When Algorithms Dream of Cities
Grammar: None
A Level 6 English lesson exploring technology.
What's in this lesson
A Level 6 (proficiency) ESL lesson on technology. The worksheet has a reading, target vocabulary and discussion questions.
From the reading: When Algorithms Dream of Cities
In 2023, the city of Medellín, Colombia — once rated one of the world's most dangerous cities — won the Innovative City of the Year award for the second time in a decade. The reason was not a new museum or a gleaming metro extension, though it built both. It was a network of sensors, cameras, and open-data dashboards that allowed city planners to watch, in near real time, how 2.7 million residents moved, breathed, and complained. The data did not solve Medellín's problems. It made the problems legible in ways that bureaucratic intuition never quite managed.
Vocabulary
- hand over
- on paper
- stay quiet
- watch over
Discussion questions
- Should cities be designed around data or around people?
- Have you ever noticed something broken in a city that authorities seemed unaware of?
- Who do you think has more power over cities — politicians or technology companies?
When Algorithms Dream of Cities
Grammar: None
What's in this lesson:
Full lesson plan with reading, grammar, vocabulary, and discussion.
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