Overview

Action Plan

Scope & Sequence

Introduction

Teacher's Guide

Activities

Assessment

About the Author

DEPLETION OF RESOURCES SIMULATION

Description

Through the following activity, students will hypothesize that as the next generation comes along, there will be fewer resources available to them and eventually, there could be nothing at all.

In addition the number of people using a resource and the amount each person uses are critical in determining the rate at which resources, both renewable and nonrenewable, get used up.

 

Materials You Will Need

  • A large jar or other container filled with ready-to-eat popcorn
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  • Fourteen index cards labeled as follows; two cards that say First Generation, 4 cards that say Second Generation, and 8 cards that say Third Generation.
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  • A box or hat to hold the index cards
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  • Fifteen paper lunch bags for students
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  • A supply of extra popcorn (out of sight of the class) for those students who do not participate directly in the simulation
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Procedure

  1. Ask fourteen students to each draw one index card from the container.
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  2. Ask the students not to tell the others what the index card says.
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  3. Give these students each a lunch bag.
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  4. Explain to the class that the popcorn in the jar represents the world petroleum supply, a nonrenewable resource.
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  5. Ask the two students with the 1st generation index cards to come up to the big jar of popcorn. Tell them they can put as much of the popcorn as they want into their paper lunch bags while the rest of the class watches.
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  6. When the two 1st generation students have filled their bags, ask the 2nd generation students to come up and put as much of the remaining popcorn as they want into their lunch bags.
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  7. When they have finished, have the 3rd generation students come up and put whatever is left into their lunch bags.
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  8. After the 3rd generation takes their turn, begin the class discussion.
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Teacher Tip

Students will probably eat as much of the popcorn as they can without any thought as to who will come after them. By the time the 3rd generation students are finished, there should be little or no popcorn left. Some of the generation coming next people will therefore have little or none at all.

Do not discuss what is happening to the popcorn until all the generations have gotten their popcorn. Some students will begin to realize what is happening. Some students in the 2nd generation may think of the 3rd generation and not take as much. The teacher should just watch and listen without making any comments.

 

Discussion Points

  1. Discuss with the class what is happening to the world popcorn supply.
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  2. Hold up the empty fifteenth paper lunch bag and ask if anything was left for Generation Next.
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  3. Review the definitions of renewable resource, and nonrenewable resource.
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  4. Relate these definitions to the popcorn simulation.
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  5. Now tell the students that the popcorn represents the world supply of petroleum. The students work in groups of 4 and discuss the importance of individual responsibility in conserving resources and ways to involve others in conservation efforts.
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  6. The students should use these discussion points and write their answers in the form of a report. The report should include the following points.
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    • What happened to the total amount of the resources?
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    • How much was left for each successive generation?
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    • Did any of the students who were part of this simulation think about those who might be eating after them, or were they only trying to get as much popcorn as they could?
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    • What parallels do the students see between what happened in class and what occurs in the outside world?
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    • What are the critical factors in determining the rate at which resources, both renewable and nonrenewable get used up, including: the number of people using the resource and the amount each person uses.
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    • What is the individual responsibility for resource conservation?
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    • What steps could individuals take to advocate change in people treatment of natural resources such as petroleum?
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    • If a resource is renewable, does that mean it will continue to exist no matter what people do?
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Assessment, Student Product

  1. Each student will turn in their own report after they have gone over the discussion points.
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  2. Each group of 4 will create a slogan that advocates personal responsibility for resource conservation.
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