Let’s Learn about Vauban, Germany’s Future City” by Gina Whitcomb

Let’s Learn about Vauban, Germany’s Future City

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)

Materials needed 5-ESS3. Earth and Human Activity

Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth’s resources and environment.

Chart paper Ozobot code cards

Markers

Pencils & paper Ozobots (*if not using Ozobots, students can use a small toy car as the “robot” to go over the code)

Phenomenon

Human activity causes pollution, which is harmful to the environment. Students will be learning about a city in Germany that has taken steps to combat pollution and create a more sustainable city.

Engage

Explore

Explain

Create a Prototype

Elaborate

Evaluate Using a set of nature pictures or a walk around your school campus, have students play the “Imagine that!“ game.

In table groups of 3-4, students will research cities in the United States, and will gather information to add to a class chart.

The class will research Vauban in Freiburg, Germany.

Students will create a map of Vauban drawn with markers on white construction paper. They will learn about the Ozobot codes and will incorporate the Ozobot codes into their map.

Understand: Students should create a T-chart listing „problems“ and „possible solutions“ about the environments in which they live.

Assess: Students will research recycling in their community and see what actions they can take to improve conditions in their own neighborhoods.

Act: Students can work to create posters to encourage recycling, or do an art project with recycled materials.

Students will test their maps with their Ozobots to make sure their codes perform the functions properly. Students will present their Ozobot maps of Vauban to the class and discuss what they chose to code with the Ozobot special moves as “most important” to them.

LET’S LEARN ABOUT VAUBAN, GERMANY’S FUTURE CITY

INQUIRY OVERVIEW

Students relate the cause/effect with the Ozobots to that which is happening in the environment. Students will investigate cities around the world and learn about problems that are plaguing our environment (noise pollution, air pollution, traffic, energy consumption, etc). Students will compare cities in the USA with the future city of Vauban, Freiburg, Germany. By learning about Vauban, students will create and code a map on construction paper using Ozobot codes.

TEACHER BACKGROUND

If teachers have not had students work with Ozobots before, there is a lesson provided by Ozobot that covers initial understanding and training with Ozobot colors and codes. Lesson can be viewed by visiting:

Ozobot EDU Basic Training Series. (2018). Color Codes. https://storage.googleapis.com/ozobot-lesson-library/3-5- basic-training-color-codes/3-5-Basic-Training-Educator-Version-Color-Codes.pdf

Ozobot color code cards can be found by visiting:

OzoCodes Sheets. (n.d.). https://files.ozobot.com/stem-education/Ozobot-Color-Codes-Chart.pdf

Vauban is a neighborhood to the south of the town center in Freiburg, Germany. It was built as “a sustainable model district” on the site of a former French military base named after Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban, the 17th-century French Marshal who built fortifications in Freiburg while the region was under French rule. Construction began in 1998. In the year 2001 the first 2000 residents moved in.

All houses are built to a low-energy consumption standard, with 100 units designed to the Passivhaus ultra-low energy building standard. Other buildings are heated by a combined heat and power station burning wood chips, while many of the buildings have solar collectors or photovoltaic cells. Perhaps the best example of sustainable building is the Solar Settlement in Vauban, a 59 PlusEnergy home housing community. It is the first housing community worldwide in which all the homes produce a positive energy balance. The solar energy surplus is then sold back into the city›s grid for a profit on every home.

Within Vauban, transport is primarily by foot or bicycle. The development is connected to Freiburg city center by a tramway and is laid out linearly along the tracks, such that all homes are within easy walking distance from a tram stop. As of 2009, around 70% of the households had chosen to live without a private car. The level of car ownership has fallen over time. Cycling has been the main mode of transport for most trips and most activities, including commuting and shopping. The preference for walking and cycling can be partly attributed to the layout of the district. Most local streets are crescents and cul-de-sacs. While they are discontinuous for cars, they connect to a network of pedestrian and bike paths, which permeate the entire neighborhood. In addition, these paths go through or past open spaces, adding to the enjoyment of the trip.

Most of Vauban’s residential streets are described as Stellplatzfrei – literally «free from parking spaces.” Vehicles are allowed down these streets at walking pace to pick up and deliver but not to park, although there are some infractions as the system depends essentially on social consensus – there are few official controls. Each year, households are required to sign a declaration stating either that they do not own a car, or that they do, in which case they must buy a space in one of the multi-story car parks on the periphery, at a one-off cost of €17,500 plus a monthly service fee (in 2006). The citywide car-sharing club has the greatest concentration of its 2,500 members in Vauban – at least ten of its cars are stationed around the district.

