In the framework of the 11th SDG, Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable , we need to build modern, sustainable cities.

For all of us to survive and prosper, we need new, intelligent urban planning that creates safe, affordable and resilient cities with green and culturally inspiring living conditions.  So, taking for granted that early literacy and STEAM go hand-in-hand. Children’s books, especially fairy tales, provide a wonderful springboard to launch design experiences. Using the problems characters face in the stories is the best place to start. Whether they want to invent something in order to help others as STEAMY Tsiou (the yellow bird by Olga De Dios), invite them, or you are building an ideal sustainable city for Roza the little monster, (Monstruo Rosa written by Olga De Dios) by facing each of the existing problems that her town may have,the possibilities are endless.

The storyline that we will use revolves around the story of Monstruo Rosa and the yellow bird. In the story, she would like to move to the perfect city. She needed help.The questions that will be set are the following: Are our cities ideal? Are they sustainable? How could they be?  The children will be encouraged to express their thoughts regarding how they imagine the ideal city, if they believe that their cities are ideal, if not how they could be ideal? Then, they will provide solutions by engaging and creating  an ideal model city .

After designing and creating their cities, children can retell the story . When children retell stories, they extend their learning and strengthen their comprehension skills.