Topic- What is scarcity?

Legend- Andrew
Daniela
Katie
Standards-
1. Strand 3: Science in Personal and Social Perspectives - Concept 2: Science and
Technology in Society - PO 4. Analyze the use of renewable and nonrenewable
resources in Arizona: • water • land • soil • minerals • air (AZ DOE Content Standards)
2. Students summarize information to compose an oral presentation (PCRN Employability,
Information Use)
3. ISTE-S 5. Computational Thinker - 5c. Students break problems into component
parts, extract key information, and develop descriptive models to understand
complex systems or facilitate problem-solving.
4. Anchor Standards - Reading and Writing - Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can
follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

Instructional Objectives-
1. SWBAT write a definition for scarcity.
2. SWBAT present how scarcity or abundance of one Arizona resource affects its use.

Opening Activity- Materialistic Holidays Brought To You By---Scarcity

Teacher Will: present the Elmo Craze of 1996. Many have criticized the way big
corporations exploit any and all holidays for a profit. These critics often point to cheesy
Hallmark cards or the “President’s Day Blowout Sale” advertised by your nearest retail
store. However, no event supports a cynic’s case stronger than the Elmo Craze of 1996.
Tyco initially supplied 400,000 of the laughing plushies, and would later manufacture
600,000 additional units. All 1 million Tickle-Me-Elmos would sell by the end of
December 1996. Promotions from pop culture icons like Rosie O’Donnell created a
demand for the toy that far exceeded the supply. This led to a surreal reality where
shoppers: chased delivery trucks, brawled over a toy, payed ridiculous prices (one Elmo
reportedly sold for $7000 ), and trampled a store clerk breaking his ribs.
Students have probably observed this Elmo effect in other popular holiday toys.
Sitcoms, like The Office, lampoon the borderline insane behavior exhibited by American
shoppers and how entrepreneurial-minded individuals can exploit scarcity for large
financial returns. Ask students if and how scarcity affects their shopping.
Students Will: share their own experiences with scarcity, and follow respectful
rules for discussion.

(Provides the relevance of scarcity in past student experiences)

Instructional Input-
Formative Assessment: To determine if prerequisite knowledge was gained from the opening
activity. Pear Deck has a multiple choice feature that would allow for a quick check that students
understand the difference between scarcity and abundance.
Sample Questions: Choose between scarce or abundant-
● Ice at the North Pole? Expected Response: Abundant
● Minutes in a Difficult, Timed Exam? Expected Response: Scarce
● Water in the Desert? Expected Response: Scarce

Teacher Will: model the presentation that students will be giving during Independent Practice:
By definition, water is scarce in the desert.
Colorado River: The Colorado River, along with the Rio Grande, is arguably the
most important river in the SW US. The Colorado River is born among Rocky
Mountains in CO. The Colorado River carved out the Grand Canyon. Humans
use aqueducts to divert water for agricultural irrigation and domestic use, and
dams (like the Hoover) to supply hydroelectric power.
Environmental: Human interference and use of the river has dried up the
last 100 miles of the river since the 60’s. Minute 319, an agreement with
Mexico, allowed a fraction of water to reach the ocean in 2014.
Environmentalists argue that the damage caused to downriver
ecosystems is reason enough to stop damming. Humans are not the only
organisms that struggle with scarcity.
Legal: A 1944 treaty was needed to establish quantity of water to flow
from the US to Mexico (via the Colorado River). A 1974 treaty was
needed to establish the quality of water that reaches Mexico from the US
(via the Colorado River).
Arizona v. California is actually a collection of Supreme Court cases from
the last 90 years settling the dispute over what rights AZ and CA have
over the Colorado River. The cases initially overlooked the rights of
Native Tribes to the river.
Social: Agricultural use in the US increases salinity and pesticide
concentration for water that reaches Mexico. Damming effects
recreational use of the river, allowing rockslide and vegetation to build up.
While not in Arizona, a mention of the water contamination in Flint,
Michigan would be appropriate here.
Political: Minute 319 is an example of when scarcity necessitated
political cooperation.

(Diversifying for student interests: environmental, legal, social, political)

Student Will: Discuss questions posed by the instructor. Questions could include:
Level 1 Bloom’s: What is scarcity? How does scarcity impact demand?
Level 2 Bloom’s: Is water in the desert scarce or abundant? Why is
water in Arizona so scarce?
 Level 3 Bloom’s: Is scarcity fair? How important is it to consider the well-being
of the environment when dealing with a scarce resource like water? Should the
government regulate how scarce resources, like water, are distributed?

Guided Practice-

Teacher will: Start a new discussion on Arizona’s solar irradiance (a natural resource) and
have students talk about whether this is a scarce resource and to explain how they determined
that. Teacher will mostly be listening to students responses and make sure that the discussion
isn’t going of topic. Teacher should provide the following information to start discussion:

● Meaning of solar radiation: power per unit area that Earth receives from the sun in the
form of electromagnetic radiation.
● Meaning of renewable energy: resource of economic value that is naturally replenished
as fast as it is being consumed.
● Meaning of non-renewable energy: resource of economic value that cannot be
readily replaced by natural means on a level equal to its consumption.

Students will: Responding to discussion by determining if solar radiation is a scarce resource.

Student should be asking themselves the following questions:

1) What factors determine how much solar irradiance Arizona gets?

2) Is there a maximum amount (a limit) of solar irradiance that Arizona can have?
3) Does human activity have a direct impact on the supply of solar irradiance that is
received by the state?
4) Is solar irradiance a renewable or non-renewable resource?

● Once students have determined if solar irradiance is a scarce resource, they will provide
their answer to the question posted through Pear Deck and share their response with the
rest of the class.
●
Summative Assessment: Students will determine whether solar irradiance is a scarce resource
in Arizona and if it is renewable or non-renewable. Students will enter their responses through
Pear Deck

Differentiation: Students that are having a hard time answering the questions will be given
hints and more time.

Independent Practice-
Summative Assessment: The students’ presentations will assess their knowledge of scarcity
by discussing a location or product in which it is found and they will show how the situation fits
the definition of scarcity.
Teacher will:
- Provide knowledge of databases that students will be able to use to locate references for
their chosen topic.
- Aid students in narrowing in on their presentation topic if the scale is too large.
- Give time in class for the students to collect research about their topics and to put
together their presentations.
- Allow students to ask questions and for aid on their presentations.

Students will: Examine the environmental, legal, social, and political implications of a location
where scarcity affects an area or a product that is considered scarce and present their findings
to the class in a 5-10 minute presentation.

- Work in groups of 3-4 people

- Use databases to gather information
- Each student will focus on one of the four aspects mentioned previously.
- Explain how their chosen topic shows an environment with scarcity or a product that is
scarce.

Differentiation: Students will be given extra time if needed. For students that need an
additional challenge, they can focus on a scarce product in a specific area and discuss both and
how they affect each other directly or indirectly.

Closing Activity-
Closing questions on PearDeck to recap what was discussed in the lesson, to ask if there are
any questions and to ask for any feedback on the lesson.
Example:
- What is scarcity?
- What is an example of a non-renewable resource?
- What is an example of a renewable resource?
- What is solar radiation?
- What is the renewable resource used most frequently in Arizona? Why is it useful?
- Are there any questions about the material?
- What is some feedback you have for this lesson?
Contacts
Andrew- adhopkins7@gmail.com or (480) 307-5514
Daniela- dgbalde1@asu.edu
Katie- kbrendon@asu.edu