Reconstructing a lost city through digital technology

Reconstructing a lost city through digital technology

Presentation

Fascinating cities such as Mohenjo-Daro, Babylon, or Teotihuacán have left their mark on history before mysteriously disappearing. What can these ancient cities teach us about past societies and the challenges we face today? This project invites students to become historians, geographers, and digital urban planners to reconstruct a lost city. Using scientific research, digital tools, and an interdisciplinary approach, they will design an immersive virtual museum. Their goal: to highlight the causes of these cities’ disappearance and identify parallels with contemporary challenges such as climate change and resource management.

Detailed structure and interdisciplinary teaching

1. History and geography

Historical exploration: In-depth study of the cultural, economic, and political aspects of a lost city.

Activity: Research archives, old maps, and artifacts to document the chosen city.

Key competency: Understand past civilizations and analyze the causes of their disappearance.

Geography: Analyze the environment and its role in the city’s prosperity or decline.

Activity: Study the impact of water, soil, and climate on the city’s development and decline.

Key competency: Establish links between environment and society.

2. Science and technology (STEM)

Digital modeling: 3D reconstruction of the chosen city using software such as SketchUp, Blender, or Minecraft.

Activity: Create a realistic visual representation of the city’s buildings, infrastructure, and natural surroundings.

Key competency: Use modeling tools and interpret historical data.

Ecology: Study environmental impacts that may have contributed to the city’s downfall.

Activity: Reconstruct past climatic or environmental scenarios using simulation tools.

Key competency: Understand ecological dynamics.

3. Languages (English and second language)

Research and writing: Produce bilingual descriptions of historical sites or a virtual guide.

Activity: Read historical documents in English and write descriptive or narrative texts.

Key competency: Clear, contextualized writing in multiple languages.

Oral presentation: Prepare a virtual guided tour in English and French.

Activity: Record a multimedia presentation to accompany the virtual museum.

Key competency: Mastery of oral expression in a foreign language.

4. Mathematics and economics

Economic analysis: Study the trade and exchanges of the lost city and model its economy.

Activity: Create charts to illustrate trade flows and calculate their impact on the city’s prosperity.

Key competency: Interpret historical economic data.

Statistics: Analyze demographic data and resources to understand social dynamics.

Activity: Compare demographic data from a past society with those of a similar contemporary society.

Key competency: Critical analysis of quantitative data.

5. Arts and design

Visual creation: Design artistic reproductions of daily life scenes in the lost city.

Activity: Produce illustrations or animations of key moments in the city’s life.

Key competency: Creative interpretation based on historical facts.

Virtual exhibition: Create a visual and interactive interface to present research as a digital museum.

Activity: Use tools like ThingLink or Canva to build a user experience.

Key competency: Interactive design and visual communication.

Final product

Students will present an immersive virtual museum of the chosen city, including:

• A realistic 3D model.

• An interactive bilingual guide and historical descriptions.

• Presentation videos and reconstructed artistic scenes.

• A comparative analysis with contemporary challenges, presented at a conference.

Evaluation

• Formative: Progress sheets to document research and creation steps.

• Summative: Assessment of the virtual museum, bilingual descriptions, and oral presentation.

• Self- and peer evaluation: Feedback on the relevance of conclusions and effectiveness of collaboration.

This project combines academic rigor and creativity, providing students with tools to understand the interaction between environment, society, and technology from both historical and contemporary perspectives.