Contextualization

Hello, little geographers! Let's embark on an incredible journey through the universe of 'Municipal Public Power'. But what is this public power? Well, to understand municipal public power, we first need to understand what 'public power' is. Do you remember the history classes when we talked about the division of powers? Well, 'public power' is exactly the division of the State's power exercised on behalf of society, aiming for the common good.

And what is 'municipal power'? 'Municipal power' is the set of actions, responsibilities, and decisions involving the government of our city. That's right! Here, in our city, we have a government that takes care of various important issues, such as garbage collection, street maintenance, education, and health, for example. And it is this government that we call 'municipal power'.

But why is it so important to understand 'municipal public power'? Did you know that many things that happen in our city depend on municipal power? That's right! The quality of our streets, the cleanliness of our city, the education we receive, all of this is influenced by municipal power. And, believe me, understanding how this power works can help us participate more actively in our community and make it an even better place to live.

Introduction

Okay, now that we understand what 'municipal public power' is, let's delve a little deeper. 'Municipal public power' is divided into three parts: the Executive, the Legislative, and the Judiciary. The 'Executive' is composed of the mayor, who is the head of the municipal government, and the secretaries, who are responsible for each specific area, such as education, health, environment, among others. The 'Legislative' is formed by the councilors, who are elected by the people and have the function of creating laws and overseeing the mayor's work. And finally, the 'Judiciary' is the power responsible for judging and ensuring that laws are enforced.

Each of these powers has distinct functions and responsibilities, but together they form 'municipal public power' and work for the good of our city. And that's why it's so important to understand how they work and how we, as citizens, can participate in this process. Understanding municipal public power is understanding how our city is governed and how we can make a difference in it. And that's exactly what we will explore in this incredible project!

Practical Activity: 'Building Our City'

Project Objective

The objective of this project is to explore the concept of 'Municipal Public Power' in a practical and fun way, through the construction of a model representing the city and the actions of the three municipal powers: Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary. In addition, students will be challenged to think of creative solutions to urban problems and understand the importance of citizen participation in municipal management.

Project Description

In teams of 3 to 5 students, you will build a model of a fictional city, representing the functioning of the three municipal powers. The model should include buildings representing the Executive, where the mayor and secretaries work, the Legislative, where councilors meet, and the Judiciary, where judges make their decisions. In addition, the model should include other urban elements, such as houses, schools, hospitals, squares, streets, etc.

Required Materials

• Cardboard, styrofoam, or cardstock for the base of the model
• Paper, cardstock, colored pens, colored pencils and/or paints to build the buildings and other elements
• Blunt scissors
• Glue
• Ruler
• Old magazines for cutting and pasting (optional)
• Recyclable materials (optional)

Step by Step

1. Task Division: In each team, students should divide tasks, such as: one responsible for the model's base, one for the executive buildings, one for the legislative, and one for the judiciary. The rest of the team can help with the elaboration of other city elements.

2. Base Elaboration: Using cardboard, styrofoam, or cardstock, students should create the model's base, representing the urban space of the city. On this base, they should draw and paint the streets and squares.

3. Building Construction: Each student responsible for one of the municipal powers should build the corresponding building. They can use paper and cardstock to create the buildings and colored pens or paints to decorate them.

4. City Elements: In addition to the municipal power buildings, students should build other city elements, such as houses, schools, hospitals, squares, etc. They can use their creativity and the available materials for this.

5. Presentation: Once completed, each team should present their model to the class. They should explain the role of each building and how the three municipal powers operate in the city.

6. Extra Challenge: In addition to the model, teams should present an idea for improvement for the city they built. For example, if the city has a problem with garbage on the streets, they can think of solutions to this problem. This part of the project is optional but encouraged, as it helps students think about how they can contribute to city management, even as children.

Delivery Format

The project delivery will be the presentation of the model to the class, along with an explanation of how the municipal powers operate and the idea for city improvement. Don't forget to have fun and work as a team! You are capable of building a very special city! Good luck, geographers!