Lesson 6: Green Urban Planning

Curriculum:

This exercise has been designed to integrate with Manitoba curriculum outcomes for grades 7, 10 and 12. However, it can be adapted for all ages. Visit our curriculum connections page for specific, identified skills which can be developed using this lesson plan.

Learning Goals:

• Students understand the benefits of sustainable practices and green urban planning
• Students use critical thinking, independent research and creative writing skills
• Students will be able to use scientific vocabulary to describe natural observations

Resources:

• Urban Planning: Definition, Problems and Solutions
• Crafting an Elevator Pitch
• Environmental Stewardship: School Grounds Clean Up Campaign
• How to Start a School Garden: Your Complete Guide
• Pollinator Gardens: 8 Easy Steps to Design a Landscape with Native Plants
• Composting Resources
• Tree Planting and Schoolyards: A Considered Choice and a Winning Combination

Materials:

• Clipboards
• Lined paper
• Pencils
• Tablets

Time: 60 minutes+

 

Activate:

1. Introduce the boreal forest in the context of science and/or social studies curriculum; see this page for resources.
2. Introduce students to urban planning and how they will be acting as planners in the context of this project.

Acquire:

1. Break students into small groups (~5 students/group) and provide them with clipboards, lined paper, plain paper and pencils.
2. Students get 60+ minutes to spend time outside to brainstorm what kind of project they would like to plan for greening their schoolyard or surrounding community.

Apply:

1. As a group, students are responsible for developing a green plan for the school. This can include writing a research paper, putting together a slideshow, creating a video, etc. 
• Examples: improving the tree canopy, planting a school garden, planting a pollinator garden, adding bike trails, creating a outdoor classroom space, starting a composting program, etc.
2. Students present their project to the class. This includes preparing an elevator pitch.

Conclusion

Evaluate individual students based on their participation and collaboration, or have peers evaluate the members in their group on their contributions to the group. For extended engagement, have students present their project to school administration. See if it’s possible to actually implement some/all of the projects at the school!