Objectives

• understand the difference between renewable and non-renewable resources
• understand that renewable resources must survive long enough to reproduce or they become non-renewable
• identify resources that reef animals need to survive
• understand that renewable resources need protection

Vocabulary

• renewable resource
• non-renewable resource

Background
Renewable resources can be harvested or collected over and over again. They are living resources, like farm crops and trees, that grow back or renew themselves, cycle after cycle. Non-renewable resources can be harvested or collected only once. They don’t renew themselves or grow back. Once used, they are gone forever.

The lobsters, conch and fish of South Caicos Island are renewable resources. But renewable resources like these can quickly become non-renewable resources if they are not cared for properly. To keep their fisheries healthy, the South Caicos fishermen must leave enough lobster, conch and fish behind to reproduce and start the next generation. They must also protect the habitats and foods these animals need to grow to a harvestable size.

The information that SFS students at the research site are collecting about conch and lobster will help the fishermen of South Caicos understand and manage their valuable renewable resources.

Materials

• Lobster Bingo Worksheets (click here* for worksheet in Adobe Acrobat Reader) 
• game pieces such as pennies or paper clips (9 per student)
• 17 index cards

Activity
Explain that the fish and shellfish of South Caicos are renewable resources. Use the lobster as an example to discuss how these resources are renewed: Lobster babies hatch. With clean water, food and shelter they grow to adults. Fishermen take some of the adults but leave others on the reef to mate and lay eggs. Lobster babies hatch and the cycle begins again. Ask students to predict what would happen if: fishermen took too many of the adult lobsters, the lobsters could not find clean water, food and shelter, fish ate all the baby lobsters, or sharks ate all the adult lobsters. The Lobster Bingo game will demonstrate how human activities and natural events affect lobsters by impacting three of the things they need to survive: the shelter of the reef, food, and clean water.

To play, follow these directions:

1. In advance, label the index cards with the 17 categories described on the bingo work-sheet:  Reef 1, Reef 2, Reef 3, Clean Water 1-3, Food 1-3, Hurricanes, Anchors, etc. These cards will be used to call the bingo game.
2. Give each student a bingo worksheet and game pieces. Review the instructions for play with them. Emphasize that to get “BINGO!” students must have at least one game piece in each of the three columns. They do not need three in a row.
3. Demonstrate how the Bingo game works by calling out several resources and impacts, making sure that the students are placing their game pieces in the correct box.  Call out the following resources and impacts: Food 1 (see Figure 1), Clean Water 2 (see Figure 2), Oil Spill (see Figure 3), Food 2 (see Figure 4), etc.   Discuss each step with students.  (click here* to view and print  Figures 1 through 4 in Adobe Acrobat Reader)
4. Continue to call cards while students place and remove game pieces.
5. When students call “BINGO!” (all students should at the same time), discuss the game. Ask students: Why did it take several tries to get all three of the resources the lobster needs for survival? What calls would you need to play the fastest game (all resources, no impacts)? Would it be possible to never win (run out of resource cards)? In the real world, what can humans do to help lobsters survive? Are there things we can’t control?
6. Shuffle cards. Play again. Ask students to describe this game. Was it different from the first? Why?

Variation: Divide older students into teams of three. Choose a caller, a player and a note taker to record events for each team. Give each team a bingo worksheet and set of call cards. Ask each team to shuffle its cards then start all teams at once. Stop when the first team gets “BINGO!” Ask the winning team to report on the events leading to its win. What events did other teams experience that slowed them down? Could similar situations occur on the real reef?

Extend the Activity

• Discuss the concepts of threatened, endangered and extinct. Can students name any animals that fall into these categories? Discuss the habitats, foods, and other survival needs of these animals. Why did some become extinct? Why are others in danger? Is there anything humans can do to save them?
• Have students research several world fisheries using library resources. Where are these fisheries located? What is the natural history of each fishery? What fishing methods are used? Is the fishery healthy or in danger? How is it managed? Discuss results. Are there similarities in issues between the various fisheries worldwide?

* If you do not have Adobe Acrobat reader, download it for free from www.adobe.com