Using the Future City Competition to Facilitate Multidisciplinary Team Teaching in Middle Schools Diana Laboy-Rush, Oregon Future City Regional Coordinator OATAG 2007 Conference October 13, 2007

Agenda What is Future City? Official Rules and Evaluation Criteria Spanning Multiple Disciplines Project Management Timeline Building a Team Introducing SimCity 3000™ Designing a Future City Building a Model of a section of city Researching and Writing the Essay and Abstract Preparing the Team Presentation How to get started…

What is Future City?

Official Rules and Evaluation Criteria

Spanning Multiple Disciplines

Project Management Timeline

Building a Team

Introducing SimCity 3000™

Designing a Future City

Building a Model of a section of city

Researching and Writing the Essay and Abstract

Preparing the Team Presentation

How to get started…

What is Future City? A competition for 7 th and 8 th grade students to foster interest in engineering, math and science through hands-on, real world applications.

A competition for 7 th and 8 th grade students to foster interest in engineering, math and science through hands-on, real world applications.

Competition Guidelines Teams will consist of three students , an engineer-mentor , and a teacher sponsor . The students will design the logical model of the city using SimCity 3000 ™ . The team will construct a scale model of the city section using recycled materials in their designs. The model must be no larger than 25"(w) x 50"(l) x 20"(h) The model must contain at least one moving part. The students will write a 500-700 word essay explaining their response to a specific engineering or design challenge. The students will write a 300-500 word narrative describing key design features of their city. The students will explain the unique design features of their city design during team verbal presentation . The total cost may not exceed $100 . No laptop computers or videos can be used for the presentation.

Teams will consist of three students , an engineer-mentor , and a teacher sponsor .

The students will design the logical model of the city using SimCity 3000 ™ .

The team will construct a scale model of the city section using recycled materials in their designs. The model must be no larger than 25"(w) x 50"(l) x 20"(h)

The model must contain at least one moving part.

The students will write a 500-700 word essay explaining their response to a specific engineering or design challenge.

The students will write a 300-500 word narrative describing key design features of their city.

The students will explain the unique design features of their city design during team verbal presentation .

The total cost may not exceed $100 . No laptop computers or videos can be used for the presentation.

Evaluation Criteria Computer Evaluation 20 Points Computer City Design 80 Points Future City Model 120 Points Essay (500-700 words) 70 Points Abstract (300-500 wds) 20 Points Team Oral Presentation 90 Points Total = 400 Points Possible

Computer Evaluation 20 Points

Computer City Design 80 Points

Future City Model 120 Points

Essay (500-700 words) 70 Points

Abstract (300-500 wds) 20 Points

Team Oral Presentation 90 Points

Total = 400 Points Possible

Future City Deliverables Span the Curriculum

Project Management Timeline September – November Hold initial meetings for team Create context for FC Team Recruit Students Introduce students to rules and SimCity 3000 Meet with Engineer Mentor Build the team Design Future City Submit SimCity design of Future City to Regional Coordinator Celebrate milestones and evaluate progress Begin gathering materials for physical model Begin to research essay question

Hold initial meetings for team

Create context for FC Team

Recruit Students

Introduce students to rules and SimCity 3000

Meet with Engineer Mentor

Build the team

Design Future City

Submit SimCity design of Future City to Regional Coordinator

Celebrate milestones and evaluate progress

Begin gathering materials for physical model

Begin to research essay question

Project Management Timeline October - December Build physical model Write a 300-500 word abstract describing your Future City Begin brainstorming, outlining, and creating the rough draft of essay Celebration milestones and evaluate progress. December - January Continue writing the essay Create presentation Practice presentation Compete in Regional Competition Celebrate achievement of milestones.

October - December

Build physical model

Write a 300-500 word abstract describing your Future City

Begin brainstorming, outlining, and creating the rough draft of essay

Celebration milestones and evaluate progress.

December - January

Continue writing the essay

Create presentation

Practice presentation

Compete in Regional Competition

Celebrate achievement of milestones.

Building a Team Forming the Team Creating the climate and processes for continuous team learning Creating Team Celebrations Tips on resolving conflict and reaching consensus

Forming the Team

Creating the climate and processes for continuous team learning

Creating Team Celebrations

Tips on resolving conflict and reaching consensus

Introducing SimCity 3000 ™ Familiarizing students with the software. About SimCity 3000 screens and buttons SimCity 3000 Simulation and observations Using SimCity to stimulate awareness of the complex relationships of citizen needs, growth, taxation, revenues, and sustainability

Familiarizing students with the software.

About SimCity 3000 screens and buttons

SimCity 3000 Simulation and observations

Using SimCity to stimulate awareness of the complex relationships of citizen needs, growth, taxation, revenues, and sustainability

Designing a Future City Tips for designing your Future City Finished city must be at least in the year 2150; no limits as to how high the year can go Build a City with at least 50,000 or more residents Turn off Disasters menu, or you may have to rebuild due to natural disaster Save after every session Things to consider as you design your Future City Using a decision matrix to discuss criteria for choices as you build your Future City

Tips for designing your Future City

Finished city must be at least in the year 2150; no limits as to how high the year can go

Build a City with at least 50,000 or more residents

Turn off Disasters menu, or you may have to rebuild due to natural disaster

Save after every session

Things to consider as you design your Future City

Using a decision matrix to discuss criteria for choices as you build your Future City

Building a Model of a Section of Your City Building the model to scale Model must not exceed 25”W x 50”L x 20”H Create a key describing the scale Consider the height of tallest building and the recycled materials you have collected Including a moving part Any power source must be self-contained; no plugs Shipping the model Shipping container: 30”W x 54”L x 24”H Collecting and using recycled material Purchased and recycled materials may be used Cost of materials must be no more than $100, including materials used in the oral presentation.

Building the model to scale

Model must not exceed 25”W x 50”L x 20”H

Create a key describing the scale

Consider the height of tallest building and the recycled materials you have collected

Including a moving part

Any power source must be self-contained; no plugs

Shipping the model

Shipping container: 30”W x 54”L x 24”H

Collecting and using recycled material

Purchased and recycled materials may be used

Cost of materials must be no more than $100, including materials used in the oral presentation.

Researching and Writing the Essay and Abstract Creating research and writing team Conducting research Primary: Interviews, case studies, surveys, experiments Secondary: Reading books, articles, case studies and research papers on topics of interest Creating a mind map to cluster ideas for your topic Using collaborative writing and peer coaching to product your team’s essay

Creating research and writing team

Conducting research

Primary: Interviews, case studies, surveys, experiments

Secondary: Reading books, articles, case studies and research papers on topics of interest

Creating a mind map to cluster ideas for your topic

Using collaborative writing and peer coaching to product your team’s essay

Preparing and Practicing the Team Presentation Preparing the presentation Organizing the presentation Creating and using flip charts Practicing Using peer coaching to improve the presentation Conclusion

Preparing the presentation

Organizing the presentation

Creating and using flip charts

Practicing

Using peer coaching to improve the presentation

Conclusion

How to get started… Register your team / school by Monday October 15 at: http://www.futurecity.org/register Review Teacher’s Manual and Tutorial CD Assemble Team or introduce to class Begin familiarization with SimCity Plan Project schedule and go…

Register your team / school by Monday October 15 at:

http://www.futurecity.org/register

Review Teacher’s Manual and Tutorial CD

Assemble Team or introduce to class

Begin familiarization with SimCity

Plan Project schedule and go…