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Created byMegan Marcum
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Civic Imagineers: Designing the Future of Our City

Grade 5EnglishSocial Studies30 days
In this project, 5th-grade students step into the role of "Civic Imagineers" to research, design, and advocate for a transformative change to their city’s long-term future. By integrating social studies and literacy, students explore how the rights and responsibilities of citizenship intersect with economic principles like specialization and interdependence. The experience culminates in a professional advocacy campaign featuring a researched argumentative essay, a data-driven infographic, and a formal "Town Hall" presentation to community stakeholders.
CitizenshipCivic AdvocacyUrban PlanningEconomicsArgumentative WritingCommunity EngagementInterdependence
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Inquiry Framework

Question Framework

Driving Question

The overarching question that guides the entire project.How can we, as civic imagineers, use our rights and responsibilities as citizens to advocate for a single change that will shape a thriving and economically strong city for the next 25 years?

Essential Questions

Supporting questions that break down major concepts.
  • How do the rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizens empower us to influence the future of our community?
  • What does it mean to demonstrate "good citizenship" when imagining and planning for the next 25 years of our city?
  • How do economic principles like specialization and competition shape the way a city provides goods and services to its residents?
  • In an interdependent economy, how does a single change in city planning impact various businesses and community members?
  • How can we use research and evidence to construct a persuasive argument that convinces leaders to support our vision?
  • How do different forms of communication—like argumentative essays and visual infographics—work together to advocate for social or physical change?
  • How do personal and community values drive decision-making in our city?

Standards & Learning Goals

Learning Goals

By the end of this project, students will be able to:
  • Analyze and demonstrate the responsibilities of citizenship by identifying a community need and advocating for a long-term civic solution.
  • Compose a multi-paragraph argumentative essay that supports a specific perspective on urban planning using research, logic, and evidence.
  • Explain how economic principles, such as specialization and interdependence, influence city infrastructure and the exchange of goods and services.
  • Translate complex data and civic proposals into a visual format (infographic) to effectively communicate ideas to a diverse audience.
  • Present a formal proposal to community stakeholders, demonstrating effective public speaking and responding to feedback with evidence-based reasoning.

State Social Studies Standards

5.C.RR.1
Primary
Analyze responsibilities of U.S. citizens by explaining and demonstrating ways to show good citizenship.Reason: This project is built around students acting as 'civic imagineers' and demonstrating citizenship through community advocacy.
5.C.RR.2
Primary
Analyze the personal rights conferred by citizenship, and find examples of citizenship, using a variety of sources.Reason: Students must research their rights to influence government and find historical or current examples of civic action to inform their plan.
5.E.ST.1
Primary
Explain how specialization, comparative advantage and competition influence the production and exchange of goods and services in an interdependent economy.Reason: The project requires students to explain how their proposed change impacts the local economy and the interdependence of businesses and residents.

Common Core State Standards for ELA

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.1
Primary
Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.Reason: The argumentative essay is a core product of the project, requiring students to state a claim and provide supporting evidence.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.5.4
Secondary
Report on a topic or text or present an opinion, sequencing ideas logically and using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.Reason: Students will present their final proposals to community leaders, requiring logical sequencing and clear delivery.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.7
Supporting
Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.Reason: Students must research their proposed city change and the economic/civic context to provide a valid argument.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.5.5
Supporting
Include multimedia components (e.g., graphics, sound) and visual displays in presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes.Reason: The creation of an infographic poster specifically supports this standard by using visuals to enhance the communication of their civic idea.

Entry Events

Events that will be used to introduce the project to students

The 'Great Exchange' Zoning War

The classroom is transformed into a high-stakes 'Planning Commission' meeting where students are divided into specialized economic sectors (e.g., Tech, Local Agriculture, Tourism). They are presented with a 'Blank Check' from a mysterious donor but must compete and negotiate to prove how their specific industry's growth will fulfill the responsibilities of good citizenship and benefit the interdependent local economy.
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Portfolio Activities

Portfolio Activities

These activities progressively build towards your learning goals, with each submission contributing to the student's final portfolio.
Activity 1

