Making the game simple enough for students to understand and still get the desired result continues to elude me. If you aren't familiar with the game, a good detailed description can be found here, or try the version that I copied and pasted into word and modified (slightly) into lab worksheets, which I've posted here. I hope the originators aren't too upset, since I do give them credit and encourage everyone to visit their site and look at other stuff they have created - that's all I would ask of anyone who found something useful on my site, adapted it, and wanted to share it - link and give credit. The idea is that students are given a large sheet of paper (11x17), which represents their meadow, several small squares of paper that represent the prey, and several larger squares of paper that represent the predators. Start with three prey spread around the meadow. Toss one predator onto the meadow. If the predator manages to capture (fall on) 3 prey in one toss, the predator lives and reproduces. If the predator fails to capture three, it dies. Next generation a "new" predator moves in if none survive, so that there's always at least one predator to start the new generation. If done properly, students will see through about 20 generations, two population explosions and 2 crashes. The predator population lags a little behind the prey in both directions (explosion & crash).
Ideally there would be no other variable in the model, just predator & prey with unlimited resources for the prey, but I just don't have enough materials for unlimited growth, and the potential for error among the students is too great so I limit the rabbit population to 75, explaining to students that the meadow simply won't support any more and anything above 75 moves somewhere else.
Problems students have had with the game:
--Forgetting to double the populations.
--Forgetting to remove prey that have been killed.
--Tossing all the predators at once before removing killed rabbits - I've revised that rule.
--Stopping before 20 generations - How to tell them why we need 20 generations without telling them what will happen?
--Just keeping track of the numbers - requires some concentration that they have trouble mustering in groups of 4.
I'm getting to the point where I'm seeing the need for some formal group roles, so the next class that does the simulation will have a designated recorder and rules enforcer - I just have to pick the right people who will be obsessive about doing things the right way - hope I can find 7 such people in one class!
UPDATE 12/11/05
I've just devised some roles for my groups. It's a little incongruous in that I'm using more or less courtroom analogies, but I think it will work for this particular class. I have judges who will know and transmit the rules or procedures of the game (or other activities in the future), a sheriff who works with the judge to enforce the rules and keep the peace, to the point of having the power to issue tickets if necessary, a bailiff who is essentially the materials manager, and a stenographer whose role should be self evident. For this class I have 29 students, which leaves an odd man out in groups of 4, so I have created a special role for this person - Devil's Advocate. The devil's advocate will be assigned a home group, but will roam around to other groups to play the role for all groups. I already know who will get this role!
I have personally selected the judges. I will send them to a private place in the school (an empty classroom or the AP's office) with a list of recommended sheriffs. They will select their own sheriffs and are free to suggest alternatives to the ones I've recommended. Then together with their sheriffs, they will select the remaining roles for their groups. I hope that giving them this responsibility and freedom will create a more positive environment. I do have a lot of faith in the judges I've selected.
I've created role cards that you can download here.
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