Dellekom.de, A. (n.d.). Passive House. Retrieved October 06, 2020, from http://www.passivhaus-vauban.de/idee.en.html

Melia, S. (n.d.). On the Road to Sustainability. Retrieved October 06, 2020, from http://www.stevemelia.co.uk/vauban.htm

Vauban, Freiburg. (2020, July 20). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vauban,_Freiburg

SUGGESTED TIME FRAME: 3 lesson periods of 45 minutes each (OPTIONAL: extra lesson to introduce or review Ozobot colors and codes)

MATERIALS NEEDED

Chart paper, markers, pencils, paper, Ozobot code cards, Ozobots (*if not using Ozobots, students can use a small toy car as the “robot” to go over the code)

NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS (NGSS)

5-ESS3: Earth and Human Activity

Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth’s resources and environment.

KEY LITERACY CONNECTIONS

CCR Speaking and Listening #5: Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations.

SL.9-12.5: “Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence…”

RELEVANT DOMAIN(S) OF DISCIPLINARY CORE IDEAS

Physical Science ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems

Human activities in agriculture, industry, and everyday life have had major effects on the land, vegetation, streams, ocean, air, and even outer space. But individuals and communities are doing things to help protect Earth’s resources and environments. (5-ESS3-1).

SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING PRACTICES

Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

Obtain and combine information from books and/or other reliable media to explain phenomena or solutions to a design problem (5-ESS3-1).

Students will evaluate the advantages of the German city of Vauban in their conservation efforts. They will obtain and evaluate information to add to their city maps. They will analyze the town’s resources and create special codes for their Ozobot to highlight meaningful finds in Vauban.

CROSSCUTTING CONCEPTS

Systems and System Models

A system can be described in terms of its components and their interactions. (5-ESS3-1)

Natural resources such as coal, the sun, wind, and wood can be used for energy. Using these resources (cause) can damage the environment (effect). Students use Ozobots in a cause/effect relationship to create code within their city of Vauban.

PHENOMENON / MAIN PROBLEM

Display the images of pollution found here

Polluting Clouds of Exhaust Fumes Rise In The Air Photography. (n.d.). Getty Images. https://www.gettyimages.com/photos/pollution?sort=mostpopular&mediatype=photography& phrase=pollution

Show one photo at a time and use the following questions to guide discussion: • What type of pollution is being shown in the photo? Is there more than one type? (for example, the car photo could be air pollution, noise pollution, etc). • What do you think caused the pollution? • What do you think are some effects of the pollution? • Is wildlife affected? If so, how? • Are humans affected? If so, how? • What do you think is a possible solution to this type of pollution?

Tell students that they will be learning about a city in Germany that has taken steps to combat pollution and create a more sustainable city.

ENGAGE

IMAGINE THAT!

Using a set of nature pictures or a walk around your school campus, have students play the „Imagine that!“ game. This involves one student naming a man-made item such as a highway or building, and then the second student describing what the area would look like if that item were built there. Conduct this activity as a class and as time permits break into pairs with their journals to keep the activity going. Reflect on what might change, and which organisms might be affected if man-made structures were built there.

ANTICIPATED GUIDING QUESTIONS

What would happen to the natural landscape if something man-made was built there? What do you think would happen to the animals? Why do you think man-made things are built in nature? What problems could this create? How can these problems be solved?

EXPLORE - GATHERING INFORMATION

In table groups of 3-4, students will research the following cities in the United States: New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, Dallas, Jacksonville, Philadelphia, and Phoenix. (You can also choose your own major cities to compare). Students will gather the following information to add to a class chart: 1. City location (state) 2. City population 3. Air pollution rank in US 4. How many cars in the city 5. EXTENSION: Find the residential energy consumption in 2018 for the city, county or state

EXPLAIN - IDENTIFY POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

The class will research Vauban in Freiburg, Germany. The class will start by watching this video about Vauban, Germany. They will compare information they learned with the information on the class chart about cities in the USA.

ABC News. (2009, August 29). Germany’s City of the Future Built to be Green [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XeMHuO_6-0

Guiding questions: 1. What is “traffic” like in Vauban? 2. Why do people choose to live in Vauban? 3. What are some things you notice in Vauban without the added noise pollution of cars? 4. Why do you think Vauban is attracting the attention of people from around the world?

Discuss answers in table groups or with partners. Share out answers with the class.

Students will then watch this short video clip about “car reduced living” in Vauban:

Eltis Mobility Portal. (2014, June 4). Car reduced living in Vauban, Freiburg, Germany [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBFCXsR2zVU

Guiding questions: 1. What effect does the tram have on the city of Vauban? 2. Why do you think they are not allowed to park their cars in front of their houses? 3. What makes Vauban a “family friendly” city?

