11/30 Tragedy of the Commons AP

The purpose of this simulation is to demonstrate how individuals using a common resource (the commons) for their own personal gain will inevitably result in the degradation of the commons, and a decrease in the yield for both the group and the individual.

Background
In 1968 the Tragedy of the Commons was published. A major premise of the article is the notion that any resource that is open for anyone to use – such as air or parts of the ocean – will eventually be destroyed because everyone can use the resource, but no one is responsible for preserving it. When people are not compelled to preserve resources for the welfare of future generations, the Tragedy of the Commons occurs.
In this simulation, each one of you represents the head of a family that is in need of food. 

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Enter your data here.

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Enter your data here.

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Did anyone in your group take too many fish? (Yes or No)
Did everyone try to take as many as possible? (Yes or No)
Explain what happened in your group.

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Did anyone sacrifice any fish for the good of the community? (Yes or No)
Does society ever reward this type of person?
Explain.

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In round 2…How did your strategy change, if at all?
Did it make a difference to know that those who caught more fish were rewarded?

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Is it possible to maximize the number of fish caught per person AND maintain a sustainable population of fish in the pond at the same time?
If so, explain how.

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Besides humans, what else might rely on the fish in our lake as a resource?

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How could our fishing practices impact the lake ecosystem?

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Think of a local commons that you are familiar with (social areas, eating areas, bathrooms, parking lots, etc). Explain how a tragedy of the commons situation can arise in one of these areas.

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Propose a solution for how the problem could be solved.

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What are some natural resources that are commons resources?

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For the Tragedy of the Commons to occur, the resources must be

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How can we protect overused natural resources?

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Enter your data here.

Enter your data here.

Did anyone in your group take too many fish? (Yes or No) Did everyone try to take as many as possible? (Yes or No) Explain what happened in your group.

Did anyone sacrifice any fish for the good of the community? (Yes or No) Does society ever reward this type of person? Explain.

In round 2…How did your strategy change, if at all? Did it make a difference to know that those who caught more fish were rewarded?

Is it possible to maximize the number of fish caught per person AND maintain a sustainable population of fish in the pond at the same time? If so, explain how.

Besides humans, what else might rely on the fish in our lake as a resource?

How could our fishing practices impact the lake ecosystem?

Think of a local commons that you are familiar with (social areas, eating areas, bathrooms, parking lots, etc). Explain how a tragedy of the commons situation can arise in one of these areas.

Propose a solution for how the problem could be solved.

What are some natural resources that are commons resources?

For the Tragedy of the Commons to occur, the resources must be

How can we protect overused natural resources?

Explain why overfishing of privately owned lakes are not an example of the tragedy of the commons.

Did anyone in your group take too many fish? (Yes or No)
Did everyone try to take as many as possible? (Yes or No)
Explain what happened in your group.

Did anyone sacrifice any fish for the good of the community? (Yes or No)
Does society ever reward this type of person?
Explain.

In round 2…How did your strategy change, if at all?
Did it make a difference to know that those who caught more fish were rewarded?

Is it possible to maximize the number of fish caught per person AND maintain a sustainable population of fish in the pond at the same time?
If so, explain how.