Limited Resources: Rapa Nui

What resources do we need in order to survive in a community? What can cause a population of people to disappear? How can we prevent the loss of natural resources? How can we work collaboratively in order for a community to survive? How can we protect our natural and limited resources?

Students will locate Easter Island on a map.  Students will imagine what life would be like to live on a tropical island. Students will read about Easter Island, also known as Rapa Nui.  Some resources available online are:

• https://www.khanacademy.org/partner-content/big-history-project/what-is-big-history/what-are-disciplines/a/activity-easter-island-mystery
• http://geography.about.com/od/ecuadormaps/a/galapagos-islands-geography.htm
• http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/earth/easterisland.html
• http://www.scienceforkidsclub.com/easter-island.html

All of these resources are appropriate and offer similar information on the mysteries and fascinations of Easter Island. Once students have learned about the reasons for the collapse of the population students will have an opportunity to be immersed in the experience. Students will play the Easter_Island_Rapa_Nui map, which is adapted from the Island Village Map, without the village.  However, a few farms remain for food, and additional trees have been added. Students will work cooperatively and collaboratively to survive on this island, on Survival Mode, for a series of days and nights, based on the teachers discretion. Students should work in groups or whole class, based on the teachers preference.  However, it is recommended that the groups not be too small, since this was part of the cause of the collapse of Easter Island. Fixed inventory slots have been set for students to document progress. Students should take a picture and record a caption each day and night.  Students may also keep an actual journal or diary to mimic life on an island. Students will document their success or failure in maintaining a civilization for a period of time. Debrief and Reflection: What strategies did your group use to work collaboratively together? What challenges did you face in surviving on the island? What did your group do to maintain resources? In order to survive on the island, what resources became essential to survival? If you were to play this map again, what would you do differently in order to be successful? Extensions: Set the gamemode to creative and allow students the opportunity to rebuild the Easter Island Heads. You may use the angles worksheet, which creates Pixel art of the heads to use as a planning template.

Students will be able to identify what resources are necessary for survival. Students will be able to recognize strategies for sustainability when faced with limited resources. Students will be able to read about Easter Island and the causes for its collapse. Students will be able to make a plan for survival on an island with limited resources. Students will be able to work cooperatively in a large group towards a common goal. Students will be able to reflect during and after the activity on effective use of natural resources.