Duration
1 hour / Theme
Sustainability / Subject focus
English / Age group
Lower KS2
Upper KS2
Resources required
Paper (you can choose whether to design the city charter e.g. create a scroll etc.)
Writing materials
3D model, 2D plan and Lesson one worksheets
Adult Support
  • Divide up the resources available to make the charters. Support effective teamwork. Suggest examples where necessary.

Follow up activities
  • Presentation of the city models if run as a competition
  • Prize giving and evaluation

Learning outcomes (differentiated)

MUST: Understanding the word sustainability and how cities need to be more sustainable. Create a carefully considered city charter.

SHOULD:Identify how inhabitants of cities all need to work together to create a more sustainable city. Produce and present a city charter to the class.

COULD:Recognise historical charters and how they shaped cities in the past and how pupil’s new charters can change cities for the future. Present a decorated city charter, in keeping with historical documents, to the class.

Starter

Starter

  • Ask pupils to review their city plans and 3D model, and think how their population might live in their city and use your infrastructure and services. Can the children remember the meaning of sustainability?
  • Can the children remember any of the issues facing cities of the future and the increasing population?
  • Display the themes that a city needs to survive: energy, food, natural areas, transport and waste handling and allow the children to discuss each one and how it works in their city.

Main activity

  • Introduce the children to the idea of a charter. Either use examples from history, Resource 4a, or your class/school charter. Explain that this will be a document put together by the city for all inhabitants to follow in an attempt to make theirs a more sustainable city for the future.
  • Explain that often decisions by authorities mean people have to change the way they currently live their lives and they might need to work hard to persuade everyone to get on board with their plans.
  • Look again at the five themes and ask them to make sure they have at least one point that covers each theme.
  • Ask pupils to also come up with a bold claim that they think will make their city the best in the world for sustainability. E.g. To be the first city in world to use 100% renewable energy, reduce food miles to only X miles, bring X amount of species back to the city, reduce cars by X and have cleaner air, % reduced, reused and recycled.
  • The children will have to think carefully about how these may be achieved and how they are worded in their charter.
  • Finally, produce a final version.

Plenary

Ask pupils to discuss what a city charter might be like adhere to? How strict should it be?

Extension tasks

Research historic charters and compare.

The children could think reasons why people may object to the agreement and answer the objections using information from their research

Children could present their agreement in an interesting way. For example, design using Word formatting or write up and age using tea staining. They could even act out in role play the reading of the charter to their citizens. If other children support the agreement, they could sign the charter and become a resident of the city.

Actions before next lesson

Prep for prize giving (if relevant)

Reflective Notes

Curriculum links
English
plan their writing by:
  • identifying the audience for and purpose of the writing, selecting the appropriate form and using other similar writing as models for their own
  • noting and developing initial ideas, drawing on reading and research where necessary
draft and write by:
  • selecting appropriate grammar and vocabulary, understanding how such choices can change and enhance meaning