PLANNING HEALTHY, VIBRANT CITIES Ages 11-13 Teacher: Kate Selden School: MS582, 207 Bushwick Avenue, Brooklyn, NY (East Williamsburg Neighborhood)

Duration 10 weeks, Thursdays, 9am-11.20am Fall 2016: October 6 - December 15 Classes Meet: 10/6, 10/13,10/20, 10/27,11/3,11/10,11/17,12/1,12/8,12/15 No classes: Oct. 3-4, Oct. 10-11, Oct. 12, Nov. 8, Nov. 11, Nov. 23-25.

Class Description In collaboration with the Program for Sustainable Planning and Development. Students work on real-world city planning problems and engage with education leaders, government agencies, and community organizations as legitimate participants and important players in the development of their communities. Students will engage with urban planning through an interactive ten-session workshop; the unit has three overarching goals:

1. Students will learn about the field of urban planning: what urban planners do and how to look at the city as a system of many interconnected parts.

2. Students will go through process of inquiry and discovery about the local community – students will identify assets and issues, and brainstorm solutions.

3. Most importantly, students will learn that they are experts on their communities, and that by using various tools they can investigate, observe, and communicate their ideas about how to make healthy, vibrant communities.

Program-wide Learning Outcomes ● Use the materials, techniques and processes associated with a specific discipline or subject area. ● Apply their knowledge of practical and conceptual skills in studio projects that demonstrate

originality and inventiveness. ● Critically engage with their own work and the work of others. ● Formulate ideas and concepts, and communicate them effectively. ● Work effectively alone or with others.

Urban Planning Learning Outcomes:

● Identify what urban planners do, why the role of an urban planner is important, and how planners can help to make communities more just and sustainable.

● Use core urban planning tools such as mapping, observation, surveying, SWOT analysis, and problem-solving

● Understand basic urban planning topics and vocabulary related to land use, housing, transportation, environment, community institutions

● Identify local issues and begin to formulate creative solutions ● Practice communicating ideas to an audience, using evidence and support to justify solutions

● Recognize the value of their own thoughts about their local community and the importance of sharing their ideas with decision-makers

Pratt Institute Resources and Guests • Guest urban planners for select activities as

needed • Possible guests for final presentations:

o Urban planners from the APA Diversity committee

o Pratt Students o Staff from Pratt Center K-12

Materials / Equipment / References

• Box of found objects

• Large-scale map – with extra supplies for adding to it: colored tape, colored cellophane, markers

• Paper and markers for mental maps

• Chart paper for taking notes

• Laptops for online mapping day

• Additional art supplies for presentations

• Websites: o http://maps.nyc.gov/doitt/nycitymap/

o http://nag-brooklyn.org/toxicity-map/

o select activities/worksheets from: https://www.cip-icu.ca/Files/Resources/kidsguide.aspx

o if needed for zoning: http://welcometocup.org/Projects/Workshops/WhatIsZoning

Narrative of Intended Projects

Project 1: Building childhood memories + Building youth-friendly cities (1 day) Description: • Students work individually to build their favorite

childhood memories using box of found objects • Students work in groups to build ideal cities – they

are challenged to think about what makes a city good for young people

Goals: • Get to know students through sharing of memories • Introduce the field of urban planning • Connect personal experience with planning cities

Project 2: Mental maps (1 day) Description: • Show students examples of various types of

maps • Students work individually to create a mental

map of the meaningful places in their lives (free draw)

• Students share work, scribe takes note of important places for students

Goal: • Have students think about their personal

experience spatially • Discuss what is a community, where are the

• Identify all the elements that interact in a city (housing, environment, stores, transit, etc)

• Learn from students what issues they are most interested in learning about

boundaries of your community? What places are meaningful in your community and why?

Project 3: Online Mapping Scavenger Hunt (1 day) Description: • Students are guided through a tutorial on how to

use NYC online mapping tool Oasis • Students go on a mapping “scavenger hunt” to find

out certain things about their neighborhood (i.e. how many parks? How many train stops? How many hospitals? Etc.)

