Contextualization

The development and evolution of cities throughout human history is a fascinating topic that helps us better understand how our societies have formed and evolved. In our learning journey, we will explore ancient cities and contemporary cities, observing the similarities and differences between them.

Ancient cities like Rome, Athens, Alexandria, and Chang'an played a fundamental role in the development of humanity. They were centers of trade, culture, and power, attracting people from all over the world. Over time, these cities developed and adapted, each following its own path, but all impacting in some way the way we live today.

In the modern scenario, contemporary cities have taken on a similar role, being centers of innovation, culture, and economy. Cities like New York, London, São Paulo, and Tokyo are seen as references for the rest of the world, with many global trends starting in these metropolises. These cities, although very different from ancient cities, still maintain many similarities in their physical and social structures.

Cities act as magnets, concentrating people, resources, and ideas. In this synergy, there is the potential for great innovation and progress, but also for conflicts and challenges. Understanding cities, ancient and modern, is a key to understanding human society as a whole.

Cities are places where we live our lives, but they are also a reflection of who we are as a society. Throughout history, cities have been the central stage for innovation, culture, economy, and politics. In this project, we aim to explore the importance of ancient and contemporary cities to better understand human society.

To assist in our learning journey, here are some resources you can use:

• "History of Cities: From Prehistory to the Present", by Leonardo Benevolo. (Link to the book)
• "The Global City: New York, London, Tokyo", by Saskia Sassen. (Link to the book)
• "The Story of Cities", a documentary by BBC. (Link to the video)

In addition to these, we have various online resources like Google Earth that allows an aerial view of many of the cities we will be studying.

Practical Activity

Activity Title: Building Historical and Contemporary Cities: A Comparative Look

Project Objective:

The objective of this activity is to provide students with the opportunity to research, understand, and compare how cities have developed over time. This will be done through the creation of physical models of an ancient city and a contemporary city, using easily accessible materials that encourage creativity.

Detailed Project Description:

Students, in groups of 3 to 5 people, will choose an ancient city and a contemporary city to research. After gathering enough information, they will build models of these cities using recyclable and artisanal materials. In addition, students should write a detailed report describing their cities, the history of their formation, the transformations undergone over time, the cultural and religious influence on their formation, and the similarities and differences between the ancient city and the contemporary city.

Required Materials:

• Cardboard boxes
• Popsicle sticks or skewers
• Glue
• Scissors
• Paint
• Recycled paper
• Pens, pencils, and markers
• Any other recyclable or craft material that students find useful

Detailed Step-by-Step for Activity Execution:

1. Form groups of 3 to 5 students. Each group should choose an ancient city and a contemporary city they wish to research and represent.

2. After selecting the cities, the groups should conduct a detailed research on each one. This research should include: how and when the city was founded, how the city grew and transformed over time, which cultures and religions had an impact on the city's formation, and how the city is today.

3. Based on the research, each group should plan and sketch how they will represent their cities in the form of a model.

4. After finalizing the sketch, the groups should start building the models, using the available materials. The models should represent the important landmarks, societal and geographical structure of the city.

5. While building their models, the groups should also start writing the report. The report should include a detailed description of each city, the history of how it was formed and transformed over time, a discussion of the cultural and religious influences on the city's formation, and a comparison of the two cities.

6. After completing the models and reports, each group should present their work to the class. They should explain what they learned about their cities and highlight the main similarities and differences they found.

Project Deliverables:

The project will be divided into two main deliverables: the physical models of the cities and the written report. The model should visually represent the ancient city and the contemporary city, and should be rich in details that reflect the research conducted by the students.

The written report should be structured with the following topics:

1. Introduction: The student should contextualize the theme, its relevance, the objective of this project, and the choice of cities.
2. Development: The student should explain the theory behind the theme. Here, students should describe in detail the chosen cities, show the results of the research conducted, explain the process of building the models, and the reasons for the chosen representation of each city.
3. Conclusion: The student should explain the learnings obtained, the similarities and differences found between ancient and contemporary cities, and their conclusions on the influence of cities on the formation of human societies.
4. Bibliography: Students should indicate all sources used, including books, web pages, videos, etc.

Completing this practical activity will allow students to acquire technical and socio-emotional skills, from understanding the role of cultures and religions in the formation of cities to time management, teamwork, and problem-solving.