Free Lesson Plan

Grade Level: 7, 8

Subject(s):

Computer Science

Duration: 2 weeks

Description: Students use the program SimCity to create a city. Afterwards, students use PowerPoint to create an election campaign to get themselves elected as mayor of their SimCity!

Goals: National Educational Technology Standards for Students :

Standard 3: Technology Productivity Tools - Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.

Standard 4: Technology Communication Tools - Students use a variety of media and formats to communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences.

Objectives:

Students will be able to use SimCity to create a "functioning" city.

Students will be able to use PowerPoint to create a 7-slide election campaign presentation.

Materials:

computers with Internet access

SimCity (any version, or SimTown)

Microsoft PowerPoint

digital camera (optional)

Project Rubric

Project Rubric in .pdf format; requires free Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Click the icon to obtain the free Reader.

Procedure:

Introduce students to SimCity, a city simulation program. Use the first class session to instruct students on the "basics" for setting up a city (water pipes, power plants, residential and industrial zones, etc.). During the next 3-5 class sessions, students form their own SimCity.

When all of the cities have been constructed, introduce the class to the basic components of PowerPoint (this may take 1-2 class sessions). Focus on how to create a new slide, how to format backgrounds, how to add clip art and animation, and how to incorporate sound effects and transitions. Students should have 7 slides in their slide show. [ Author's Note: I usually build the first slide with the students. The first slide might say, Elect ______ for mayor! -- inserting the student's name.]

As for content, students may want to consider the following questions when creating their slide show:

What