Empowering Global Citizens

The teacher should then lead a discussion based on the reflections of the
students. Ask them to imagine that they are fishermen/fisherwomen, and
ask them if they think that they would be a part of the problem.

Activity 6.4.2

The Tragedy of the Commons

(Note that this activity is adapted from Alabama Learning Exchange’s “The
Tragedy of the Commons,” by Kelly Morton.)

Using what they learned from the fisheries film, the students will try to
avoid a tragedy of the commons during this simulation. The teacher will
need to provide two cups (or, alternatively, two small bowls) of different col—
ors, straws (one for every student), and a large quantity of M&'M’s or other
similar candy. One cup will be “cup 1,” and one will be “cup 2.” The stu—
dents are given a lab sheet. They will play several rounds of the simulation.

ROUND 1

Students need to be divided into groups of four. Each person represents the
head of a household that must be fed. The only food source is a small pond
that can hold only sixteen fish. The pond begins with sixteen fish and is
adjusted after each round. After each round of fishing, the fish will double
in number (spontaneous reproduction). Each head of a household can take
as many fish as he or she wants but must take more than one to keep his or
her family alive. Each head of a household can only fish for thirty seconds
at a time. Cup 1 is the common pond. The straws are the fishing poles. The
students try to suck fish (the M8CM’s or Skittles) up through the straw until
they think they have a fish, and then they take the fish off of the straw (the
fishing pole). The pond should be taken to the teacher after each round of
fishing so that the fish can “reproduce.” (Remember, each fish can double;
therefore, three fish become six, and six fish become twelve, etc.). Each stu—
dent will fish three times. For each round of fishing, the order should be
rotated so that each head of a household gets to go first. There is to be no