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FOOD FIGHT ON PANTHER LAKE -

Food Fight on Panther Lake

Public Argument Simulation Activity

University of Pittsburgh Honors College Retreat

Professors Kathleen McTigue and Gordon Mitchell

simulation co-ordinators

August 2012

Overview

It is summertime on Panther Lake, the largest lake in the fictional state of Pizzellevania, and the only place on Earth where "ducks walk on the backs of fish." Each year, some 450,000 tourists visit the lake, many of them making their way to the famous "Spillway." Here, they throw pieces of day-old bread purchased from local shops into the water, feeding large groups of carp that clamor over each other to gobble up the treats.

Spirits seem high as bread feeding continues as usual this summer. But trouble may be brewing below the surface. A recent scientific analysis finds that tourists dump an average of 3.23 kg of phosphorus into the lake each day, potentially endangering the lake by producing localized oxygen depletion and hypoxia for fish, while also attracting large populations of giant Canadian geese that foul the shores with manure.

Concerned by these scientific findings, yet mindful of the community's traditional commitment to promoting tourist feeding of fish, the Environmental Committee of the Pizzellevania state legislature holds hearings to consider the possibility of enacting a ban on bread feeding at Panther Lake.

The Public Argument Simulation

This exercise invites students to study the bread ban public controversy by performing a role-play simulation that models the hypothetical Pizzellevania state legislature's public hearing on the issue. After consulting background readings in preparation for the exercise, students brainstorm in small groups to imagine arguments that would be made by key players during the hearing. Self-selected students then take the stage to play-act a version of how the imaginary hearing would transpire.

Characters

The role-play simulation features eight characters, listed below:

• Chairperson of the Pizzellevania State Legislature's Committee on the Environment. This senior lawmaker has extensive experience in parliamentary procedure and is known for keeping hearings on track with a stern gavel.

• Four members of the Pizzelleveania State Legislature's Committee on the Environment. Each of these elected representatives have been briefed on the issue and have formed preliminary opinions about the wisdom of a bread ban. They are each looking forward to the hearings to learn more about the issue and gather information that may influence their final vote.

• Panther Lake convenience store owner. This businessperson has been selling bread to tourists for carp feeding for over 20 years, and stands staunchly against a bread ban, feeling that such a measure would seriously harm business.

• Freshwater biologist. This expert scientist has studied Panther Lake for years, and authored the recent paper detailing the extent and possible harms of unmitigated bread feeding.

• Panther Lake marina owner. This person rents boats to tourists who come to the lake for fishing and recreation. Tourist bread feeding might help the marina by bringing in rental business, yet lake pollution could harm the marina's long-term profits, so the owner feels somewhat conflicted about the bread ban issue.

• Panther Lake park ranger. An experienced naturalist, this ranger knows the lake and its surrounding community well, and while it has been possible to stay neutral in the controversy up to this point, the occasion of public hearings may provide an opportunity to take a firm position on the bread ban.

Procedure and Logistics

After breaking into five groups of roughly equal size and representing each one of the above character types (legislators, convenience store owner, biologist, marina owner and park ranger), students will elect members of their group to serve as lead performers (five from the group of legislators and one from each of the other characters). All group members will then assist in preparing for the role-play simulation by brainstorming identities, personalities, and argument positions for their characters. After approximately 20 minutes of brainstorming, the simulation will unfold according to the following schedule:

• Committee chairperson calls the hearing to order (1 minute). This should include an opening welcome to witnesses and explanation of how the hearing will be organized.

• Committee members' opening statements (1 minute each, 4 minutes total). Each committee member introduces themselves, explains their current stance on the issue, and generally what they hope to learn from witnesses.

• Testimony by convenience store owner (7 minutes, including 2-minute opening statement and 5 minutes of questions from legislators).

• Testimony by biologist (7 minutes, including 2-minute opening statement and 5 minutes of questions from legislators).

• Testimony by marina owner (7 minutes, including 2-minute opening statement and 5 minutes of questions from legislators).

• Testimony by park ranger (7 minutes, including 2-minute opening statement and 5 minutes of questions from legislators).

Note: These activities then occur simultaneously

• Press conference by witnesses (5 minutes, whole group of students play-act as journalists pitching questions regarding the witnesses' impressions of how the hearing is going).

• Legislators deliberate (5 minutes, retiring to a nearby room to reach a collective decision in peace and quiet).

• The committee returns to announce its vote (10 minutes, beginning with the chairperson calling the hearing back to order, followed by each of the members announcing their vote in roll-call fashion).

• Final press conference (15 minutes, committee members field questions from the assembled members of the media, played by the whole group of students).

Debriefing and Reflection

Following conclusion of the role-play activity, students and faculty will join in whole-group discussion to reflect on questions such as:

• What lessons might be learned by considering how our role-play simulation developed when compared to the actual public controversy over bread feeding currently unfolding on Lake Pymatuning?

• What were some of the key choices and "roads not taken" by role-play performers?

• How did the role-play simulation model the process of public argument, especially facets such as argument construction, role of evidence, and different types of persuasion deployed by witnesses and legislators?

• Did the activity suggest any big picture implications students might take away as they ponder embarking on "life above the neck" in their new roles as members of the university community?

Background Readings

To add color and detail to their role-play performances, students may want to consult the following three articles during brainstorming (articles included after this page in an appendix to the simulation packet):

• Turner, A.M. and Ruhl, N. (2007). Phosphorus loadings associated with a park tourist attraction: Limnological consequences of feeding the fish. Environmental Management, 39:526-533.

• Hanegan, B. (2004). A great place to watch fish: Pymatuning Reservoir’s Linesville Spillway attracts more than 250,000 visitors per year. Lancaster Intelligencer Journal, August 26: C-3.

• Hagerty, J.R. (2007). Loaves and fish: Piscine gluttony in Pennsylvania. Wall Street Journal, June 18.