Pascua Lama Simulation

Economic benefits vs. protection of the environment
We are going to do a simulation based on the Pascua Lama Project. What is a simulation? It's an extended group activity in which students take on roles and act out a real-world situation. The Pascua Lama Project involves the controversial initiative of a Canadian mining company to extract gold reserves from two glaciers in waters belonging to Chile in South America. In this activity, you will:

• join a Special Interest Group or Organization
• do research on the Internet and collect information
• create a bank of documents
• take notes on your reading
• write summaries of the information you found (posted on your Wiki page under your group name
• create a role as part of your group
• develop your position, for, against or undecided on the Project
• write your own role card
• participate in a trial

There will be five groups of 3:

1. Judges of an International Tribunal
2. News reporters from different news agencies
3. Mining Company officials
4. Environmentalists
5. Chilian government officials

The activity will extend over three classes. Your particiaption in the activity will be evaluated for speaking, reading and writing.

In the last class on Dec. 7 we will hold the trial.

Here is an example of a role card:

• Title of special interest group
• Your name and position in the group
• A short statement of your point of view worded as such: (3 0r 4 lines) 'My name is ______. My responsibilities are ______ . I am primarily concerned with improving the quality of life by (give reasons). I also want to . . . - As you do research, keep a written record of your developing position.
• The team leader should insure that there are different positions in the group, ranging from pro-project and neutral to anti-project.

Sources of information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascua_Lama

http://www.miningwatch.ca/index.php?/104/Pascua_Lama_Background

http://www.barrick.com/

http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/pascualama.asp

http://alucinora.blogspot.com/2007/05/pascua-lama-water-or-gold.html

Friday, December 7 - Trial

First part of period

• Part 1, Statement of Position
  Your group will testify before the International Tribunal. You personally will have four minutes to talk about your role and state your position on the case.
  
• Part 2, Question and Answer Period
  Your group will answer questions from the judges and other groups. You personally should participate for at least two minutes.
  
• Part 3, Judges' Decision
  Each judge will have two minutes to summarize the arguments for and against and give their legal opinion on the case.

Second part of period

Writing Test 10%:

• Write a persuasive essay.
• See Module Five: Short Persuasive Essay, p. 207.