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Designer Cities of the Future

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Subject:Math, Language Arts,
Science, Geography
Grade:6-8, 9-12

Brief Description
Students explore factors that will influence the future needs of their city, then create maps of an environmentally sound city of the future.

Objectives

Students practice mapmaking and writing skills as they learn about the effects of population trends and ecological practices on life in the future.

Keywords

ecology, future, city planning, population

Materials Needed

Population Explosion Web Adventure (teacher's guide) Population Explosion Web Adventure (student version)
balance ... beyond survival
Future World
Future World
Our Future Generation: Kids and the Environment
other print or online resources about city planning, population growth, or our ecological future paper
pens, crayons, and/or markers

Lesson Plan

  • A day or two before introducing this activity, ask students to take time to independently explore the information and resources at the Population Explosion Web Adventure, particularly Projections of the Total Population of States: 1995 to 2025 and City Planning for Our Future.
  • Suggest that students also explore other print or online resources about city planning, population growth, or our ecological future, such as balance ... beyond survival
    Future World
    Future World
    Our Future Generation: Kids and the Environment.
  • Introduce the activity by organizing students into groups and asking each group to complete the City Planning for Our Future -- Article and Questions Worksheet.
  • Provide each group with a copy of the Construct your own city! directions and paper, pens, crayons, and/or markers. Ask each group to follow the directions and create a labeled and illustrated map of an environmentally sound city of the future.

    Extension: Invite students to participate in next year's National Engineers Week Future City Competition, a competition in which middle school students create their visions of the city of tomorrow.

    Assessment

    N/A

    Lesson Plan Source

    Learning Network

    Submitted By

    Linda Starr

    National Standards

    Language Arts:
    NL-ENG.K-12.5
    NL-ENG.K-12.8

    Math:
    NM.5-8.1
    NM.5-8.2
    NM.5-8.3
    NM.5-8.4
    NM.5-8.10
    NM.9-12.1
    NM.9-12.2
    NM.9-12.3
    NM.9-12.4
    NM.9-12.10

    Science:
    NS.5-8.3
    NS.5-8.6
    NS.9-12.3
    NS.9-12.6

    Geography:
    NSS-G.K-12.1
    NSS-G.K-12.3
    NSS-G.K-12.4
    NSS-G.K-12.5
    NSS-G.K-12.6

    12/18/2000