Name ____________________________________ Date__________________
Period _____________
Survival in the Desert
Instructions: Read the following situation. Then follow the directions below with your group.
The Situation:
It is approximately 10:00am in mid July and you have just crash landed in the Sonora Desert in
the southwestern United States. The light single engine plane has completely burned. Only the air
frame remains. The pilot and co-pilot were killed in the accident, but none of the rest of your group has
been injured.
The pilot was unable to notify anyone of your position before the crash. However, ground
sightings taken before your crash indicate that you are 65 miles off the course that was filed in your VFR
Flight Plan. The pilot had indicated before you crashed that you were approximately 70 miles southsouthwest from a mining camp, which is the nearest known habitation.
The immediate area is quite flat and barren. The only vegetation appears to be cacti. The last
weather report indicated that temperatures would reach 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures within
a foot of the surface will reach 130 or more! You are dressed in light-weight clothing- short sleeved
shirts, pants, socks, and street shoes. Collectively, your pockets contain $2.83 in change, $85.00 in bills,
a pack of matches, and a ballpoint pen.
The problem:
Before the plane caught fire, your group was able to salvage the 15 items listed below. Your
task is to rank these items according to their importance for your survival, starting with “10” the most
important to “1” the least important. You may assume that the number of survivors is the same as the
number in your group and that the group has agreed to stick together.
Step 1: Stop or Go
-Decide if your group will stay at the crash site or leave to search for help
Step 2: Individual Ranking
-Each member of the team is to individually rank each item. Do not discuss the situation or problem
until each member has finished the individual ranking. Once discussion begins do not change your
individual ranking.
Step 3: Team ranking
After everyone has finished the individual ranking, rank in order the 15 items as a team.
Name ____________________________________ Date__________________
Item
Period _____________
Increasing Importance
1. .45 caliber pistol (loaded)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 9
10
2. Book: “Edible Animals in the Desert”
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 9
10
3. Bottle of salt tablets (1000)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 9
10
4. 1 Quart of water per person
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 9
10
5. Red and white parachute
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 9
10
6. Compress kit with gauze
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 9
10
7. 2 quarts of 180 proof vodka (total)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 9
10
8. Sectional air map for area
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 9
10
9. Flashlight
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 9
10
10. Pocket knife
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 9
10
11. 1 blanket per person
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 9
10
12. Plastic raincoat (1 total)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 9
10
13. Two pair of sunglasses
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 9
10
14. A cosmetic mirror
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 9
10
15. Magnetic compass
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 9
10
*****BE PREPARED TO DEFEND YOUR RANKINGS WITH GOOD SUPPORTING REASONING!*****
Individual Ranking
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
Final Group Ranking
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
Name ____________________________________ Date__________________
Period _____________
Now that the individual, group, and team rankings have been complete, you should have a good idea of
the three most important items from the list. Your task is to write a one page argument for the 3 most
important items and the reasoning for their importance based on the situation, our discussions with
classmates, and your own opinions. Be sure to support each decision with scientific reasoning and
creative thinking.
CATEGORY
Content
x2
Spelling and
Grammar
4
3
2
1
Three items from the
list are presented
with exceptional
reference of
evidence from class
discussion of the
situation
Two items from the
list are presented
with evidence from
class discussion of
the situation
One item from the
list is presented with
evidence from class
discussion of the
situation
Student fails to
identify which items
from the list are
most important and
fails to provide
support
Essay has no
misspellings or
grammatical errors.
Essay has 1-2
Essay has 1-2
Essay has more than
misspellings, but no grammatical errors 2 grammatical
grammatical errors. but no misspellings. and/or spelling
errors.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Name ____________________________________ Date__________________
Period _____________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________