Lesson 1 - Erutan (Delaware Social Studies)

Erutan Suggested Time: 150 minutes (two 75-minute sessions) Lesson Introduction: In this lesson, students will construct their own understanding of the purposes and powers of government by thinking through a scenario in which a group of people survive a near extinction–level event and are returned...

Erutan Suggested Time: 150 minutes (two 75-minute sessions) Lesson Introduction: In this lesson, students will construct their own understanding of the purposes and powers of government by thinking through a scenario in which a group of people survive a near extinction–level event and are returned to a “state of nature” (erutan backwards) that is, a life without government. This lesson is designed to help students understand why governments exist and why they are given certain powers. Citizens are often critical of the government and question its actions, but they should know that democratic governments usually act on the will of the people and provide valuable services and protections. Delaware Social Studies Standard: Civics Standard 1a [Government]: Students will understand why governments have the authority to make, enforce, and interpret laws and regulations, such as levying taxes, conducting foreign policy, and providing for national defense. Essential Questions: Why are governments given certain powers? What is the relationship between the purposes and powers of government? Enduring Understanding: Students will understand that governments have certain powers so that they can fulfill the purposes for which they were created. Warm-up 1. Students will Think-Pair-Share to respond to this scenario and respond to the questions that follow. Imagine that all the adults suddenly disappear from our school and only the students are left. a. Would your initial reaction be positive or negative? Explain why. b. What do you think would happen in the first hour? c. What would happen by the end of the first day? The first week? d. What potential problems could emerge? What potential solutions could happen? 2. As students share their responses, teachers should share that hundreds of years ago, Enlightenment philosophers like Thomas Hobbes and John Locke imagined scenarios like this where there were no rules and referred to it as a “state of nature.” If students struggle to imagine this idea, you could also prompt them by showing a 30-second trailer or 3-minute video from the 2007 CBS reality TV show Kid Nation in which 40 children aged 8 to 15 attempted to create a functioning society in an abandoned town, including setting up a government system, with minimal adult help and supervision. Other famous literary and media sources explore similar themes around the state of nature (e.g., Lord of the Flies, the TV show “Lost”, the graphic novel The Girl Who Owned a City, etc.). Activity 1: Purposes of Government 1. Students will read Resource 1 - Life on the Island of Erutan and answer the questions at the bottom of the handout. They will Think-Pair-Share to respond to these questions, culminating with a whole class discussion that focuses on some of the problems that students brainstorm. The teacher will list student responses on the board and point out that there is no government on Erutan. Teachers can access the Resource 1 KEY here. The teacher will ask: Given the problems that you have described, why might the survivors want to form a government? 2. Students will read Resource 2 - Purposes of Government and be asked to brainstorm examples of their own. Then, ask students to think about the problems on Erutan and how each of the purposes of government relates to those problems. Then, students will read Resource 3 - Powers of Government and think about how a government on Erutan would need these powers in order to address the problems of Erutan. Activity 2: Government Addressing Problems 1. In groups of 3, students will use Resource 4 - Analyzing Life on Erutan to discuss potential problems that could emerge on Erutan and how they would relate to the purposes and powers of government. While working in their groups, one student will serve as a timekeeper, one will serve as the notetaker to capture their ideas on Resource 4 - Analyzing Life on Erutan, and one will serve as a reporter to share the group’s work in a whole group discussion. Teachers can consult Resource 4 - Analyzing Life on Erutan (Key) but allow well-reasoned answers that are different if students are able to use accurate understandings of the purposes and/or powers of government. 2. Distribute to students Resource 5 - Purposes of Government Scavenger Hunt and have students work in small groups to access news websites to look for recent examples of how each purpose of government occurs in current events. Students will record a brief summary of relevant examples from articles, headlines, and/or political cartoons for each of the 5 purposes of government and indicate the source of this information. Note: If students have not done individual research before as part of this class, the teacher should introduce students to a website like Allsides.com with their media bias charts to discuss potential websites that would be appropriate. Once students have had a chance to find an example for each of the 5 purposes of government, engage the class in a discussion of some of the more relevant ones. While students are working, the teacher should circulate to answer questions, ask students to clarify where needed, and proactively identify the strongest examples so students can be prepared to share whole-group. 3. Distribute to students Resource 6 - Powers of Government Scavenger Hunt and have students work in small groups to access news websites to look for recent examples of how each power of government occurs in current events. Students will record a brief summary of relevant examples from articles, headlines, and/or political cartoons for each of the 4 powers of government and indicate the source of this information. Once students have had a chance to find an example for each of the 4 powers of government, engage the class in a discussion of some of the more relevant ones. While students are working, the teacher should circulate to answer questions, ask students to clarify where needed, and proactively identify the strongest examples so students can be prepared to share whole-group.  