Sept 22_Light Up Cityscape: Nagahaswatte in 2040
Assigned Teachers: Suren, piyumika, avanthi, tameez
Age group: 6 to 16 years old (working in groups of 3, older kids as leaders)
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes
Intro (10 minutes)
Goal: introduce the class topic and inspire the kids about the future of Nagahaswatte.
Discussion: Briefly explain what a cityscape is and ask the kids what currently defines Nagahaswatte. Mention the kids mention a few key landmarks or places everyone knows.
Future Vision: Ask the kids to imagine what Nagahaswatte could look like in 2040. How do they think the city will grow, change, and develop? What kind of new buildings, technologies, or parks might be there? - what is the future of Nagahaswatte?
Instructions: Explain that each group will work together to design their own version of the city in 2040, and at the end of the class, all their cities will come together to form one large, illuminated cityscape.
2. Visualization and Observation (10 minutes)
Inspiration: Show a brief visual presentation of futuristic cities from around the world, focusing on creative and sustainable urban designs.
Observation: Encourage the kids to take note of specific design elements (like tall skyscrapers, green spaces, unique transportation, or public art).
Group Brainstorm: Have each group spend a few minutes discussing their vision for Nagahaswatte in 2040. The older child (group leader) can guide the discussion, ensuring all group members contribute ideas.
3. Making and Problem-Solving (40 minutes)
Materials: Provide cardboard boxes, paint, scissors, glue, and markers.
Task: Each group will design and construct buildings or important landmarks for their future cityscape. Encourage creativity—buildings can be tall, modern, eco-friendly, or quirky.
Cutting and Decorating: Kids will cut out windows and doors and decorate the buildings with colors, textures, and designs that reflect their futuristic vision.
Problem-Solving: If any group faces design or construction challenges (like a building not standing properly or design issues), they will work together to solve the problem. The older kids will guide the younger ones, promoting leadership skills.
4. Community Building (10 minutes)
Cityscape Assembly: Once each group has finished their buildings, the class will come together and arrange all their structures to form one cohesive "Nagahaswatte in 2040" cityscape.
Backlighting: Place LED tea lights inside the buildings, and dim the lights to see the city come to life. Each group will place their cityscape next to others, emphasizing the idea of creating one large community.
5. Conclusion and Reflection (5 minutes)
Group Discussion: Gather the kids around the lit-up cityscape and ask each group to briefly describe their part of the city. What were the key features they wanted to include? How did they imagine the future?
Reflection: Discuss what was challenging or fun about the activity. How did working together help in solving problems? What do they think is important when designing cities for the future?
Final Thoughts: Encourage the kids to think about how their ideas for a futuristic city could one day influence the real world.
This structure allows for creativity, leadership development, and collaboration while engaging kids in a futuristic design exercise.
Notes for the volunteers
Ensure cut-out of windows and doors, so some light is visible, like Nagahaswatte at night
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