The Metro Joe game engages students in learning about the Chicago region and is meant to be used in the classroom as an introduction to the Metro Joe curriculum.

The Metro Joe curriculum was designed to be used in the classroom in grades 7 through 10 to teach students that they are not only members of their neighborhoods but are residents of the Chicago region; that issues of transportation, housing, taxes, and the environment are connected; that public choices do make a difference in their lives, and that they can influence the future.

The activities are aligned with the Illinois Learning Standards and build knowledge skills for inquiry, investigation, analysis, decision-making and action. Developed with guidance from teachers from the Chicago region, these materials include dozens of activities as well as posters, maps, and census data for communities in the region.

A fundamental assumption of this project is that students who have been actively engaged in thinking about the consequences of public policy decisions will be better prepared and motivated to become actively involved in civic life as adults. Teachers can download the complete set of Metro Joe lesson plans and other materials in Adobe PDF format. Adobe Reader may be downloaded for no charge by clicking here.

Go to the Metro Joe Table of Contents

Metro Joe lesson plans by subject

Who's Metro Joe?

How to use these materials

Metro Joe game flash cards

Web resources for teachers

Metro Joe's Interactive Guide to the Chicago Region has been generously supported by