4. After students have found and discussed articles illustrating both purposes and powers of government, students will discuss which powers are needed to achieve each purpose of government. For example, students might conclude that: a. Make war: needed to provide national security b. Conduct Foreign Policy: needed to provide national security c. Levy Taxes: needed to provide national security, provide public services, and maintain order d. Make and Enforce Laws and Regulations: needed to maintain order, manage resources, and Establish & Administer Justice 5. Ask students if there are any other powers that governments would probably need to fulfill their purposes. Check for Understanding 1. Pose the following questions to the students: a. Why do governments exist? b. What are the main purposes for which governments are created? c. What are some of the key powers that governments possess? i. Why are governments given certain powers? d. Explain the relationship between the purposes and powers of government. What are some examples that illustrate this relationship?  Resource 1 - Life on the Island of Erutan Directions: Read the imaginary scenario below and respond to the questions that follow. Scenario A cataclysmic [huge and destructive] event has affected planet Earth. A comet the size of Wilmington smashed into the Atlantic Ocean somewhere in the Northern Hemisphere. Aware of the inevitability of the collision as well as the probable point of impact, you booked a flight along with 119 other people to what you hope will be a secure location on a well-equipped island in the middle of the ocean. Just as your plane was nearing its destination, a massive explosion occurred. Violent airwaves caused by the explosion forced the plane down onto an island approximately 236 miles short of your “safe” destination. You have found evidence of large wildlife predators. While the island appears uninhabited by humans, there is evidence on the beach of human conflict. Local inhabitants appear to have been killed following a warlike assault. Inhabitants from other islands return periodically to the island, based on the evidence. The physical damage from the comet’s impact now appears to be over. However, the 106 survivors, including you, now find yourselves stranded. All your communication equipment is destroyed. It is not clear whether others on the planet survived the impact, but you are without a prospect for rescue. Questions: 1. Would your initial reaction be positive or negative? Explain why. 2. What do you think would happen in the first hour? 3. What would happen by the end of the first day? The first week? 4. What problems might emerge? What potential solutions could happen? How might those problems be solved?  Resource 1 - Life on the Island of Erutan (KEY) Directions: Read the imaginary scenario below and respond to the questions that follow. Scenario A cataclysmic [huge and destructive] event has affected planet Earth. A comet the size of Wilmington smashed into the Atlantic Ocean somewhere in the Northern Hemisphere. Aware of the inevitability of the collision as well as the probable point of impact, you booked a flight along with 119 other people to what you hope will be a secure location on a well-equipped island in the middle of the ocean. Just as your plane was nearing its destination, a massive explosion occurred. Violent airwaves caused by the explosion forced the plane down onto an island approximately 236 miles short of your “safe” destination. You have found evidence of large wildlife predators. While the island appears uninhabited by humans, there is evidence on the beach of human conflict. Local inhabitants appear to have been killed following a warlike assault. Inhabitants from other islands return periodically to the island, based on the evidence. The physical damage from the comet’s impact now appears to be over. However, the 106 survivors, including you, now find yourselves stranded. All your communication equipment is destroyed. It is not clear whether others on the planet survived the impact, but you are without a prospect for rescue. Questions: 1. Would your initial reaction be positive or negative? Explain why. Positive: Some students may have a positive initial reaction because they were able to survive the plane crash, are hopeful for their chances of survival, or might enjoy living on a tropical island without the pressures of their current life. Negative: Other students may have a negative initial reaction due to the realization that they are stranded on an unfamiliar island without communication or rescue prospects. 2. What do you think would happen in the first hour? Students would likely assess the situation and their surroundings, checking on their fellow survivors and identifying any immediate dangers or resources available. Some students might try to find food and water sources or explore the island to search for signs of civilization or potential ways to escape. Maybe some kids would just want to go swimming and spend a nice day at the beach. 3. What would happen by the end of the first day? The first week? Students might have established a makeshift campsite for shelter and safety. They may have organized themselves into groups to assign tasks and responsibilities, such as gathering food, creating a signal for potential rescuers, or starting a fire for warmth and cooking. Or maybe they will start realizing by the end of the first day that they need to take these kinds of steps as they get hungry, thirsty, hot, cold, etc. 4. What problems might emerge? What potential solutions could happen? How might those problems be solved? Problems: Limited resources, potential conflicts among survivors, lack of medical supplies or expertise, emotional distress, and the absence of contact with the outside world. Solutions: Prioritize resource management and rationing, establish clear rules and guidelines for conflict resolution, search for natural remedies or explore the island for potential medicinal plants, support each other emotionally, and devise strategies for trying to repair or create new communication devices.  