The document describes a classroom activity where students must determine which 4 of 13 people should be allowed to survive in a bunker with limited resources after a global pandemic wipes out the rest of the population. The 13 people are a scientist, priest, married drug-addicted hippies, pregnant woman with a child, mentally unstable army officer, elderly woman, disabled person, lawyer, lazy welfare dependent, and doctor and professor. Students must present arguments for why the 4 they choose should live and the others should be sacrificed for resources. The activity aims to promote critical thinking about survival scenarios and controversial topics.

1. FYS Day 1 Activity: Survival 101 … Who Makes the Cut?
FYS Activity Author: Elmer Price
Rationale: This activity serves as an icebreaker to the course and provides an
introduction to integrative (critical) thinking. Additionally, because this topic may be
somewhat controversial, ideally first year students will discuss it outside of class, which
will help promote the perception that FYS sections contain some standardization.
I. This lesson incorporates the following highlighted Domains of Critical Thinking:
1. Scientific thinking.
2. Social, ethical and historical thinking.
3. Aesthetic and artistic thinking.
4. Informational and technical literacy.
5. Oral, written and visual communication.
6. Multicultural and international thinking.
7. Mathematical and abstract thinking.
II. This lesson incorporates the following highlighted Student Learning Outcomes:
1. Reasoning
2. Cultural Judgment
3. Representations
4.Information Literacy
II. (Optional) If you wish
to use this assignment as a GEAR artifact - This lesson incorporates the following
highlighted GEAR TAGS (aka Marshall University Core Curriculum Learning
Outcomes)
*This is not a recommended GEAR upload.
Survival 101 … Who Makes the Cut?
Scenario:
The Avian Flu has just wiped out the entire planet’s population, except for 13 people
who find themselves to be the only people left on the earth. They manage to all make it
to a safe bunker. In order to outlive the virus, they need to survive 2 years. Only 4 can
5. Reflection
6. Integrative Thinking (aka Critical Thinking Domains)

2. be accommodated in the bunker. Eight will have to be expelled because there are not
enough resources for all of them to survive.
If all stay, resources will sustain them for a maximum period of six months.
In the bunker, there are the following facilities:
• sewage system
• water seeds
• some clothes
• a few books
• some medical facilities but no operating material
• a greenhouse
Explain who you think should live, and present your case to the rest of the group.
Argue for their life unless you want to sacrifice them for the others. Listen to the
arguments from the rest of your group as well, and challenge them to define their
positions.
a. scientist
b. priest
c. married couple who are hippies and drug addicts
d. a single pregnant woman with a 5 year old girl
e. a army officer who has mental instability of some sort but is useful nonetheless
f. an elderly woman
g. a disabled person
h. lawyer
i. lazy welfare dependent
j. doctor
k. university professor
It is possible to make connections and describe dependencies between select
individual domains. There may not be clear links between all domains, but with
some deep and creative (aka “critical!”) thinking, one can draw several connections.
WORKSHEET: Who Will Survive
Group Number: Date:
Name: Signature:
Name: Signature:
Name: Signature:

3. Name: Signature:
Name: Signature:
Which four individuals should stay and survive, AND WHY:
Person: Lawyer
Reason for staying: He has a large amount of knowledge about the legal
system and how it works. He would be useful when it comes to establishing a
legal system within the living society.
Person: Doctor
Reason for staying: He has the ability to help cure any illness and injuries
that would occur within the community.
Person: University Professor
Reason for staying: She would have the knowledge to teach the younger
generation that comes from the survivors of the apocalypse.
Person: Scientist
Reason for staying: She could use the plants found to help make medicine to
cure illnesses.
Why were the others left to die?

4. Person: Priest
Reason for sacrificing: The survivors
could use their knowledge of religion and
help allow people to choose their own
religion.
Person: Married Hippies
Reason for sacrificing: The drug addicts
would be going through detox and
wouldn’t be much use to the group.
Person: Single Mother
Reason for sacrificing: She would be a
weakness to the group. Her and her child
would constantly slow down the group as
a whole.
Person: Army Officer
Reason for sacrificing: The mental illness
of the officer could cause him to react
badly to certain situations and put the
whole group at risk.
Person: Elderly Woman
Reason for sacrificing: The old woman
wouldn’t be able to move at the speed at
which the group would need to.
Person: Disabled
Person
Reason for sacrificing:
As horrible as it
sounds, they would be
of no use to the group
because they couldn’t
do anything of value.
Person: Lazy Welfare
Dependent
Reason for sacrificing:
More than likely, the
lazy person would
want everything done
for them and wouldn’t
work in the group.