Lesson Plan #: AELP-SBA0002

Group Rope Squares

An Educator's Reference Desk Lesson Plan

Author: Darcy Morger-Grovenstein; Sitka, AK
Endorsed by: These lesson plans are the result of the work of the teachers who have attended the Columbia Education Center's Summer Workshop. CEC is a consortium of teacher from 14 western states dedicated to improving the quality of education in the rural, western, United States, and particularly the quality of math and science Education. CEC uses Big Sky Telegraph as the hub of their telecommunications network that allows the participating teachers to stay in contact with their trainers and peers that they have met at the Workshops.

Date: May 1994

Grade Level(s): 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Adult/Continuing Education

Subject(s)

Subject Areas: Experimental Education in Drug Prevention programs, group work, communication skills. This is an excellent activity for the later stages of Ombudsman/Phase II: Group Skills and Communication.

Overview: Use this activity after the students have been involved with lots of group work and communication skills. Be careful of students who may sabotage their team's efforts. Team dynamics are something to consider when assigning teams.

Purpose: This lesson will further reinforce group cohesion and communication skills as well as problem solving and cooperation. In teaching a drug prevention program, it is important to introduce activities like this that illustrate to students that Together they can help solve each other's problems, depend on one another, and communicate their needs to others.

Objectives:

1. Students will be better able to solve problems in a group team experience.
2. Group Cohesion will be strengthened through team building and communication.
3. Individual communication skills will be reinforced.

Resources/Materials: A large play area or one half of a gym is an adequate space for this exercise. A rope approximately 40 feet long works well but the length could vary depending on age or experience of the group. Blindfolds will be needed for each team member (at least four). A timer or clock is optional.

Activities and Procedures: Divide the class into teams of four each. Blindfold each student that is going to do the exercise (after preparing them with pre-processing). Let one team go at a time so students in the class can observe the team problem solving. Coil a rope up in a large play area. Prepare the students by reviewing other group activities and skills already covered. Tell the students they are going to make a square with the rope and each team member must end up holding one corner of the square. They will need to discuss strategy and plan how they are going to proceed. They will need to be reminded to keep talking to one another and support one another in this exercise until they are ready to say they are done. Students may remove the blindfolds when the facilitator says they may do so. The facilitator may also set a time limit or time the team to raise the level of urgency in getting their task completed. Be sure to process what happened after the teams have completed their exercises.

Tying It All Together: In processing the activity, it is important to stress the positive things that happened during this exercise. Also concerns or feelings that were generated during the ropes game should be adequately discussed. Remind them that we can depend on one another to help solve our problems instead of turning to drugs and alcohol.