Utopia

Author names: Adam, Mami, & Sara

For Teachers 

Students will learn the concept of a utopia and how to use a 360 camera by building a personal utopia out of art supplies. Activity culminates in students filming and sharing their utopian tour. 

Target Group

Young Learners (Primary School)

How this fits into a larger lesson or unit (optional!)

• Depending on the topic and unit, teachers can instruct students to design different utopias 

e.g.: For comparatives, teacher may ask students to design big, small, short, tall, large, beautiful, ugly, basic, and fancy utopias. In the end, they can make presentations using comparisons. 

Main Learning Objectives

• Study the idea of utopia through discussion and creative problem solving

• Collaborate with peers in creating

• Target Language includes: Architecture, (Cardinal) Directions, Colors, Shapes, & Maps

• Competencies include: Collaboration, Communication, Creative problem solving, Technology literacy

Materials Needed

• GoPro cameras (enough for each, turns can be taken; better one for each)

• Video editing software

• Projector, TV, or 360 goggles

• Art supplies

Activity Instructions

• Gather materials (Materials could be any art supplies you can think of. Tape, scissors, glitters, and other tools might be helpful for manipulating the materials)

• Create several objects that depict your utopia

• Combine these objects into your larger utopia

• Film your utopia in 360 vision

For Students 

Session 1 – Introduction

• Introduction and discussion of utopia

  • Vocabulary (utopia, architecture, etc.)

  • Examples

  • Discussion: can utopias work?

• Homework: gather supplies

Session 2 – Create

• Use art materials to create utopian architecture models

  • Each student makes 3 or more architectural models

• In small groups, students bring all of their architectural models together and layout a utopian city landscape 

Session 3 – Utopia Tour & Video Editing

• Teachers demo how to use 360 cameras

• Students use 360 camera to make a tour of your utopia

Session 4 – Final Presentation

• Presentation & tours of 360 utopias