Name:__________________________

__________

Date Due: _____________

Presentation Day:

Create Your Own Utopia Project - Assignment Guidelines

ALL TASKS MUST BE COMPLETED BY THE DUE DATE NO EXCEPTIONS.
Your group will present on the assigned day regardless of the amount of
work you have completed.
I want you to not only use the information youve learned about the idea of a
Utopia in class but to use your creativity in creating this ideal society, while
keeping in mind the criticism from Brave New World.
This assignment must be colorful you have the necessary materials. You can
also use cut outs from magazines and COLOR pictures printed from home as well.
There are three parts to this assignment. Part 1 consists of a group assignment
and has a rubric attached below. Part 2 consists of an individual assignment and
the rubric is attached below. Part 3 consists of a group presentation and the rubric
is attached.
Part 1: Group Responsibilities:
Make sure EVERYONE in the group has duties and tasks that they are assigned to
complete each day. (whether that be writing, coloring, organizing). Either choose, or
draw names to assign tasks.

Transportation planner: considers the impact of land use on traffic and makes
sure that alternative transportation options are available
Environmental consultant: pays attention to the impact of the design on
natural resources
Economic development director: makes sure that the community has
businesses to provide tax revenue and jobs
Housing commissioner: ensures that there is a range of housing types and
prices
Recorder: keeps a record of ideas generated in the brainstorming session and
reminds the group of ideas they wanted to incorporate
Director of Activities: makes sure that there are interesting things to do so
that life in the community doesnt get boring

Before making a final decision about each task make sure that the WHOLE group
agrees with the decision
If you have group mates absent for the day YOU ARE STILL EXPECTED TO DO
THE WORK AND HAVE THE ASSIGNMENT COMPLETED BY THE DUE DATE.
You will not only receive a grade for the final product, but you will also be graded
on the amount of work done each day. I will be closely monitoring your progress
throughout the weeks.

The members of the group will also give you a grade for your contributions to the
group. Each member of the group will be given a grading sheet on Friday.

Part 1: Collaborative Assignments

Assignment Guidelines: Your final product must include ALL of the following
components:
1. Name of your Utopian society Choose a creative and appropriate name to
represent your new society. Write a meaningful statement that tells why your group
chose this name.
2. Declaration of Independence Write an explanation describing the reason
why you formed your utopian society. In this statement you must answer the
following questions 1.) What dont you like about your current society? 2.) How has
the current society broken your trust? 3.) Why do you feel the need to form a more
perfect society? 4.) How will your society be different? 5.) Does your society have
some of the same characteristics as your current society? Yes or No If yes, then
tell which ideas are the same.
3. Utopian Motto and Seal Create a slogan or motto that citizens of your
society will follow, and draw a utopian seal. Write a brief description that explains
the meaning of the motto and seal that you chose.
4. List of Rules Develop a list of 10 rules that all community members must
follow. Provide an explanation for each rule.
5. Governing Body How will the government of this Utopian be structured? Will
you have a democracy, anarchy, a monarchy, a dictatorship, or will you have a
mixed government (combines elements of all types of government)? How will your
government make decisions? Please give an explanation for your choices.
6. Holidays and Celebrations Create 5 or more unique holidays and
celebrations that your society will have throughout the year. For each make sure
you include a date and a reason why you chose these dates.
7. Invitation to Friends Write a persuasive letter to a friend or relative on why
your utopia is the best one in which to live. Include a counterargument statement.
8. Journal Writing Each group member will write a journal (separate blog
entries) describing a day in your utopia. Choose days when different events will be
occurring for instance, a day when a utopian community member goes to school
or work, or during a public holiday that is recognized in your utopia. Your entries
might include details on work, family, worship, school, entertainment, and so on.
9. Daily Itinerary How will utopia inhabitants spend their time during the week?
Develop a hypothetical schedule that community members might follow during a
typical day. Your itinerary can be a listing of times and activities, but it should be

broken down by the hour (or a similar time period that is appropriate for your
utopia).
10. Advertisement Develop a written advertisement or flyer for your community.
This ad should be complete with pictures that are representative of life in your
society. Think of the propaganda examples from Brave New World.

