Desert Island Artifact

About The Project

We were given a unique scenario to create a government from scratch, after crashing into a deserted island with your class. You must be ethical and fair with the decisions you make about your government. All government bodies must be discussed with rights and laws to ensure the survival of your citizens and future citizens. The estimated time of arrival of your rescue is unknown and could potentially be forever. 

Core Competency Reflection

I can work with others to achieve a goal. 

My partner and I conversed and collaborated to produce each response to ensure we agree with almost every law and right. We would bounce off each other’s ideas to complete the project more efficiently. For example, Carter wanted harsh punishment, but that was too extreme for minor infringements, so I bounced off that idea and made a point system which eventually leads to the death penalty. 

I can recognize different points of view and can disagree respectfully. 

My partner, Carter, wanted our island to be under a communist government. I was opposed to that opinion and respectfully disagreed. I expressed my point in a respectful but persuasive manor telling him, “I envisioned our island under a democratic government that gave the citizens on our island the ability to rise to power through their individual hard work and dedication.” We narrowed down the pros and cons of each and we settled with my approach. 

I can take on roles and responsibilities in a group; I do my share. 

Before we started this project, my partner and I looked over the criteria and created an outline of our project. We split the work evenly and when I eventually finished my share, I helped my partner finish the remainder of the work.  

I can analyze evidence to make judgements. 

When brainstorming ideas on our government’s structure, I made sure to look at present day and past governments to find characteristics that would benefit my government in the uncommon position it is in. For example, I looked at the Canada’s charts of freedoms and rights to influence my own government’s rights and freedoms. Additionally, I looked at the Hammurabi code which influenced the harsh punishment criminals on my island face. 

Goal: something I need to work on: 

I consider more than one way to proceed in an investigation. 

Sometimes I can be stubborn and once I find a certain format or idea I like, I find it hard to change it. I can improve on this by brainstorming multiple ideas and keeping an open mind when trying out other ideas. It seems like a simple fix, but it still may take time because it is hard to change one’s mindset when it believes it cannot possibly be wrong.

Curricular Competency Reflection

Originally, my partner proposed the idea of having an almost primitive like government. This involved throwing anyone prosecuted, even for minute crimes, into the sea and left to fend for themself. This of course would lead to the end of our government fast. We decided to change the format of our government after looking at Canada’s government and the code of Hammurabi. We came up with the idea of keeping harsh punishments as a deterrent but having a strike system to prevent the problem faced previously. Additionally, we looked at Canada’s rights and freedoms from Canada’s charter to influence ours. We wanted our government to be fair and equal to everyone, giving everyone the same opportunity to flourish amongst the rest. Our government includes the death penalty which is considered unethical to most considering how often it happens on our island but, given the certain circumstance our government is put in, it is ethical enough because, it will ensure the laws are followed in an early civilization guaranteeing the survival of the island. When the community is flourishing and has a surplus of resources then the punishments will be more relaxed, but until that happens it will remain the same.