Populations in Balance

Meet the Community

Initiate a class discussion prior to beginning the activity.

Students will simulate a town hall meeting to discuss the Cluck County ban on killing hawks and other birds of prey. The stakeholders are all in attendance. Descriptions of their mindsets are included on this page.

Student groups will be assigned the role of one of the stakeholders and prepare a brief argument to persuade the council to either upkeep, amend, or overturn the law -- depending on their mindset.

Groups will prepare:

• an opening statement
• arguments to support the position
• comments or questions for other attendees
• a closing statement

In order to do so, students must read all of the positions.

There will be two town meetings. During each meeting, half the class will participate in the meeting and the other half will observe and record that they see and hear.

Display slides.

Paraphrase:

Today our class is going to simulate a town hall meeting.

Here’s the situation: just as Maria thought, hawks are indeed helpful in controlling mice and other rodents. Therefore, the fish and game warden of Cluck County made a new rule and put up the sign shown on the right.

Of course, different people in the community have different opinions about this new rule.

​

Students use this time to prepare for the town hall meeting simulation.

Paraphrase:

There will be two town hall meeting simulations. You will participate as a character during one of them. During the other, you will observe and fill out a checklist.

Display the Town Hall overview on slides.

Divide the class into four large groups. Assign each group a type of “meeting attendee.”

• farmers
• environmental activists
• game warden/biologists
• county councilors

During the Town Hall, each team will get time to

• make an opening statement that includes arguments for its position
• make comments to or ask questions of other attendees
• make a closing statement that reinforces arguments
• county councilors group only: share ground rules at the beginning of the meeting

Each group reads the mindsets of each attendee and prepares an argument for their particular attendee. Each team should decide the following:

• who is going to attend meeting one and meeting two (half for Meeting 1, half for Meeting 2)
• who will present opening statement
• who will present closing statement
• who will ask/answer questions of other attendees

In the Town Hall, each team gets time for…

​an opening statementincludes arguments for your position comments / questions of other attendees a closing statementthat reinforces arguments

Focus WordsUse these to make a better argument.nativepopulation interdependencedisturbancerecoveryconsumerproducerpredatorpreyPrepare to PARTICIPATE:

• Decide who will participate and who will observe for Meeting 1 and Meeting 2 (half for each).
• Read the mindsets of each team very carefully.
• Develop strong arguments that you can make during the meeting.
• If you are on the county councilor team, come up with ground rules.
• Decide:

• Who will present your team's opening statement?
• Who will present your team's closing statement?

The other members of your team will handle questions.

Students use this time to prepare for the town hall meeting simulation.

Paraphrase:

There will be two town hall meeting simulations. You will participate as a character during one of them. During the other, you will observe and fill out a checklist.

Display rules on slides.

Divide the class into four large groups. Assign each group a type of “meeting attendee.”

• farmers
• environmental activists
• game warden/biologists
• county councilors

Each group reads the mindsets of each attendee and prepares an argument for their particular attendee. Each group should decide who will attend and present at each meeting.

Paraphrase:

While an observer, you should study the observation checklist and take notes as you hear good points from the different teams/mindsets. Circle any focus words you hear used by a team during the meeting. Write a check mark when you hear someone from a team make a good point. Jot a few words to remind yourself of any really good points. Attempt to note at least one good point from each team in the other group. Be ready to comment on what you observed after the simulation.

Observers of the Town Hall, be sure to… Write a check mark when you hear someone from a team make a good point.Jot a few words to remind yourself of any really good points.Note at least one good point from each team. Listen for the week’s focus words. If you hear them used correctly by anybody participating in the simulation, circle them on the form. Be ready to comment on what you observed after the simulation.Focus Wordsnativepopulation interdependencedisturbancerecoveryconsumerproducerpredatorprey

Town

Hall

Agenda

county councilors share ground rules

opening statements

comments / questions

closing statements

After the Town Hall meeting simulation ends, students give each other feedback on their performances in the different roles.

Giving Feedback

I heard the team make some really good points:

Good point #1:

Good point #2:

I noticed that the group used some focus words: