Future City Competition

PROJECT-BASED

Students must use knowledge of history, geography, writing, math (for that scale model), innovating, project-management, design thinking and a dozen other topics.

The ultimate goal is innovating solutions to the topic of the year in your city (anywhere in the Universe) 100 years in the future but before you can do that, you have to study urban planning, how governments work, etc. etc. Along the way there are several deliverables...so there are mini-projects in this project.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

One of the most important skills we can teach our middle-schoolers is the ability to manage a long-term project. This curriculum includes that, too.

HANDS-ON

Students must build a to-scale model city that incorporates their innovations. The model is out of recycled materials (no trips to the craft store, please!) with a maximum cost of $100. This is a perfect opportunity to teach students about different types of adhesives, how to use a hot glue gun safely, use hand tools safely, spray paint safely, and, well, build safely. The model must have a moving part so this is also a good time to teach students how to connect a AA battery pack to a small motor.