Build Your Own Equitable City

• In this 45-minute urban planning activity, students will design a city with equitable infrastructure for all of its citizens. 
• Students will also learn how environmental racism impacts historically marginalized populations and how proper urban planning can result in more environmentally just cities. 

Positives

• The slides and teacher's script are already prepared, making this lesson easy to use.
• The links in the lesson provide additional information about the topic for students and teachers.
  

Additional Prerequisites

• Teachers will need the slides and the teacher's script to execute this lesson.
• Teachers should review the materials (links to articles, slides, and teacher's script) for better class readiness.

Differentiation

• Instead of drawing the city on paper, students could make a three-dimensional model or use mapping software to make a digital city.
• History and social studies classes could use this activity in a unit on environmental racism or redlining and this activity could easily be integrated into computer science and design classes.
• Have younger students work in groups or pairs and provide additional support by providing possible solutions or a number of options for students to choose from.
  
• Other resources on this topic include this article about environmental racism, this video about the impacts of extreme heat in redlined communities, and this film on building a world that promotes environmental justice and equity for all.