Objectives
Students will:

• Review the present composition and past changes to their communities from their research in Project 1.
• Work in cooperative groups.
• Use problem-solving skills to envision an Iowa community of the future.
• Prepare a well-planned and reasoned proposal for their community in 10 years time.
• Summarize conclusions in formats that can: a) be posted on the Web, and b) be presented to a partner class over the Iowa Communications Network.

Introduction
Scenario:
Your city council is seeking a 10-year development plan. It met and voted to investigate possible changes to meet the needs of its residents in the future. All residents are encouraged to think creatively and develop proposals. This is a chance to become a city planner and to design your own town of the future.

Using the information already learned in Project 1, how do your students suggest future development proceed in your community in the 21st Century?

Procedure

1. Teachers will lead a brainstorming session about what issues might face their community in the next ten years and list them. Keep in mind the findings of research from Project 1, although teams may want to research entirely different topics for Project 2. For instance, what type of schools will be needed in ten to twenty years? What methods of transportation might be available? How will changing demographics affect population, commerce, and lifestyle opportunities, or land use and the environment?
   
   
2. Students form teams made up of different students than Project 1. (Use the jigsaw approach to mix them up. Students in each original team count-off, then the '1's from each team form a new team, and so on.)
   
   
3. Students can select from among the issues they identified earlier to include in their development plan. Some of the following broad topics will help focus their ideas.
   • Transportation
   • Work, business and industry
   • Economy
   • Environment, land use,
   • Government and services
   • Architecture, landmarks
   • Food, shopping/supplies
   • Cultural mix, demographics
   • Education
   • Leisure, cultural life, recreation.
   
   
   
4. Each team will prepare a report on their proposed community development plan with data and reasoning for their conclusions. Multimedia presentations are encouraged.
5. Each team will present its proposal to the "City Council" (i.e. a group of their peers, or invite parents, city council or Chamber of Commerce members, etc.).
   
   
6. Teachers will schedule and facilitate ICN sessions in cooperation with the partner school, and help students to practice with the video equipment.
   
   
7. Suggest students invite community leaders, business people as well as anyone who has helped them with their research, to class and ICN presentations.
   
   
8. Language arts extension: students from another section could write a press release and news article about their fellow students' activity.
   
   
9. Web reports may be submitted to IPTV for inclusion in the My Community Connections Web site.