Part 1: Collaborative Utopia Project Rubric

Category
Utopian Name: Creative name of a new
society with a meaningful explanation of
choice.

Possible
Points
5

Declaration of Independence: your vision is

expressed articulately; the values, goals, and
ideals of your society are clear (5). Reasons
for forming your society are clearly
enumerated (5).

10

Utopian Motto and Seal: you express your

societys values simply and creatively with
you motto and seal. The motto expresses you
Utopian values.

10

List of Rules: your ten rules state the

provisions your inhabitants must follow with a
thoughtful rationale for each. (1 pt for each
rule, and 1 pt for each rational)

20

Governing Body: you provide a thoughtful and

complete explanation of your governmental
structure, economy, and leadership process.

10

Holidays and Celebrations: Points will be given

for creativity of the holidays, and their
correlation to the values in your Utopia. Make
sure to include dates.

10

Invitation to Friends Your letter follows the

persuasive writing requirements and you
included a counterargument.

10

Points Earned &

Comments

Journal Writing Each member supplies a

journal that is half a page, margin to margin,
and concerns a different day.

10

Daily Itinerary Develop a hypothetical

schedule that community members might
follow during a typical day.

10

Advertisement: Must have a picture and

represent the life in your society. Should
employ persuasive appeals.

10

TOTAL PROJECT GRADE

100

Both the group presentation and individual assignment have a different

rubric and will be an additional summative grade.

Part 2: Individual Reflective Assignments

Now that you have created your utopia, reflect on the ideas of utopias in
general. Answer the following questions in brief paragraphs. Each student
must turn in the following individually to receive full credit.
1. Respond to the following idea: We want to live in a small community with
which we can identify and yet we want all the facilities of the city of millions
of people. We want to have very intense urban experiences and yet we want
the open space right next to us (Moshe Safdie). What challenges does this
present?
2. The lyrics to John Lennons Imagine describe a utopia. In a paragraph,
discuss the meaning of the lyrics. Do you agree with his sentiments? Is the
world that the speaker imagines possible? What prevents peace from
happening? What can be done to try to make it happen? Write a stanza of
your own for the song that begins with the phrase "Imagine..." .
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

Part 2: Individual Utopia Project Rubric

Category

Criteria

Knowledge/

Understands information, ideas, concepts or

Lev
el

Comments

Understandi
ng
Thinking/
Inquiry

Communicat
ion

Application

themes
Knowledge of paragraph structure
Explains, interprets, analyses ideas and
information
Includes detailed supporting evidence
Argues and/or persuades
Logic of argument is consistent and
sophisticated
Topic sentence is clear and states the
purpose of the paragraph
Conclusion summarizes and extends main
idea
Diction, tone, and level of language are
skilfully adapted to suit the purpose and
audience
Uses language conventions grammar,
usage, spelling, punctuation
Applies ideas of utopian society to song lyrics
Required length 4-5 sentences (within
assigned lines)

Both the collaborative and group presentation assignment have a

different rubric and will be an additional summative grade.

Part 3: Group Presentation Assignment

Your group will take the information you created in the collaborative assignment and
construct a PowerPoint presentation for the class. Each groups PPT presentation
should be at least 15-20 minutes and should include a slide for each of the following
categories. In addition to the rubric below, each member of the group must present
no exceptions. (Listening, viewing, and speaking are part of the standards).
Design Your Own Utopia PowerPoint
I. Name & Scope
a. What is the name?
b. What type of community is it (city, agricultural, rural, technological, a
combination)?
II. Goals & Values
a. What will be the goals and values of your utopia?
b. Will individuals choose their own goals and values, or will their goals
and values be those of your utopian ideology?
III. Power & Politics
a. What form of social and political organization will your utopia have?
b. Will it be based on political authority, with some giving orders and
others obeying them in a vertical, hierarchical structure, as at present,

or will it be based on voluntary cooperation in a horizontal, noncoercive structure?

