1. Introduce the activity and assign homework.

Tell students that they will read a case study and complete a notetaking worksheet as a homework assignment. Explain that later in this activity they will debate whether or not the designation of an existing MPA will be extended. During the debate they will advocate for different stakeholder points of view in a town hall format. Distribute a copy of the Case Study: Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge worksheet and the Case Study Notetaking worksheet to each student and assign them as homework.

2. During the next class period, discuss the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge case study.

As a whole class, go over the Case Study Notetaking worksheet. Use the provided Answer Key to address any student questions. Then have students determine the conservation goal of the MPA. Ask students to identify the primary conservation goal(s) of this marine environment from the list below, and back up their selections with valid reasoning.

• Natural Heritage—to protect the area's natural biological communities, habitats, ecosystems and processes, and the ecological services, uses, and values they provide to this and future generations
• Cultural Heritage—to protect, understand, and interpret submerged cultural resources—such as shipwrecks or submerged archaeological sites—that reflect the nation's maritime history and traditional cultural connections to the sea
• Sustainable Production—to support the continued sustainable extraction of renewable living resources—such as fish, shellfish, plants, birds, or mammals—within or outside the MPA by protecting important habitat and spawning, mating, or nursery grounds

3. Have students read stakeholder role descriptions and assume the role of a stakeholder.

Distribute a copy of the Stakeholder Role Descriptions handout to each student. Read aloud the directions. Divide students into small groups. Assign small groups of students one of the twelve stakeholder roles. As they read through the stakeholder role descriptions, tell them to consider their stakeholder’s point of view, as well as the points of view of stakeholders who may support or oppose them.

4. Have students use the stakeholder roles to brainstorm the pros and cons of extending this MPA.

Have students discuss the stakeholders whom the designation of a Marine Protected Area might affect. Then ask students to consider how the primary conservation goal(s) impact the stakeholders. Ask them to brainstorm a list of the pros and cons of establishing this MPA. Write students’ responses on the board. Elicit responses such as:

• Pros: maintenance or growth of fisheries populations, increased tourism, and improved understanding of marine resources
• Cons: loss of fishing-related jobs, increased cost-of-living

5. Have student stakeholder groups prepare for the class debate.

Explain that these stakeholders have been selected to participate in a town hall-style debate on the pros and cons of establishing this new MPA. The town hall format will allow officials to make an informed decision on the MPA designation. Have students get into their stakeholder groups to discuss what they learned from reading the stakeholder role descriptions. Guide their discussion by having them address the following points:

• Is your stakeholder “for” or “against” extending the MPA? How do you know?
• Which other stakeholders are likely to oppose your point of view? Why?
• Which stakeholders are likely to support your point of view? Why?

After they have had time for discussion, give each group three index cards and colored markers. Tell groups that they need to do the following to prepare for the debate:

• Create a symbol card that represents the point of view of their stakeholder. The symbol will help identify them during the debate and should clearly indicate if they support or oppose the MPA designation.
• Create a support card that lists three points their stakeholder can make to support his/her view. Include a short description of evidence that supports each point.
• Create an oppose card that lists three points other stakeholders can make to oppose their stakeholder’s view. Include a short description of evidence that supports each point. Tell them to clearly indicate which stakeholder would oppose them and why.

6. Hold a town hall-style class debate.

Give each small group two minutes to introduce their stakeholder and make their case for or against the site as a Marine Protected Area from the perspective of their assigned stakeholder. Have them explain their symbol card and how it represents their stakeholder’s point of view. Encourage students to carefully consider both the pros and the cons of this topic during the debate. After all groups have presented, have a 15-20 minute open question and answer session. Require each small group to use their support and oppose cards to make their points and challenge the arguments of the other stakeholders.

7. Have students work to come to a consensus on the MPA designation.

Explain to the class that they need to work together to make a joint decision on how best to proceed with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge MPA designation. Their goal is to get all stakeholders to understand the MPA designation plan and come to a consensus about how to modify and/or implement the plan. Allow approximately 15 minutes for a consensus-building discussion led by students. Allow students to take on any stakeholder perspective that they choose for this conversation; however, guide the discussion to keep students on track and consistent with their chosen point of view. Make sure students understand that they may not reach full consensus, as it is often not possible to get buy-in from all stakeholders. Tell students that, if necessary, they may need to compromise and develop a range of possibilities and locations for the MPA, resulting in a MPA everybody can live with and benefit from. As a final step, instruct students to develop a consensus statement that summarizes the agreement they have come to regarding the MPA designation plan.