BEFORE YOU GO
– Review relevant vocabulary and key terms: cooperation, teamwork, confidence, strategy
– Request information about the rope course in advance and allow students to preview the course. Ask them to write about their expectations, fears, anxiety level, and confidence level. After the class trip have students reflect on the same topics and compare the two.
– Before working together on the rope course, provide an opportunity for the students to work together in the classroom. Have the students participate in the “Human Knot” activity. Have groups of students form a circle and then reach across the circle to hold the hand of another student. Continue this until everyone in the circle is holding the hands of two different students. They have just created their “human knot.” The goal for the students is to work together to untangle the knot so that every student is standing in the circle, facing forward, and holding the hands of the students to their immediate left and right, all while not letting go of anyone’s hands. During this activity have students observe how well they work together.
OVERVIEW
Students build confidence and leadership skills while working together to overcome rope obstacles.
WHAT TO WONDER
Ask: What is the goal of this obstacle? How can my classmates be helpful in overcoming this obstacle? How can the rope be used as an advantage rather than a hindrance.
Describe your feelings before, during, and after an obstacle.
Observe the students you are working with. What are the interactions among people like? What do the students who successfully overcome the obstacle do and say? What do the students who struggle to overcome the obstacle do and say?
Opinion: Which obstacles were the hardest? The easiest? Why?
Compare two obstacles. What is challenging about them? What are the strategies that can be used to overcome them?
Challenge: Identify an alternate strategy or solution to one of the obstacles.