Empowering Global Citizens

Activity 7.1.3

Organizing Ourselves

(Note that there are three variations of this activity and that the teacher may
choose to pick one or a combination of all three. Each option is different
in that each approaches the concepts associated with organizing ourselves as
individuals and as a larger collective in a different way.)

OPTION A

1) On the second or third day, students will come into the classroom
and find the teacher holding a sign that says “I will not be speaking
today. All of the instructions for today will be shown on the projec-
tor screen.” The projector screen will say the following:

a. We were on a class field trip to Fiji when our plane sudden—
ly crashed onto a deserted island. Unfortunately, none of the
teachers or adult chaperones survived. Take thirty minutes to
organize yourselves, and decide the following:

i. how you will make decisions

ii. how to obtain food, water, and shelter

iii. what you will do to be rescued and how you plan to be
rescued

iv. any other concerns you might have

b. The teacher stands or sits in the back and takes notes. Once the
group has come to some consensus, he or she will put up the
following instructions:

i. “Divide yourselves into five groups. Using only the items in
the classroom/ backpack, each group should build a tower.
You have five minutes.”

c. After five minutes, the teacher will put up the following

instruction:

i. “Now do one thing to a tower that belongs to another group.”