The Citizen's Imagineer Toolkit

Before students can change the city, they must understand their power and duty as citizens. In this activity, students investigate the 'Toolkit' of a U.S. citizen, exploring both the rights that protect their voices and the responsibilities that require their action. They will research historical examples of civic action to see how one person's voice can change a city.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Brainstorm a list of rights (e.g., freedom of speech, right to petition) and responsibilities (e.g., voting, staying informed) as a class.
2. Research a local or historical 'Civic Hero' who used their rights to bring about a positive change in a community.
3. Write a personal 'Imagineer Mission Statement' explaining why it is a citizen's duty to think about the future of their city.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA 'Civic Imagineer Identity Card' featuring a personal mission statement, a list of three rights they will use to advocate for change, and three responsibilities they will fulfill through this project.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAligns with 5.C.RR.1 (Analyze responsibilities of U.S. citizens) and 5.C.RR.2 (Analyze personal rights conferred by citizenship). It specifically targets the understanding of how these concepts empower individuals to influence their community.
Activity 2

The Pulse of Our Town: A Values Investigation

Before proposing a change, a Civic Imagineer must understand what the people value. In this activity, students investigate the 'heart' of their city by analyzing local news, official city mission statements, or conducting interviews to identify the community's core values (such as sustainability, safety, tradition, or innovation). They will then evaluate how their proposed change respects or enhances these shared beliefs.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Examine 'City Artifacts' (local newspapers, city council minutes, or the city’s official website) to identify recurring themes and priorities in the community.
2. Conduct a mini-interview with a 'Local Stakeholder' (a teacher, parent, or neighbor) to discover what they value most about living in the city.
3. Synthesize your research into three core values and complete a 'Values Alignment Check' to ensure your project idea doesn't conflict with what the community holds dear.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA 'Community Value Compass'—a visual graphic that lists the city's top three values and provides a written justification of how their proposed project aligns with those specific values.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAligns with 5.C.RR.1 (demonstrating good citizenship by listening to the community) and CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.7 (Conduct short research projects to build knowledge through investigation).
Activity 3

The Imagineer’s Manifesto

Students will transform their research into a powerful written argument. They will draft a multi-paragraph essay that states their claim (the change), provides economic and civic reasons for that change, and explains how this change reflects the core values of the community identified in their Value Compass.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Draft a 'Hook' and a clear Thesis Statement that identifies the proposed change and why it aligns with the city's future needs.
2. Write body paragraphs that include evidence from economic research and a specific explanation of how the proposal honors community values.
3. Include a 'Counter-Argument' paragraph where you explain why your idea is more beneficial for the city's long-term health than a competing idea.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA polished multi-paragraph Argumentative Essay titled 'The 25-Year Evolution.'

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAligns with CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.1 (Write opinion pieces... supporting the writer’s perspective with reasons and information). This activity focuses on the structure and logical flow of the argument, now including a focus on community alignment.
Activity 4

Snapshot of the Future: The Infographic

Great ideas need great visuals. Students will translate the data and arguments from their essay into a high-impact infographic. They will learn how to use icons, charts, and color to make their proposed city change easy for the public to understand and support.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Identify the three most important facts or statistics from your essay.
2. Sketch a layout that leads the reader’s eye from the 'Problem' to your 'Future Vision.'
3. Use digital tools or art supplies to create clear icons that represent specialization and community impact.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA 'City of the Future' Infographic Poster featuring at least three data points, a 'Before and After' visual, and a call to action.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAligns with CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.5.5 (Include multimedia components and visual displays in presentations to enhance main ideas).
Activity 5

The Imagineer’s Town Hall Pitch

In the final stage, students step into the roles of Civic Imagineers at a 'City Council Summit.' They will use their essay and infographic to pitch their idea to community leaders. They must speak clearly, answer questions using their research, and demonstrate how their plan fulfills the responsibilities of a good citizen while respecting community values.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Practice your pitch using a 'Logically Sequenced' outline (Introduction, The Need, The Economic & Value Impact, Conclusion).
2. Prepare for the 'Hot Seat' by anticipating two questions community members might ask and practicing your evidence-based answers.
3. Present your proposal at the 'City Council Summit' using your infographic as a visual aid.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA 3-5 minute 'Town Hall Pitch' delivered to an audience, followed by a 'Civic Reflection' on how it felt to exercise their rights.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAligns with CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.5.4 (Report on a topic or present an opinion... sequencing ideas logically). This serves as the summative demonstration of all civic, economic, and community learning.
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Rubric & Reflection

Portfolio Rubric

Grading criteria for assessing the overall project portfolio

Civic Imagineers: Urban Advocacy & Planning Rubric

Category 1

Civic Agency

Assesses the student's foundational understanding of their role as a U.S. citizen and their ability to apply that role to a community context.
Criterion 1

Civic Identity & Responsibility Integration

The ability to analyze U.S. citizen rights and responsibilities and apply them to a personal mission for community advocacy.

