Make a City! Our Socials and Math Project Related to Structure

We have spent time this unit talking about the structure required to set up a city, as related to FORM=FUNCTION!

  • We took some time to identify key features of maps, as we looked at different types of maps from around the world (key vocabulary: grids, compasses, longitude/latitude, key/legend, scale, city maps, and topographical maps.)
  • We talked about services needed if you were to set up a city. We looked at Burnaby’s City Services, and we made a chart of services provided at a municipal, provincial, and federal level.
  • We also imagined what the first cities would have been like. Where are cities located? We determined they are close to resources that give us our basic needs and economy.
  • How do cities change as the population grows? We drew some diagrams about the imaginary Joe Land that grew over time, and then talked about how structure changed and increased as more people moved in!

Now, we are working with a partner to create our own city, which we will advertise with the hope that people will want to come and live there!

Steps to Create the CITY:

  • Decide on a city name and the country it is in. Make sure the name isn’t taken. Think about how the name will be appealing to the people that might live there.
  • Your city must be on a coastal area that has water access of some sort. You must design the other topographical/land features for the area.
  • Think about what kind of city this is. What is its main economy? How does it make money? How will that impact the design of the city?
  • How does this city get its needs met and how does this impact its design? Think about its location in relation to resources. How do the natural surroundings meet the needs of its economy?
  • What is the population like and how does that affect the design of the city? How many people can live here? What services will there be? What kinds of things do the people who work here want to do?
  • Make a draft copy of your city. Use a piece of 8.5×14 paper to make a draft design. It does not need to be to scale. This is just to get a basic idea of your plan.
  • Use the Seattle map I provided on the board or another similar-sized map for help with scale. You need to provide a scale for your map, as well as a legend/key, grid marks, and other features. The Seattle map we went over is a great guide, as it is the same size as the large piece of graph paper for your final map.
  • Once you have a scale, start sketching out where things will go on the large piece of graph paper. You need to first label the grid. You don’t have to draw grid lines, because they are already on the paper, but you have to label the lines. Then, get a ruler out. Start sketching out the city in pencil, but measure as you go. Are the buildings, roads, and features of your map realistic? You may want to think about the real sizes of things out there. Again, use the map as a guide.
  • Colour in the map after you are sure you have it set up correctly.
  • Create a brochure to advertise your city, which will talk about your economy, key features, and reasons to live there! (We will talk about this separately next week.)

Criteria for Your Map:

  • Well thought out. You have answers to the questions I have asked above. You have shown you are a THINKER about your plan, and that you are KNOWLEDGEABLE using information from our unit.
  • Final map is attractive, neat, and well planned.
  • Grid lines have been labeled appropriately.
  • A key/legend, compass, and other map features as seen on maps provided in class have been provided.
  • A scale has been provided on the map, and it was used to decide how big things are and where they are placed. The map features should look appropriate sizes and appropriate locations from one another.
  • The map shows the structure of the city. In other words, people would be able to get their needs met and get around through the city, too. City services, resources, economy, and basic needs have been considered.
  • Location of natural features should be realistic and appropriate for the type of city you are designing. They should also be appropriate sizes using your scale.

Good luck creating your city! Rubric to follow in class on Monday. City maps are due Friday, Dec. 9th