ma Tei Fruit Market (Kansu St )
Learning Focus:
Understand human geography through the lens of lived experience
Connect art and urban studies through observational sketching
Practice primary source collection in real-world settings
Explore individual inquiry pathways using the MYP Areas of Interaction, including:
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Community & Service
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Health & Social Issues
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Environment
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Human Ingenuity
Skills in Action:
Prior to the fieldwork, students engaged in studio workshops to build their pen-and-ink technique. The excursion served as a culminating moment to apply those skills in a dynamic, unscripted urban environment. They produced four observational sketches on-site and used photography as additional source material for a final composition reflecting their selected theme.
Why It Matters:
This unit brought together art, culture, and social studies into one cohesive learning experience—anchored in the students’ own city. For many, it sparked a new way of seeing Hong Kong—not just as a backdrop to daily life, but as a living text full of stories, tensions, and connections.
REFERENCES
Hong Kong History Museum: Hong Kong Story Exhibition -
http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/History/en_US/web/mh/exhibition/view-the-galleries.html
Yau Ma Tei walk -
http://www.timeout.com.hk/feature-stories/features/53661/great-city-walks-yau-ma-tei.html