c. What will your decision-making process(es) be?
d. Will you have a constitution, other written agreement(s), or verbal
agreements?
e. How will officials or coordinators be selected?
IV. Members/Citizens
a. What will be the characteristics of its population?
b. Will it be open to all, or will you select its members?
c. What will be the rights and duties of the members of your utopia?
d. Will there be social stratification (e.g., owners and renters, different
roles for males and females) in your utopia?
e. If there will be social stratification, what roles would different classes of
individuals play?
V. Children & Education
a. What rights will children have?
b. Will restrictions be placed on childrens activities?
c. How will children be educated?
VI. Economics, Work, & Leisure
a. How will production and distribution be organized in your utopia?
b. How will work be compensated?
c. How will people determine what jobs they do?
d. Who will do economic planning?
e. Will your utopia be based on private property? Common ownership? Or
a combination of the two?
f. How many hours per day will your utopians work?
g. Will the standard of living in your utopia be poverty level (voluntary
simplicity), middle class, or high on the hog?
h. Will you set aside time for play and creative pursuits?
VII. Gender Roles & Differences
a. Will the roles of women and men vary in your utopia?
b. Will the nuclear family be retained?
c. Will alternative relationships be prohibited, discouraged, tolerated, or
encouraged?
VIII. Science & Technology
a. Will your utopia encourage scientific-medical research?
b. Will technological development be encouraged?
c. Will your utopia abandon any technologies?
d. What will be the energy sources to drive your utopia?
IX. Religion
a. Will there be a division between religion and other social and political
institutions in your utopia?
b. Will your utopia have a single religion? No religion? Many religions?

c. Will your utopia have rituals and celebrations?

X. The Arts
a. What will be the role of the arts in your utopia?
b. Will your utopia encourage participation in the arts?
c. Will professional artists (musicians, dancers, et al.) pursue their
creative efforts full time, with the rest of the community supporting
them?
d. Will there be any censorship of art in your utopia?
XI. The Media
a. What types of media will exist in your utopia?
b. Who will control the media?
c. Will there be any censorship of the media?
d. Will intellectual property be recognized in your utopia?

XII. The Physical

a. What will be the architecture of your utopia? What materials and
techniques will be used in building construction?
b. What will be the underlying philosophical or ecological reasons for the
use of these materials and techniques?
c. Will your utopia have high population density or low population
density?
d. What kind(s) of transportation will it use? Will any kinds of
transportation be encouraged or discouraged?
e. How will your utopia deal with sewage and other waste products?
f. Will your utopia have private, self-contained dwellings (as at present
detached houses and self-contained apartments)? OR Will it have
private, but non-self-contained individual living spaces (without
kitchens and laundry facilities, and perhaps without private bathrooms
or living rooms)?
g. Will your utopia have private or communal dining facilities, or a
combination of the two?
XIII. Food
a. Will your utopia be vegetarian, omnivorous, or will food choice be an
individual matter?
b. Will agriculture be the province of factory farms, as at present, or will
agricultural production be carried on by smaller units?
XIV. Animals
a. Will animals be raised and slaughtered for food?
b. Will animals be kept as pets?
XV. Health & Medicine
a. Will your utopia use Western medicine?
b. Will it utilize alternative (holistic, herbal, natural, etc.) approaches?
c. Will everyone have equal access to medical treatment?
d. How will your utopia deal with mental illness?
XVI. Antisocial Behavior & Conflict Resolution
a. How will your utopia deal with those who harm to themselves and/or
others?
b. How will it deal with conflicts between individuals?
XVII. Military/War
a. Will your utopia have some kind of defense or police force?
i. If so, will it be a conventional one?
ii. If not a conventional army, how will your defense force be
organized?