Almost Paradise

Utopia

Dictionary Definition: ___________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

The Task:

Your team will research the concept of “utopia” and utopian societies around the world. Each member of your team will be assigned a specific aspect of the community to research and design. As a group you will meet a few times a week during class, and research in and out of class. Your group will then make a PowerPoint presentation to show your utopia to the rest of the class.

Step One:

What is Utopia?

Look up the definition of utopia. Tell what utopia means to your group. You should discuss the following questions in your group before coming up with the definition. Use your imagination. Be creative. The following web sites might be helpful

Definition of Utopia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utopia

Utopian Philosophy - how to achieve it, merging reality and utopia and views of what utopia may be like http://users.erols.com/jonwill/

**** **** ****

Answer the following questions with your group. Select one person to write your group’s response, and submit to Mrs. Loughrige.

1. Explain the concept of a utopian society.

2. What is the allure of a utopian society?

3. Is a true utopian society possible? Why or why not?

4. If you had the power to sway our leaders, would you try to persuade them to move toward or away from a utopian society such as the one portrayed in The

Giver? Support your choice.

**** **** ****

This is your chance to design your idea of a perfect world. Be sure to answer the following questions in your definition. Then submit this sheet with the definition filled out below.

What kind of government would exist in your perfect society?
What would the educational system be like?
How would the community members receive medical care?
What kind of money would you use (if any) and how would it be distributed to the community members?
What kinds of recreation or leisure activities would be available to your community members? How would they participate in these?

Your own definition of utopia_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Step Two:

Assignment of Roles:

After you have created your own definition of utopia, you need to assign roles to your group members. You may do this one of two ways:

1. write each role on a scrap of paper and draw.
2. discuss which role suits which person in your group the best, and assign them.

The roles you will be assigning are described below.

Leader: The leader is responsible for the team members getting along and making progress in their tasks. You are also the liaison between your team and the teacher. You will be responsible for planning the type of government your community will implement.

Developer: You will be responsible for mapping out the community, making sure to include natural resources found on your land like lakes and farmland. You will draw out the design for the community.

Planner: You will research issues like education and medicine. You will be the team's expert on these issues.
You will design the community's education system. You will
also design the health care system of the community.

Accountant: You will be the team expert on financial issues like what monetary system the community will use, how the money will be distributed, and how it will be generated throughout the community. You will responsible for designing the banking system, if you use one. You will also be responsible for designing the money for the community.

Recreation Director: It will be up to you to decide what kinds of leisure activities will be available in your community. You will also be responsible for how they will be implemented. You will design activities for the rest of the community members to enjoy and you will be responsible for seeing that they run smoothly.

Step Three:

Research

Your group will use the following websites to research various utopian communities that actually exist in the world today. Each of you should look for information that correlates with the role you have been assigned. For instance, if you are the leader, you will look for ideas on how to set up the government of your community. If you are the recreation director, you will look for ideas relating to leisure activities. If you find interesting information that doesn't fit into any of the roles assigned, write it down for later. After you have finished your research, set up a group meeting at which the research will be shared. The group meeting agenda is listed below. The answers to the questions on the agenda must written down and handed in to Mrs. Loughrige for a grade.

Here are the websites. You'll have to hunt for information that fits your role. Not all of the websites will be helpful to everyone in your group. It may take some time to find the information you need.

The Acorn Community of Virginia http://www.ic.org/acorn/
The Farm in Tennessee http://www.thefarm.org/index.html
Twin Oaks Community in Virginia http://www.twinoaks.org/
Victory City - A City Under One Roof http://www.victorycities.com/
Factasia - Utopian Fantasy http://www.rbjones.com/rbjpub/rbj042.htm#utopia
The Utopia Project http://www.geocities.com/unihl/utopia/index.htm
Utopian States http://www.utopianstates.com/US1/index.html
Utopian World http://www.utopianworld.org/

Group Meeting Agenda

I. Each group member, keeping in mind his or her assigned role, reports in detail the information he or she has researched. It is important that each member report to the group.

I. Complete the following tasks as a group and hand them in to Mrs. Loughrige:

1. Draw a chart that shows how the government in community will work. Explain in detail the role of each person or group in your community.

2. Sketch a map of what your community will look like. You will have to refine it and make it better later. Every building and area should be clearly

labeled. Don't forget to include lakes, parking (if needed), public buildings, medical buildings, schools, dwellings, recreational areas ,etc. An aerial

view will be fine.

3. Draw a chart or diagram depicting what your education system will be like. Don't forget to include details about when kids go to school and for

how long and what types of things will be taught at each level.

4. Draw a chart or diagram depicting how your community members will receive health care. Include information on who provides the care, what

kind of care people can receive at which facilities, where people go for serious illnesses, prescriptions, etc.

5. Draw a picture of what your dwellings will look like. You should include an outside drawing as well as an aerial view of the inside. Be sure to label

everything in the dwelling.

6. Draw a picture of the money your community will use. Draw a chart or diagram depicting how people will receive money and how it will be used. If

you are not using money in your community, explain how people will receive goods and services.

7. Describe the different types of recreation that will be offered in your community. Include information on how they will be used by the people of

the community (following a schedule, first come, first served, etc.)

After you have finished your group meeting, turn in the answers to the above questions to Mrs. Loughrige with all of your names on it.

Step Four:

Planning Your Presentation

If you feel like you need more information on how to plan your community, here are some websites that may be helpful.

The Four Types of Government http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/curriculum/socialstd/NSL/PPT2/
Alternative Money Systems http://www.rfsd.k12.wi.us/meyer/8b/webquest.html

Each group member should get planning sheets from Mrs. Loughrige. On the planning sheets, sketch out your portion of the Power Point presentation. Each group member is allowed up to 5 slides on which to present his or her information. After your every member of your group has completed his or her sketches, turn them into Mrs. Loughrige in the order they will appear in your Power Point presentation.

Make sure you address the following items in your presentation:

Leader: The first slide in your presentation should be a sign that would be found at the entrance to the community. In detail, show how the government in your community operates. Also show how laws are made and enforced, if there are any laws.

Developer: Present a map of your community. Make sure it is well labeled and that you can explain your reasons for planning it the way you did.

Planner: Show how people will be educated in your community and how health care will be provided.

Accountant: Show what the money in your community looks like. Also be sure to explain how money is generated and how it is distributed to the members of your community.

Recreation Director: Show what kinds of leisure activities are available in your community. Explain how people will participate in these activities.