Urban Ecosystem Board Game Creation Challenge
Created byMichele Klein
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Urban Ecosystem Board Game Creation Challenge

Grade 7Social Studies5 days
In the "Urban Ecosystem Board Game Creation Challenge," 7th-grade students engage in a project where they design a board game to simulate urban ecosystems and address the environmental challenges of urban growth and sprawl. The project aims to deepen student understanding of urbanization impacts, urban ecosystems, and environmental problem-solving by incorporating scientific and social studies elements. The inquiry framework revolves around understanding urban ecosystems, human interactions, and planning solutions, with a curricular focus on analyzing and simulating urban growth's environmental impacts. Students enhance their learning experience through activities like escape rooms and collaborative research, culminating in a board game that embodies complex urban ecological dynamics.
Board Game DesignUrban EcosystemsEnvironmental ChallengesUrbanizationSocial Studies IntegrationProblem SolvingCollaboration
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Inquiry Framework

Question Framework

Driving Question

The overarching question that guides the entire project.How can we design a board game that accurately reflects the complexities of urban ecosystems and addresses the environmental challenges of urban growth and sprawl, while considering human and natural influences?

Essential Questions

Supporting questions that break down major concepts.
  • What defines an urban ecosystem and how is it different from natural ecosystems?
  • How do human activities influence urban ecosystems and their environment?
  • What are the major environmental challenges associated with urbanization and urban sprawl?
  • How can urban planning and design help mitigate environmental impacts of urban growth?

Standards & Learning Goals

Learning Goals

By the end of this project, students will be able to:
  • Students will understand the characteristics that define urban ecosystems and differentiate them from natural ecosystems.
  • Students will analyze the impact of human activities on urban environments, including factors like urbanization and sprawl.
  • Students will identify and evaluate major environmental challenges caused by urban growth and explore strategies for mitigation.
  • Students will apply social studies and scientific principles to design and develop a board game that accurately reflects urban ecological factors.

Social Studies Standards

SS.7.3
Primary
Summarize the physical and human impacts of emerging urban forms in the world.Reason: This standard directly addresses the core focus of the project, which is to explore the impact of urban growth and forms on the environment.
SS.7.4
Primary
Analyze how human activities and physical systems impact the environment.Reason: The project involves designing board games that simulate these impacts, aligning well with the analytical aspect of this standard.
SS.7.1
Supporting
Identify human and physical characteristics of places and regions.Reason: Understanding the characteristics of urban areas is fundamental to designing an accurate simulation of urban ecosystems.

NGSS

NGSS.MS-ESS3-3
Secondary
Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.Reason: Game design can incorporate principles to monitor and reduce urban impact, closely aligning with this scientific approach.

Entry Events

Events that will be used to introduce the project to students

Urban Jungle Escape Room

Students enter a classroom transformed into an 'urban jungle' escape room, filled with clues and puzzles based on urban growth and environmental impacts. Solving each challenge requires students to apply their understanding of urban ecosystems—mirroring the complexities they will need to structure into their game design.
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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

Impact Analysis Adventure

Students dive deeper into how different human activities and physical systems impact urban environments, analyzing causes and effects of urbanization and sprawl.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Discuss with the class the major factors contributing to urbanization and sprawl, including industrialization, migration, and transportation.
2. In groups, students create cause-and-effect diagrams to visually represent how these factors impact urban environments.
3. Each group selects a case study of a city experiencing urbanization and examines its specific environmental challenges through research and analysis.
4. Students present their case studies to the class, highlighting the impacts identified and potential solutions.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityGroup presentations with cause-and-effect diagrams on urban impacts and proposed solutions.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAligns with SS.7.3 (Summarize the physical and human impacts of emerging urban forms) and SS.7.4 (Analyze how human activities and physical systems impact the environment).
Activity 2

Game Design Blueprint

Students use their gathered knowledge to outline the concept and mechanics for their board game, focusing on accurately simulating urban ecosystems and addressing environmental challenges.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Review with students the essential components of board game design, including objectives, mechanics, and game elements.
2. In teams, students brainstorm ideas for their board game based on previous research, deciding on themes, rules, and objectives.
3. Students create a blueprint of their game, detailing player roles, progress, and how environmental challenges and solutions will be integrated.
4. Teams present their game blueprints to the class, receiving feedback for refinement.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA detailed blueprint of a board game, complete with design elements that reflect urban ecosystems and environmental challenges.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAligns with SS.7.4 (Analyze impacts on the environment) and NGSS.MS-ESS3-3 (Apply scientific principles to design methods for minimizing human impacts).
Activity 3