Excel
4 Points

Demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of rights and responsibilities; provides a compelling mission statement that innovatively connects personal agency to community-wide impact with specific, historical context.

Proficient
3 Points

Demonstrates a thorough understanding of rights and responsibilities; mission statement clearly explains how personal action fulfills civic duty and supports the project goals.

Developing
2 Points

Shows an emerging understanding of rights and responsibilities; mission statement is present but makes only basic or inconsistent connections to the duty of a citizen.

Beginning
1 Points

Shows initial or confused understanding of rights and responsibilities; mission statement is incomplete or lacks a clear connection to civic duty.

Category 2

Community & Economic Analysis

Focuses on the student's research into the community's heart and the economic systems that sustain it.
Criterion 1

Economic & Values Alignment

The ability to explain how a proposed city change impacts the interdependent local economy (specialization, competition) and aligns with identified community values.

Excel
4 Points

Provides a highly nuanced analysis of economic interdependence; demonstrates how the proposed change enhances specialization and aligns perfectly with synthesized community values using robust evidence.

Proficient
3 Points

Explains how the proposed change impacts the local economy and correctly identifies how it aligns with at least three core community values with clear justification.

Developing
2 Points

Identifies some economic or community impacts, but the connection between the proposed change and economic principles or shared values is inconsistent or surface-level.

Beginning
1 Points

Struggles to identify economic impacts or community values; little to no evidence of research into the 'Pulse of the Town.'

Category 3

Argumentative Communication

Evaluates the quality of the written 'Imagineer’s Manifesto' and the student's ability to persuade through writing.
Criterion 1

Argumentative Strategy & Evidence

Construction of a persuasive argument supporting a specific city change, using logic, evidence, and a counter-argument to influence an audience.

Excel
4 Points

Crafts a sophisticated argument with a compelling thesis; evidence is expertly integrated and the counter-argument is addressed with advanced reasoning and empathy.

Proficient
3 Points

Writes a clear opinion piece with a logical thesis, relevant supporting evidence from research, and a clear counter-argument.

Developing
2 Points

Drafts an essay with a basic claim, but evidence is limited or not logically sequenced; counter-argument is weak or missing.

Beginning
1 Points

Produced an incomplete essay; claim is unclear and lacks research-based reasons or supporting information.

Category 4

Multimedia Integration

Measures how effectively the student translates complex ideas into a visual format.
Criterion 1

Visual Data Design

The use of graphics, icons, and data to enhance the communication of the proposed civic idea and its impact.

Excel
4 Points

Creates a professional-quality infographic that uses color, layout, and data visualization to powerfully enhance the argument; call to action is unavoidable and inspiring.

Proficient
3 Points

Uses digital tools or art effectively to create a clear layout with at least three data points and a 'Before and After' visual that enhances the main ideas.

Developing
2 Points

Visuals are present but provide only limited support for the main idea; data points may be unclear or the layout is slightly disorganized.

Beginning
1 Points

Infographic is incomplete or distracting; lacks clear data or icons that relate to the proposed city change.

Category 5

Public Speaking & Advocacy

Assesses the final oral presentation and the student's ability to advocate for their vision in a public forum.
Criterion 1

Public Advocacy & Delivery

The ability to present an opinion clearly, sequence ideas logically, and respond to audience questions using evidence.

Excel
4 Points

Delivers a powerful, poised pitch with flawless logical sequencing; handles the 'Hot Seat' with sophisticated, evidence-based responses that demonstrate leadership.

Proficient
3 Points

Presents a clear pitch with logical sequencing; speaks at an understandable pace and uses evidence to answer community questions effectively.

Developing
2 Points

Pitch is mostly logical but delivery may be inconsistent (pacing, clarity); answers to questions are basic or show partial understanding.

Beginning
1 Points

Presentation is disorganized or difficult to follow; requires significant support to answer questions or explain the proposal.

Reflection Prompts

End-of-project reflection questions to get students to think about their learning
Question 1

On a scale of 1 to 5, how much more confident do you feel in your ability to use your rights as a citizen to influence the future of your city?

Scale
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Question 2

Which economic concept was the most challenging to include in your 'Imagineer’s Manifesto' and why?

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Question 3

You created multiple products to propose your change. Which tool(s) do you think were most effective at convincing the community members? Why?

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Question 4

Which part of being a 'Civic Imagineer' made you feel most like you were fulfilling your responsibility as a good citizen?

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Required
Question 5

What is one thing you learned about your community’s values that you didn’t know before you started this project? How does your proposal fit in with those values?

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