• Students given free time to find something new and surprising about their neighborhood

• Discuss differences and similarities between mental maps and online maps

Goals: • Learn how to use technology to investigate

community • Understand the ways that urban planners research

neighborhoods using “official maps” • Become familiar with navigating maps

Project 4: Building a Neighborhood Map (2 days) Description: • Students help to fill in a floor-sized street

grid of neighborhood, splitting into partners to add: water, parks, schools and institutions, zoning, trains, street names, legend

• Students present about the things they added to the map

• Students identify personal stories from their mental map and stand in the location where they occurred

• Survey activity where students and facilitators ask questions neighborhood – students stand on the parts of the map that answer the question

• Students identify major strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) of neighborhood

• Students identify three places they want to see improved – split into three teams (assign them to visit before next week if possible)

Goals: • To teach students how to look at maps,

identify neighborhoods assets, locate personal memories

• To learn about “existing conditions” of the neighborhood by constructing a map

• To survey each other and think about assets and issues

Project 5: Affordable Housing Crisis Simulation (2 days) Description: • Students participate in embodied simulation to

understand the affordable housing crisis – taking on roles as: tenants, landlords, developers, and organizers

• Students identify the problems in the simulation and brainstorm solutions using design-thinking exercise

Goals: • To teach students about how the housing market

works and why gentrification and displacement are occurring in their neighborhoods

• To allow students to share their personal stories and experiences as residents in changing neighborhoods

• To teach students about the role of different people and who has power to change what

• To challenge students to think about what would make it better

Project 6: Design Thinking Exercise – Brainstorming solutions (1 day) Description: • Students provided 5 objects, tasked with

using objects to come up with new design for chosen site within allotted time. Based on: http://cdn.cooperhewitt.org/2011/09/02/Ready%20Set%20Design%20vX.pdf

• Students pick 1-2 solutions to work on Goals: • Students work together to brainstorm design

solutions • Students must think creatively and

imaginatively using only the objects provided •

Project 7: Presentation on Design/Planning (2 days) Recommendations: • Students guided to make recommendations to

panel of school staff, guess urban planners, and other guests about their research on their neighborhood and their recommendations for improvement.

• Students pick method of presentation: letter, poem, song, poster, PowerPoint, piece of art, skit, etc.

• Students spend 2 classes working on presentation and practicing for peers.

Potential other class topics: • Around the block survey of place • Neighborhood Planning and Advocacy –

Distributive Justice Simulation/Board game

• NYC Waste Systems – the life of a carton of milk

• Transportation – how to make transportation better for youth?

• Stormwater and water quality • Environmental justice (air quality, waste

distribution, etc.) • Food justice and access • Schools and Education • Public Places – parks, plazas, streets

We improve and deepen student learning through a variety of student assessment methods. Student’s progress will be measured through a combination of formative and summative methods which may include:

● Teacher led assessment of studio work (For example: a teacher led critique, project rubric, or portfolio evaluation)

● Peer and self assessment of studio work (For example: a written self-evaluation) ● Individual mid-program and end of program review (For example: written feedback from the instructor

supported by one on one meetings) ● Exhibitions and Reviews (For example: an exhibition feedback form; peer review; visiting artists and

designer critiques) ● College Knowledge assessment (For example: Pre and post Pratt Scholar program surveys;

acceptance to two and four year colleges)

Tentative Schedule Overview

Fall Semester Class Title

Week 1 10/6/16 Building childhood memories + Building youth-friendly cities (1 day)

Week 2 10/13/16 Mental Maps

Week 3 10/20/16 Online Mapping Tools

Week 4 10/27/16 Building a Neighborhood Map

Week 5 11/3/16 Building a Neighborhood Map

Week 6 11/10/16 Affordable Housing Crisis Simulation (or other subject deep dive)

Week 7 11/17/16 Affordable Housing Crisis Simulation (or other subject deep dive)

Week 8 12/1/16 Design thinking challenge – reimagine local places

Week 9 12/8/16 Local place redesign project

Week 10 12/15/16 Final Presentation