Urban Ecosystem Research Rumble

Students embark on a quest to gather information about urban ecosystems. They will explore how urban areas are structured, how they differ from natural ecosystems, and the influence of human activities on these environments.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Introduce students to the concept of urban ecosystems through a brief presentation and discuss key differences from natural ecosystems.
2. Assign each student a specific aspect of urban ecosystems to research, such as population density, pollution, or green spaces.
3. Students research their assigned topic using a variety of sources, including online databases, academic journals, and documentaries.
4. Have students summarize their findings in a written report and prepare a short presentation to share with the class.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA comprehensive research portfolio and a classroom presentation on various components of urban ecosystems.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAligns with SS.7.1 (Identify human and physical characteristics of places and regions) and SS.7.3 (Summarize the physical and human impacts of emerging urban forms).
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Rubric & Reflection

Portfolio Rubric

Grading criteria for assessing the overall project portfolio

Urban Ecosystems Board Game Project Rubric

Category 1

Understanding of Urban Ecosystems

Evaluates the student's comprehension of urban ecosystems, their characteristics, and differences from natural ecosystems.
Criterion 1

Comprehension of Concepts

Measures the student's understanding of the key elements of urban ecosystems and how they differ from natural systems.

Exemplary
4 Points

Demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of urban ecosystems, clearly differentiating them from natural ecosystems with detailed examples.

Proficient
3 Points

Shows thorough understanding of urban ecosystems and their key differences from natural ones, using appropriate examples.

Developing
2 Points

Exhibits basic understanding with some misconceptions about urban ecosystems compared to natural ones.

Beginning
1 Points

Shows minimal understanding of urban ecosystems, with little differentiation from natural systems.

Criterion 2

Identification of Characteristics

Assesses the student's ability to identify and articulate human and physical characteristics of urban areas.

Exemplary
4 Points

Identifies and articulates a comprehensive range of human and physical characteristics of urban areas with precision.

Proficient
3 Points

Correctly identifies and describes most major characteristics of urban areas with clarity.

Developing
2 Points

Identifies some characteristics with partial accuracy; descriptions may lack detail.

Beginning
1 Points

Struggles to identify characteristics, often unclear or inaccurate in descriptions.

Category 2

Analysis of Environmental Impact

Measures the analysis of how human activities and urbanization affect the environment, including major challenges and solutions.
Criterion 1

Impact Analysis

Evaluates the student's ability to analyze the effects of urbanization and sprawl on the environment.

Exemplary
4 Points

Provides insightful analysis with a comprehensive understanding of both the positive and negative impacts of urban growth and sprawl.

Proficient
3 Points

Offers thorough analysis, detailing major impacts with consideration of various factors.

Developing
2 Points

Displays basic analysis with some understanding of impacts but lacks depth or breadth.

Beginning
1 Points

Shows limited analysis, missing key impacts and lacking detail.

Criterion 2

Solution Strategies

Assesses the student's ability to propose valid solutions or mitigation strategies for urban environmental challenges.

Exemplary
4 Points

Develops creative and effective solutions with an exceptional understanding of feasibility and application.

Proficient
3 Points

Proposes solid solutions that are well thought out and realistic to implement.

Developing
2 Points

Suggests basic solutions, some of which may lack feasibility or depth of understanding.

Beginning
1 Points

Struggles to propose viable solutions, often impractical or unrealistic.

Category 3

Board Game Design

Evaluates the student's application of learned concepts into the creative design of a board game, focusing on mechanics and thematic elements that incorporate environmental challenges.
Criterion 1

Game Concept and Mechanics

Assesses the creativity and functionality of the game concept, including objectives, mechanics, and integration of urban ecosystem elements.

Exemplary
4 Points

Designs a highly creative and functional game with well-integrated urban ecosystem elements and innovative mechanics.

Proficient
3 Points

Creates a well-designed game with effective mechanics and relevant urban ecosystem integration.

Developing
2 Points

Develops a game with basic mechanics; some elements may be underdeveloped or inconsistently integrated.

Beginning
1 Points

Crafts a game with minimal coherent mechanics and weak integration of urban ecosystem elements.

Criterion 2

Presentation and Feedback Incorporation

Measures the effectiveness of communication during presentation and the ability to integrate constructive feedback into the game development process.

Exemplary
4 Points

Presents clearly and confidently, actively incorporates feedback, significantly refining and enhancing the game design.

Proficient
3 Points

Communicates ideas effectively and implements useful feedback, showing improvement in game refinement.

Developing
2 Points

Presentation is clear but limited in engagement; feedback incorporation is moderate but some areas remain unchanged.

Beginning
1 Points

Struggles with clear communication; minimal integration of feedback leading to little enhancement.

Reflection Prompts

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

Reflect on how the process of designing the board game helped deepen your understanding of urban ecosystems and their environmental challenges.

Text
Required
Question 2

How effectively do you think your board game addresses the major environmental challenges associated with urbanization and sprawl?

Scale
Optional
Question 3

What was the most challenging aspect of incorporating scientific and social studies principles into your board game design?

Text
Required
Question 4

Which skills do you feel you improved the most through the creation of your board game, and why?

Multiple choice
Required
Options
Research
Creative Thinking
Teamwork
Problem Solving
Design
Question 5

In what ways do you think urban planning and design can help mitigate the environmental impacts of urban growth based on your project experience?

Text
Required