CASTAWAY

You have been shipwrecked on a tropical island.  It has become obvious that there is no hope of rescue, but this does not mean you cannot escape.    The natives, friendly at first, are ready to see you gone. People have begun to hoard food and illness is spreading throughout the population. While it is obvious that most of these people won’t die, they are incapacitated for the time being. Chaos is beginning to occur as healthy individuals scramble to meet the needs of the many, so a government has become necessary. You and your group must organize a functioning government to meet the needs of the greater good. 

 

Demographics

60 people:

ุ       20 men (18 – 30)

ุ       10 women (18 – 30)

ุ       6 children (10 – 18)

o        4 males

o        2 females

ุ       4 young children (2 – 10)

o        1 male

o        3 females

ุ       10 elderly (over 60)

o        6 males

o        4 females

ุ       10 middle age (35 – 55)

o        8 females

o        2 males

 

Things to Keep in Mind

Your government should remember to include the following:

 

ุ       Government structure

ุ       Military/defense

ุ       Internal order/policing

ุ       Food

ุ       Construction

ุ       Economic system

ุ       Education/belief system

ุ       Child-care/elderly/infirm

ุ       Be sure to name your country

 

Castaway Simulation

TASK:  Create a written document using the last piece of posterboard from the crash listing the goals, tasks, rules, rights,and structure of your new government.

 Discuss the following questions with your group before you begin:

1)       What are the most important goals for your society?

2)     What tasks need to be accomplished? Who will do them?

3)       What rules will you set up for this island?

4)       How will you enforce these rules? Will there be punishments? If so, what?

5)       Who will be your leaders? How will they be chosen? What powers will they have?

*Civilization Reflection

In class today you were asked to respond to an imaginary situation and answer some questions about how you would handle such a situation. Please answer the following questions in complete sentences.

1)       Describe the climate of the classroom during the activity.

2)       Did a leader or leaders emerge? Who? How and why did they emerge? How did they lead?

3)       Did you participate? Why or why not?

4)       What type of society did the group set up?

5)       What assumptions about human nature were made by the group in organizing the island?

6)       What qualities of the group would have made this an easier task (in the imagined sense)?

7)       What situations/qualities in the group might have complicated this task (in the imagined sense)?