Objective

By the end of this lesson, the student will understand the basics of city planning and management through playing City Skylines. They will learn about zoning, infrastructure, and the importance of balancing the needs of citizens while creating a thriving city.

Materials and Prep

• City Skylines video game installed on a computer or console.
• A notebook and pencil for taking notes and planning.
• Access to the internet for research (optional).

Before the lesson, ensure the game is installed and running smoothly. Familiarize yourself with the basic controls and mechanics of the game to assist the student effectively.

Activities

• City Planning Brainstorm

  Start with a brainstorming session where the student can jot down ideas for their dream city. Encourage them to think about what makes a city fun and livable, such as parks, schools, and transportation.

• Build Your First City

  Let the student dive into the game and start building their first city. Guide them to choose a location, set up roads, and zone areas for residential, commercial, and industrial use. Remind them to think about traffic flow and citizen happiness.

• City Challenges

  Introduce challenges such as a sudden increase in population or a natural disaster. Have the student come up with solutions to these problems using the game mechanics. This will help them think critically and adapt their city planning.

• Reflection and Discussion

  After playing, have a discussion about what they learned. Ask them what they enjoyed, what was challenging, and how they can improve their city. Encourage them to take notes for future play sessions.

Talking Points

• "What do you think makes a city a great place to live? Let's think about parks, schools, and fun places!"
• "When you build your city, remember to create different zones: where people live, work, and shop. Can you show me where you would put those?"
• "If too many people move to your city too quickly, what problems do you think might happen? How can we fix them?"
• "What was the most fun part of building your city? What would you like to try next time?"