My town, my future
Source: Clough and Holden, 2002, pp. 52–3
Purpose
• To plan a community for the future based on current concerns
• To consider the physical and social needs of a community
• To develop map-making skills
• To help students understand the role of the law in protecting communities
Preparation
You will need a large sheet of sugar paper or other A1 paper for each group and felt-tip
pens.
Procedure
Start the class thinking about what makes a good town and what facilities are needed in
relation to their own town or city.
• What do we like about our town (city)?
• What would we choose to show visitors?
• Which areas need improving?
• What is currently being planned for our town?
• What do we need here that we don’t have?
Explain to the class that even now architects and town planners are making decisions that
will affect their town (or village or city) in a few years time. Towns do not just change: people
make decisions about how they will change according to priorities, costs etc. Local and
national governments are also busy making decisions about laws and regulations, which will
affect people’s way of life. For the purpose of this activity, students are to have the chance to
plan a new town for 20 years hence, or they can remodel their existing town. Money is not
an issue though they will have to justify its use. Environmental issues must be considered.
Questions to consider:
• What facilities do young people need in a town or city?
• What do the elderly need?
• What about newcomers?
• What about people with physical disabilities?
• What about the homeless?
• What about the needs of other groups (e.g. families)?
In addition to considering the needs of different groups, you can ask students to think about
the transport system they want, meeting places, places of worship, schools etc. After they
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have drawn the plans for their town, ask each group to agree on what laws they want in their
community in order to protect people’s rights and have the town function effectively. They
can also consider what punishments or sanctions there would be for those who break these
laws. When all groups have completed their towns and laws, pin them on the walls for all to
look at.
Plenary
• How have you taken into account the needs of different groups?
• Were there any problems meeting these various needs?
• How were environmental and sustainability issues considered?
• Would you like to live in these towns? Why?
• What rules or rights did people have?
• How were these enforced?
• How different are these to current laws?
Possibilities
This activity can be made more complex by giving each group a particular brief – e.g. design
a town with the needs of children in mind, or the needs of elderly people.
The groups can then compare their various plans and discuss where the conflicts
lie and how these might be resolved. This activity can also lead to action in the real world.
Students can study their own locality, looking at changes currently being planned or changes
they would like to see happen. They can invite in local councillors, town planners or
community group leaders to discuss how changes might be brought about.
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