This document outlines an educational activity where students are divided into groups and assigned roles related to conservation in West Virginia. The roles include a Department of Natural Resources officer, a land owner, and an activist. Students research their roles and participate in a debate about the state's conservation efforts. They make posters supporting or opposing the state's work and vote on whether the state is doing enough. The goal is for students to learn about different perspectives on conservation and how to get involved advocating for the environment.

1. Conservation
Introduction
Welcome students! You have hiked many miles to reach the top of the highest mountain in West
Virginia. As you look around, you see “dead” spots in the land that you call home. These dead spots are
places where conservation efforts are kept at a minimum and the land is slowly dying.
Task
It is your job to research where there is little conservation or where the land is not taken care of. You
will be divided into small groups and your groups will consist of the following jobs:
DNR- You will research what the Department of Natural Resource is and the jobs they do. You will
essentially become a DNR officer and you will either defend the work you have done in the state of West
Virginia or you will decide that your work has been poor and you will choose to improve.
Land Owner- You own a substantial amount of land in West Virginia. It is your choice to decide if you
already maintain great conservation efforts or if you need to improve. You will research the laws that
you are entitled to as a land owner. The essential question you will be thinking about is if the state can
force you to practice conservation on your own land.
Activist- You will fight for the right of conservation! You will research the different outlets that you can
use to voice your opinion and the facts behind what you are fighting for.
Process
When you have received your role and have been placed into your groups, you will discuss with each
other what you think your role is about. You will write a short paper on what you think you already
know about your job and what you hope to gain from it. After you complete your paper, it’s time to start
researching! Please find your job title and use the links to aid with your research. Once you have
completed your research, you will join the class in a debate about the conservation efforts of our state.
After the debate, you will make a poster either defending the state and its current efforts towards
conservations or your poster will show ways that the state can improve its conservation efforts. The
class will take a vote deciding if the state is doing a good job or not.
DNR-
http://www.wvdnr.gov/
http://www.wvdnr.gov/wf/
http://www.wvstateparks.com/contact.htm

2. http://www.wv.gov/about/Pages/environment.aspx
http://www.wvgazette.com/News/politics/201403270108
Land Owner-
http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/forglvst/Bulletins/rd702.pdf
http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/west-virginia-laws-neighbor-property-disputes-65215.html
http://www.landandfarm.com/news/article/624/
http://www.lectlaw.com/files/con30.htm
http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/urgentissues/conservationlands/index.htm
http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/land_conservation/howto04.shtml
http://www.nature.org/about-us/private-lands-conservation/index.htm
Activists-
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/activist
http://www.ehow.com/how_4539916_become-wildlife-conservation-activist.html
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/environmental-activism.html
http://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/1516
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conservation
http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Freedom+of+Speech
http://constitutioncenter.org/constitution/issues/freedom-of-speech
http://www.wikihow.com/Become-an-Activist
Evaluation
You will be graded on your individual work, your group communication, and your classroom
involvement.
Individual Paper – 10 points – This paper is to engage you before you begin your research.
Group Discussion – 30 points – I will be going around the room listening to how you interact with your
peers. Good discussion among the group helps you think about other topics besides your own.
Poster – 20 points – Your poster should clearly reflect which side of the debate you are on. It should
persuade others to join your side.

3. Class debate – 30 points - You should be engaged in the class discussion. I want you to be fully into the
side that you believe in based on your research.
Research – 10 points – Research is the base of your learning. What you put into it is what you will get
out of it.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You have successfully gained tons of information on conservation and the ways that it
affects everyone. Based on the class votes, you either know that our state is doing a good job with its
conservation efforts or you know that it is not. You know what your rights are towards your own
property, the roles that a DNR officer play, and how you can use your freedom of speech to help your
state stay clean. This activity doesn’t end here, I challenge you to keep conservation in your life outside
of school.