Name __________________________

Date _________ Pd _______

Fishing in a Pond
Introduction: We often find that public property is abused by society if there isnt a single person or group
responsible for it. In this activity, we will understand the difficulties of caring for resources that are shared.
Materials:

Goldfish

Fishing Pond

Forceps

Procedures:
1. A pond will be given to each table. DISREGARD THE SECTIONS TO START. To find the number of
fish you will begin with, solve this equation:
Number of Fish = 4X + 2

where X = the number of students at your table

Answer: _______________
2. Each of you is a fisherman (or woman) that must catch fish to feed your family. You must catch at least
two fish with your fishing forceps or your family will starve. The one with the most fish wins!
3. Each year the fishing season lasts 10 seconds. You Cannot Talk During Fishing Season Youll Scare
Away The Fish!!! Youll have 10 seconds in which to catch your fish during the season and you can eat all
the fish that you catch! At the end of each season, the fish will reproduce.

1st Trial
Year One
Year Two
Year Three
Year Four
Year Five

# of Fish at the
Start of the Season

# of Fish
that Youve Caught

# of Fish at the
End of the Season

4. Directions for part 2: Each person in your group now owns one segment of the lake(Assign each person ONE
segment). Youll have 10 seconds in which to catch your fish during the season and you can eat all the fish
that you catch! At the end of each season, the fish will reproduce.

2nd Trial

# of Fish at the
Start of the Season

# of Fish
that Youve Caught

# of Fish at the
End of the Season

Year One
Year Two
Year Three
Year Four
Year Five
Totals
Questions (answered in full sentences):
1. What did people at your table do during the first trial?

2. Why did they act this way?

3. What were the results of the first trial? How many goldfish were left year 5?

4. What is The Tragedy of the Commons? Did your tables fishing methods reflect the Tragedy of the
Commons? Why or why not?

5. How was Trial 2 different from Trial 1?

6. What were the results of the second trial? How many goldfish were left year 5?

7. What does sustainable mean? Which trial was more sustainable and why?

8. What is supply and demand? Relate fishing in a pond with the idea of supply and demand by stating which
trial and year your fish would be in the greatest demand and which trial and year your fish would be in the
least demand.

Fishing Pond