Space City Planning and Design

Lesson Plan

Kim Bierwirth

M.H. Moore Elementary

Fort Worth I.S.D.

kbierwirth@ftworth.isd.tenet.edu

Space City Planning and Design

Subject area(s): Art, Language Arts, Social Studies, Technology

Grade Level: 5

Timeline: 12 45 minute sessions (may take longer depending on number of computers available for use)

Essential Understanding: Communities are formed to meet individual and group

physical, social, and emotional needs.

Essential Questions:

· What is my role in my community?

· What defines my community?

· What are the needs for my community? How can these needs be met?

Objectives:

· The students will become aware of problems that are faced in cities/ communities and develop solutions to create better cities/communities.

· The students will learn about the components that make up a city/ community.

· The students will become familiar with the phases in planning a city/community.

· The students will have a better understanding of the skills needed for careers related to city planning and promotion.

· The students will use art and technology to create plans and an advertising brochure for a space city/community.

· The students will increase their knowledge of and experience with technology, specifically Microsoft Publisher and digital photography.

· The students will learn how to effectively communicate and collaborate with others in a small group community.

· The students will analyze their group maps, models, and brochures for artistic elements and quality.

TEKS: Art 5.1 A,B

5.2 A, B, C

5.3 C

5.4 B

Language Arts/Reading 5.15 A,B

5.17 D

5.19 A-I

5.21 E

5.22 A

Language Arts/Reading 5.24 A, B

5.25 A, B

Social Studies 5.6 A, B

Technology 5.1 A,B,E

5.2 A-E

5.3 A,B

5.7 B,C

5.8 A

5.9 A,B

5.10 A,B

5.11 A

Vocabulary: Brochure

Cartography/Cartographer

City

Commercial

Community

Industrial

Map

Municipal

Planner

Residential

Three-Dimensional

Materials/Resources Needed:

· city maps (maps showing parks, public buildings, schools, etc. are best)

· 18 x 24 inch white drawing paper

· pencils

· 18 x 24 inch poster board (for 3-D model)

· recycled materials (for 3-D model)

· glue

· multiple computer access (with Microsoft Publisher)

· computer printer access

· digital camera with software

· computer scanner

· zip disks

· 8 ½ x 11 inch paper for brochures (cardstock)

Activities:

1. Create a species from another planet (prior to city planning lesson).

2. City planning – create a map of a space city in groups.

3. Create a three-dimensional model of the space city in groups.

4. Create an advertising brochure for the space city in groups.

Process:

Day 1

Introduction to community. Discuss the definition of a community and what it means to individual students. Tell students they are going to be given a job as city planners. Brainstorm with the class what a city planner might do.
Divide students in groups of three or four (mix ability levels). Tell the groups that their previously created space species are going to inhabit a new city. The members of each group are part of a design team (city planners and cartographers) that will plan a new space city
Have the class brainstorm what will be needed in their community (use list on Attachment A to supplement student list). Pass out Need and Don’t Want worksheet (Attachment A) to each group. As a group the students will brainstorm what they do not want to have in their new city and solutions for controlling these things. Discuss lists with the entire class. Compare this to the communities they live in today.

Day 2

· Ask students what they think a cartographer might do. Give clues by displaying maps around the room, on the overhead, or projected from the computer. Tell students that in addition to being city planners, they will also be cartographers. Each group will create a plan (map) of their new space city.

· Before starting maps, discuss the vocabulary necessary for the planning (residential, municipal, commercial, industrial). Extension: Expand the vocabulary to include Multi-Family Residential, Single Family Residential, and Vacant Buildings for more advanced students.

· Show examples of city maps and discuss how they incorporate the four areas mentioned above.

· Discuss Space City Plan and Model Checklist (Attachment B) and expectations for the map assignment.

Students will begin planning and drawing maps of their cities. Meeting Individual Needs: If needed, assign a specific section of the map to students that require more assistance. Provide specific criteria to follow.

· Monitor and assess the progress of each group, allowing for students to make all decisions in regards to the city plan. Encourage students to resolve conflicts over design through discussion and input from all members of the group.

Day 3

Review assignment expectations with groups.
Students will continue to work on the planning and drawing of their cities.
Continue to monitor and assess the progress of each group. Remind students that just as a city planner or cartographer in the “real world” has deadlines, so do they. The deadline for the city plans to be completed is Day 4.

Day 4

Review assignment expectations and progress with each group separately.
Students will complete planning and drawing of their cities.
Completed maps and checklists will be turned in for review.

Day 5

Discuss with students the next phase of their city planning, which is to create a three-dimensional model of the new space city.
If available, show examples of a scale model of a building.
Discuss materials students can use to create the city (recyclable materials that have been collected prior to lesson). Each group will receive an 18 x 24 inch poster board to use as a base for their models – the remainder of the materials is limited only by their creativity. Emphasize good craftsmanship when creating the space city models.
Students will begin the creation of their three-dimensional space city models. Extension: More advanced students can use an exact scale, such as 1” to 1’, for their models.
Monitor and assess the progress of each group, encouraging students to keep the models as close to the original maps as possible.

Day 6

Review assignment expectations with groups.
Students will continue to work on the creation of their three-dimensional space city models.

Continue to monitor and assess the progress of each group. Remind students that they have a deadline for this phase of their project. The deadline for the city models to be completed is Day 7.

Day 7

Review assignment expectations and progress with each group separately.
Students will complete their three-dimensional space city models.
Allow time for groups to review models and plans of other groups. Encourage constructive critiques and evaluations of completed projects.

Day 8

Discuss with students the last phase of their city planning, which is creating an advertising brochure for their new space city.
Show examples of city advertising brochures using a computer projector (Brochures should be scanned ahead of time.). Discuss what makes some brochures more visually appealing than others. Discuss what should be included in an advertising brochure, keeping students focused on the purpose of the brochure (to “sell” the idea of the space city).
Give a brochure template to each group. They will complete the template with information about their city. (Templates should be created prior to Day 8 by the teacher, using Microsoft Publisher Wizard Brochures. The teacher will create the template with specific instructions on what information is required in each section of the brochure.) Extension: Students that are more advanced or have more experience with computers can create their brochures without using a template. Meeting Individual Needs: If needed, assign a specific section of the brochure to students that require more assistance. Provide an outline to follow or complete.
While students are working on their brochures, have one group at a time to use the digital camera to photograph their space city models. These pictures will be inserted into the space city brochures. Each group should have at least four photographs to use, with one being a view of the entire city and the remainder being detail shots. (If possible, save photographs to a zip disk for future use in brochures.)

Day 9

Review assignment expectations and progress with groups.
Students will complete their space city brochures.
All photographs of space cities will be completed as well.
Brochures should be reviewed, with grammatical corrections made, by next day.

Day 10

Demonstrate using Microsoft Publisher to create space city brochures. (Use computer projector.) Demonstrate typing text into document first. Discuss the visual appearance of the brochure – keep the fonts consistent and easy to read, limit colors, and leave enough white space.
Groups will begin typing text in brochures. Have students divide typing as equally as possible between each member of their group.
Monitor and assess the progress of each group. Meeting Individual Needs: Some students may need more direction. If needed, create a step-by-step checklist that follows demonstration for typing text in brochure.

Day 11

Review assignment expectations and progress with groups.
Students will complete typing text in space city brochures.
Continue to monitor and assess the progress of each group.

Day 12

Demonstrate inserting picture of space city models into brochure document from zip disk. (Use computer projector.) Explain process of getting photographs from digital camera to computer and zip disk.

Groups will select and insert photographs into brochures. Meeting Individual Needs: Some students may need more direction. If needed, create a step-by-step checklist that follows demonstration for inserting photographs into brochure.
When brochures are completed, they will be printed and reviewed for corrections by group members.

Once corrections have been made, final copies of the brochures will be printed on cardstock, including one for display and one for the teacher.
Students will complete the Self-Assessment (Attachment D) for the project.

Assessment:

Student Assessment:

Students will use the Space City Plan and Model Checklist to insure they are meeting all the requirements of the design (Attachment B).
Students will use the final Self-Assessment to evaluate their projects and individual learning (Attachment D).

Teacher Assessment:

· Teacher will use a rubric for the three components combined: space city plan/map, three-dimensional model, and brochure (Attachment C).

Extensions/Alternatives:

Instead of creating a space city, students could create an art museum, using their own artwork to display in the models and brochures.
Students could create a scale model of their own neighborhood. A brochure could be created to promote the neighborhood/ a neighborhood event or address a concern students have within their neighborhood.
Have a city planner, cartographer and/or public relations manager for the city as a guest speaker.

Correlated Web Sites:

http://www.kidsplan.com

http://www.planning.org/kidsandcommunity

http://www0.un.org/cyberschoolbus/habitat/index.asp

Attachment A

Space City Plan

Group Members _____________________________________________________

Needs Don’t Want Solutions

· Housing

· Food/Water

· Parks/Recreation

· Utilities

· Open Space

· Transportation

· Medical Services

· Shopping Services

· Government Services

· Education

· Employment

Attachment B

Space City Plan and Model Checklist

Group Members: ______________________________________________

City Name: ___________________________________________________

You must include the following in your space city design:

Residential

¨ Houses

¨ Apartments

Municipal

¨ Government Offices (city hall, courts)

¨ Police Station/Fire Station

¨ Utilities (water, gas, electric, waste)

¨ Parks/Recreation

¨ Medical Services (hospitals, clinics)

¨ Transportation

¨ Education

Commercial

¨ Shopping services

¨ Entertainment

Industrial

¨ Factories

¨ Warehouses

* Turn in this checklist with your plan (map) and model.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Your group is being evaluated on the following:

¨ How well you work together.

¨ How much each person contributes to the project.

¨ If you included the 4 areas listed above.

¨ On the craftsmanship of your city (well planned, neatness, no tape)

Attachment C

Space City Plan and Model Rubric

Student Name: __________________________________________________

City Name: _______________________________________________________

Objective	Unsatisfactory 1	Needs Improvement 2	Satisfactory 3	Excellent 4
Student effectively communicated and collaborated with others in the group.
The student was proficient in using Microsoft Publisher and digital photography.
The student developed an understanding for the skills needed in city planning and promotion careers.
The student used good craftsmanship in the creation of the city plan and model.

Teacher Comments: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Attachment D

Self-Assessment

Space City Plan and Model

Of your group’s three assignments (space city plan/map, three-dimensional model, and brochure), which do you think is the best work? Why? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Which of the three assignments would you like to change and create differently? _________________________________________________________________

What would you change? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Why? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. What are some skills that you would need to have in order to be a successful city planner? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

cartographer? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. What do you see as your role in your community? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. What defines your community and makes it the unique place that it is? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________