Scarcity of Resources

Scarcity of Resources Personal and Societal Levels

Activity 2: Scarcity of Resources: Personal and Societal Levels (GLE: 42, 44) • Separate into five groups • Council Members • Police Group • Senior Citizen Group • Community Center Group • Tourism Group Unit 2 Activity 2

Each group role-play an assignment Council Members – Decide where $100,000 is spent after hearing each groups proposal. Police Group – Convince council to purchase 4 new police cars ($25,000 each) Senior Citizens Group – Convince council to repair 2 senior citizen centers ($50,000 each) Community Center Group – Convince council to renovate the swimming pool ($50,000) and construct new tennis courts ($50,000) Tourist Center Group – Convince council to fund a summer theater festival and community art show to bring tourists into the area Unit 2 Activity 2

Complete Advantages/Disadvantage Sheet Make sure you write advantages and disadvantages from different points of views. What would be an advantage of having your proposal if I am a citizen, a member of your group, or as a community. What would the disadvantages be to the same proposal. This is going to be debated so make sure you think of reasons why you may want to oppose some of the other proposals. Unit 2 Activity 2

Spend time in groups discussing proposals Police Group – Your proposal is to purchase 4 new police cars ($25,000 each) Senior Citizens Group – Your proposal is to repair 2 senior citizen centers ($50,000 each) Community Center Group – Your proposal is to renovate the swimming pool ($50,000) and construct new tennis courts ($50,000) Tourist Center Group – Your proposal is to fund a summer theater festival and community art show to bring tourists into the area Unit 2 Activity 2

Council Members Your assignment is to listen to all proposals and decide where to budget is spent. Each member of the council will have a their own summary sheet to complete as the proposals are discussed. After discussion are complete you must meet and decide what the money will be spent on. A final copy of the summary sheet will be turned in with all members names on it and the decision that is made. Unit 2 Activity 2

After Council Meeting is Over • As a class, discuss the trade-offs and opportunity cost and benefits of the council members decisions. • Discuss the scarcity of the situation. • Complete the Vocabulary self awareness chart with the vocabulary words • Scarcity • Trade-off • Opportunity Cost • Opportunity Benefit Unit 2 Activity 2

Scarcity The concept that there are not enough resources available to satisfy all needs and wants; as a result, choices must be made. Unit 2 Activity 2

Trade-Offs When choices are made (collectively or by an individual) to accept having less of one thing in order to get more of something else, the results are called trade-offs. Unit 2 Activity 2

Opportunity Cost The value of a second choice in a decision making situation. The value of the first choice in a decision making situation. Opportunity Benefit Unit 2 Activity 2

Writing Assignment • The meeting is now over. Write a letter to the editor. • Make sure you • Express your opinion of the way the money was spent • Share why you think the money should have been spent differently if you do not agree with where the money was spent. If you do agree to where the money was spent tell why • Share what you think are some advantages and disadvantages to the way you think the money was or should have been spent. • Include the economic terms learned in this lesson. • Scarcity • Opportunity cost • Trade-off • Opportunity benefit Unit 2 Activity 2

Activity 2: Scarcity of Resources: Personal and Societal Levels (GLE: 42, 44) Have students role-play a city council meeting called to allocate a budget of $100,000. Students should represent the following groups to explain why money should be allocated as they ask: Police Group: Buy four police cars at $25,000 each. Senior Citizens Group: Repair two senior citizens centers at $50,000 each. Community Center Group: Construct new tennis complex at $50,000 and renovate swimming pool at $50,000. Tourism Group: Fund a summer theater festival and community art show to bring tourists into the area. Have students debate their causes at the individual, group and societal levels and come to a consensus by making a choice on how to spend money. They should be able to describe trade-offs and opportunity cost. Unit 2 Activity 2

Scarcity of Resources