Discuss answers in table groups or with partners. Share out answers with the class.

Add Vauban to the chart created about US cities. Have students discuss how Vauban is different than the American cities listed.

Guiding questions: 1. What are the major differences between Vauban and American cities? 2. Do you think it is possible to live without a car where you live? Why or why not? 3. What are the environmental benefits of sustainable living, like in Vauban? 4. Which city do you think is most “family friendly” from the chart? Why? 5. What does the creation of Vauban tell us about Germany’s efforts to help create a sustainable environment?

CREATE A PROTOTYPE / INVESTIGATING SOLUTIONS

Students will create a map of Vauban drawn with markers on white construction paper. They will learn about the Ozobot codes and will incorporate the Ozobot codes into their map. Students must work in teams to create their map, label it and include Ozobot codes in their map of Vauban.

Their map must include: • Short super slow paced (snail paced) Ozobot code near homes and parks (because we need to be careful of the children!) • Cruise speed for other areas of Vauban • Use Ozobot code for left and right turns throughout the city • No Ozobot code placed in the car-free zones! • Choose one area of Vauban you particularly like or think is helpful to create a sustainable environment and make your

Ozobot do one cool move (tornado, zigzag, spin, back walk).

A reference map of Vauban can be found here:

Welcome Quartier Vauban. (n.d.). Green City Frieburg. https://www.freiburg.de/pb/site/Freiburg/get/ params_E-1604864046/647919/Infotafeln_Vauban_en.pdf

EVALUATE - TEST, REFINE

Students will test their maps with their Ozobots to make sure their codes perform the functions properly. If they do not work, students will be given whiteout or small pieces of index card to cover and/or refine their code and correct any errors.

EXPLAIN - SUMMATIVE PERFORMANCE TASK

Students will present their Ozobot maps of Vauban to the class and discuss what they chose to code with the Ozobot special moves as “most important” to them. Students will discuss why they chose that and how they coded the Ozobot.

ELABORATE - TAKING INFORMED ACTION

UNDERSTAND Students should create a T-chart listing “problems” and “possible solutions” about the environments in which they live.

ASSESS Students will research recycling in their community and see what actions they can take to improve conditions in their own neighborhoods.

ACT Students can work to create posters to encourage recycling, or do an art project with recycled materials.

VIRTUAL EXCHANGE

This lesson lends itself very well to virtual exchanges anywhere in the world. The topic of trash, recycling and sustainability is something that every society faces as we collectively try to preserve and protect the Earth for future generations. Virtual pals could exchange information locally or globally about how their schools and homes deal with the issue of trash. Is it sorted? Is it collected? By whom? How often? Students can compare and contrast information about efforts being done to help sustainability efforts with each other and come up with solutions and possible new ideas to implement at their schools/homes.

CAREER CONNECTION EXPLORATION

A deeper dive into sanitation and recycling careers would benefit students as they learn about sustainability. It would also be beneficial to explore hazardous materials removal (HAZMAT) workers, recycling and reclamation workers, recycling coordinators, as well as delve into the work of politicians for getting policies passed to make sustainability laws. There are opportunities for teachers on the Microsoft Skype platform to arrange for virtual field trips and Skype connections with many professions – including farmers and engineers.

MODIFICATIONS FOR DIFFERENTIATION

Language Learners: Students can draw pictures on their maps of Vauban instead of writing sentences Extension Possibility: Have students continue coding with the online coding platform Scratch. Students can create interactive presentations about Vauban, recycling, energy consumption or climate change. Students can code in Scratch and create a recycling game using various sprites to show how the trash can be recycled. If you do not have access to Ozobots, students can use toy cars/bikes and still follow the Ozobot codes written in marker Gifted and Talented (GATE) students: GATE students can create green screen promotional videos for their school about recycling. They can also create posters or Google Slides presentations showing the correct way to recycle at their school.

MODIFICATIONS FOR ONLINE LEARNING

Teachers are able to share their screen with students to show videos about Vauban. Depending on video platform being used, teachers can create small breakout groups for students to do research on pollution in major cities before sharing out with the class. Students can collaborate on a Google Slides presentation to gather data to share with the class. Instead of using Ozobots, during online learning, teachers can show Ozo Code and students can draw with markers and use toy cars or small figures to represent the Ozobot. Students can use the online platform Scratch to create using block-based coding. Students can create animations about recycling, or create their own Vauban city. Students can use the online platform Seesaw to take a picture of their Vauban city drawn on paper with markers. They can use the microphone feature to explain how their city was drawn and explain the reasoning behind their city and the code.

Gina Whitcomb is a 5th grade teacher at Betsy Ross Elementary School in Anaheim, CA, USA.