In our efforts to protect the environment we sometimes confuse the terms preserve and conserve. This activity is designed to help students understand the difference between conservation, preservation, and indiscriminate use.

• Tootsie Rolls, 1 per student 

1. Divide the class into three groups, and give each student a Tootsie Roll.
2. Instruct each group as follows:
   • Group 1: These students are to eat the Tootsie Roll immediately.
   • Group 2: These students may unwrap the Tootsie Roll but they may only lick the candy, they can’t eat it.
   • Group 3: These students may not unwrap their Tootsie Roll during this activity. They may look at it, smell it, measure it, but NOT eat it.
3. Terms:
   • The students in group one are the indiscriminate users.
   • Group two, the conservationists.
   • Group three, the preservationists.
4. Discussion:
   • Which group uses the candy but not so fast that more candy can be made?
   • Would it make a difference if we determined the reason for having the candy?
   • What if the group had not eaten in three days, would that make a difference?
   • Which group would be the wisest group?
   • What if the goal was to have the same number of Tootsie Rolls a year from now? Which group would have met that goal?
   • Like any areas of decision making there are no right or wrong answers. Students are encouraged to examine a lot of aspects of the situation, make their decision and be able to defend that decision.
5. Applying to Areas of Conservation:
   • Preservationists might want to save all trees and all forests no matter what.
   • Indiscriminate users might cut down trees and forests no matter what.
   • Conservationists might want to use the forest by harvesting trees and managing the forest so that it can regenerate itself.

Debra Spielmaker