R.I. Baker students get first-hand taste of politics
COALDALE – Their classroom schedule indicated Social Studies, but Reality 101 may have been more accurate for about 90 Grade 6 students at R.I. Baker Middle School.
In an effort to increase the students’ awareness of local government, they were put into groups for a month-long project dubbed SocialCity. Planning their own communities – and having to work within set parameters – definitely opened some eyes.
“I saw it in the budgeting aspect, where they were saying ‘we want this and that and we want all of these things,’ ”says teacher Michael Willems. “And I was like, ‘yes, but you have to recognize there are limitations and you have to recognize what you value as a city and what your citizens want and, therefore, what sacrifices need to be made.’ ”
Each group of students came up with a town name and slogan, elected city council members, and, with a set budget, planned out their community with all the prerequisite services, and more than a few luxuries in mind. After plotting out civic buildings, malls, residential areas and more on a five-by-three foot-grid, each had to come up with a bylaw to deal with a particular scenario in their city.