Resource 2 - Purposes of Government Governments help to address common purposes, including: 1. Maintain order to keep communities safe and functional. An example of this is the establishment of police forces to enforce laws and respond to emergencies. 2. Provide national security to protect citizens from outside threats like foreign invasion. The United States military is an example of a government organization that provides national security. 3. Provide public services like healthcare, education, and transportation to ensure the basic needs of citizens are met. An example of this is the interstate highway system in the United States. 4. Manage resources to ensure they are being used in a sustainable way that benefits everyone. An example of this is the establishment of national parks to protect natural resources. 5. Establish and administer justice to ensure that laws are being followed and that citizens are being treated fairly. The court system is an example of how governments administer justice. Police officers in C-5M Super Galaxy at Rehoboth Beach Dover Air Force Base Delaware Superior Court Judges Killens Pond State Park in Felton, Kent Interstate 95 in Wilmington County  Resource 3 - Powers of Government Governments are granted the following powers: 1. Ability to make war to provide national security for the country. An example of this is initiating a war in response to security threats. 2. Conduct foreign policy needed to provide national security. An example of this can be through the use of treaties. 3. Levying taxes is needed to provide public services and maintain order. For example, satisfying tax debt. 4. Make and enforce laws and regulations - very important when it comes to the powers of the government. Creating and enforcing laws are necessary to maintain order, manage resources, and establish and administer justice. Russo-Ukrainian Biden Administration War Rejoining Paris Climate Agreement Delaware has no state/sales tax, but Delaware State Police help enforce laws does have corporate income tax and regulations  Resource 4 - Analyzing Life on Erutan Directions: Read the problems in the left-hand column below. Work with your group to identify the purposes of government (Column 2) that are connected to the problem described in Column 1, and which power (Column 3) the government might need to deal with the problem. Government Purposes: Maintain Order, Provide National Security, Establish and Administer Justice, Manage Resources, and Provide Public Services. Government Powers: Make War, Conduct Foreign Policy, Levy Taxes, and Make and Enforce Laws and Regulations Problem Government Purpose Government Power One small source of fresh water has been located. Food supplies left over from the crash are extremely limited. A new source of freshwater is found, but it is very hard to access and requires a lengthy hike through the jungle. The island has a small number of caves, but people are fighting over who gets to use the caves for shelter. One person is accused of stealing a hatchet from another person. A small group of survivors exploring the island found human remains on a beach on the far side of the island. A small boat is spotted in the ocean most of the way toward another nearby island. Some survivors have begun cutting down palm trees to use in building shelters and making fires, but these coconut-producing palm trees are one of the only sources of food on the island. One person became sick with an infection and several members of the group have suffered from heat stroke and dehydration.  Resource 4 - Analyzing Life on Erutan (KEY) Directions: Read the problems in the left-hand column below. Work with your group to identify the purposes of government (Column 2) that are connected to the problem described in Column 1, and which power (Column 3) the government might need to deal with the problem. Government Purposes: Maintain Order, Provide National Security, Establish and Administer Justice, Manage Resources, and Provide Public Services. Government Powers: Make War, Conduct Foreign Policy, Levy Taxes, and Make and Enforce Laws and Regulations Problem Government Purpose Government Power One small source of fresh water has been located. Food supplies Make and Enforce Laws and Manage Resources left over from the crash are Regulations extremely limited. A new source of freshwater is found, but it is very hard to access Provide Public Services Levy Taxes and requires a lengthy hike (e.g., build a road) through the jungle. The island has a small number of caves, but people are fighting over Make and Enforce Laws and Maintain Order who gets to use the caves for Regulations shelter. One person is accused of stealing Establish and Administer Justice Enforce Laws and Regulations a hatchet from another person. A small group of survivors exploring the island found human remains on a beach on the far side Provide National Security Make War, Conduct Foreign Policy of the island. A small boat is spotted in the ocean most of the way toward another nearby island. Some survivors have begun cutting down palm trees to use in building shelters and making fires, Manage Resources Enforce Laws and Regulations but these coconut-producing palm trees are one of the only sources of food on the island. One person became sick with an infection and several members of Provide Public Services Levy Taxes the group have suffered from heat (e.g., medical care) stroke and dehydration.  Resource 5 - Purposes of Government Scavenger Hunt Directions: Use current news websites to research recent examples of each of the government purposes listed below. For each example you find, briefly describe what happened in the middle column and record the source of the story in the right column. Purpose Recent Example of this Purpose Source Maintain Order Provide National Security Establish & Administer Justice Manage Resources Provide Public Services  Resource 6 - Powers of Government Scavenger Hunt Directions: Use current news websites to research recent examples of each of the government powers listed below. For each example you find, briefly describe what happened in the middle column and record the source of the story in the right column. Purpose Recent Example of this Power Source Make War Conduct Foreign Policy Levy Taxes Make and Enforce Laws and Regulations