Okay — picture Ally McBeal daydreaming in the planning office: a bell rings, a goose honks, and Augustine leans over the map saying, "Who you love builds the streets." Let's make that idea into a kid-friendly city lesson.
Key Augustine idea (short & sweet)
Augustine’s basic claim in City of God is that two kinds of love build two kinds of cities. As he puts it: "By the two loves which make two cities I mean the love of self even to the contempt of God, and the love of God even to the contempt of self." (City of God, Book XIV, ch. 28). For our classroom: loves for self or for others change how public places feel and how people act in them.
Two playful case studies
- Untitled Goose Game: a small town designed as a stage where a goose breaks social rules. Ask: How do rules, objects, and layout encourage or stop mischief? The game shows how design guides behaviour — benches, gates, signs, and clear sightlines matter.
- Bishop's Palace swans, Wells: the swans trained to ring the drawbridge bell are a civic ritual (see: https://bishopspalace.org.uk/highlights/swans/). Rituals and symbols in public spaces help citizens remember duties to one another — like a living reminder of care and continuity.
Class activities (age 12)
- Short read: paraphrase of City of God Book XIV.28 (5–7 minutes). Discuss the two loves in pairs.
- Play a 10–15 minute clip or short session of Untitled Goose Game. Identify one design feature that makes it easy/difficult to be kind.
- Watch the Bishop's Palace swans clip (or images). Discuss: what does a bell-ringing swan remind people to do?
- Design challenge: in groups, sketch a small public square that reminds people to help each other — add one ritual, one object, and one rule. Present in 1 minute.
Assessment ideas & links to ACARA v9 learning
Short evidence-based tasks for ACARA alignment:
- English: write a one-paragraph explanation of how one design choice encourages care (reading for meaning; constructing an argument).
- Legal Studies: list one civic rule for your square and explain why it matters (civic responsibility, rules and laws).
- Environment: explain one design choice that protects nature in your square (stewardship and sustainability).
- Geography/City Planning: map your square and explain how place and space shape behaviour (spatial thinking).
Teacher/Parent notes (300 words, Ally McBeal cadence)
Oh! Picture this: a city that hums like a tiny music box, where a swing set reminds you to look after your neighbour, and a bell-ringing swan signals a promise kept. As you teach Augustine's idea — that who we love shapes the cities we leave behind — lean into playful prompts. Start with a class read-aloud of Augustine's City of God (Book XIV.28) and a kid-friendly paraphrase. Then play Untitled Goose Game for 15 minutes and ask: what rules did the goose break? How did public space feel different? Next, show the Bishop's Palace swans video and discuss ritual: how does a trained swan ringing a drawbridge bell make citizens remember duty or care? Use maps: have students sketch a 'civic reminder' — a square, statue, or game feature that encourages helping behaviour. For assessment, ask pupils to design a public space poster with one sentence explaining which 'love' (self or common good) it supports. Link to ACARA v9: English — reading, analysis and presentation; Legal Studies — civic rules and responsibilities; Geography — place and space; Environment — stewardship; City Planning — design thinking. Keep activities short, scaffolded, sensory (screens, paper, role-play). For homeschoolers: adapt by using family walks to spot civic prompts and by cooking a shared snack to practice cooperation. Safety: supervise digital play and discussions about mischief. Reflection: finish with a one-minute silent 'what I will do' pledge. And yes — sing a tiny bell song. It helps memory. It's Ally, but also Augustine: small acts of love shape public life. Try a mini-project: students tape a small bell near a class door and each time someone helps, ring it. Collect reflections in a shared notebook. Over weeks watch how small rituals become habits; that's Augustine in microcosm — love guiding design and invite parents along.
Practical tips
Keep language simple, use images and role-play, limit screen time, and connect activities to local places (a park, a town square). Use the Augustine quote to spark reflection rather than deep theology — focus on civic outcomes: kindness, rules and shared spaces.
Further reading: Augustine, City of God, Book XIV, ch. 28 (for teacher background). Bishop's Palace swans: https://bishopspalace.org.uk/highlights/swans/