Build Your Own Equitable City
Lesson Plans
Grades7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12Engineering
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Provided by ASU Global Futures
What it is
- In this 45-minute urban planning activity from ASU Global Futures, students will design a city with equitable infrastructure for all of its citizens.
- Students will also learn how environmental racism impacts historically marginalized populations and how proper urban planning can result in more environmentally just cities.
Teaching tips
Positives
- The slides and teacher's script are already prepared, making this lesson easy to use.
- The links in the lesson provide additional information about the topic for students and teachers.
Prerequisites
- Teachers will need the slides and the teacher's script to execute this lesson.
- Teachers should review the materials (links to articles, slides, and teacher's script) for better class readiness.
Differentiation & Implementation
- Instead of drawing the city on paper, students can make a three-dimensional model or use mapping software to make a digital city.
- History and social studies classes can use this activity in a unit on environmental racism or redlining and this activity could easily be integrated into computer science and design classes.
- Have younger students work in groups or pairs and provide additional support by providing possible solutions or a number of options for students to choose from.
- Other resources on this topic include this article about environmental racism and this film on building a world that promotes environmental justice and equity for all.
From the scientist review
This activity will enable students to ideate how to plan for an equitable city devoid of environmental racism. The resource is recommended for teaching.
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