[Mo-bused] Lost on the Moon ActivityJennifer Webster jwebster at cpher.frnkln.k12.il.usThu Mar 15 08:02:19 CDT 2007
Here is the activity as a mountain / desert survival.
Group Activity
The Mountain Survival Problem
DIRECTIONS:
This activity gives you an opportunity to assess your behavior in working
within a group that needs to make an important decision.
THE SITUATION:
Your flight from Algir to Mogadishu has crash-landed in the Sahara desert
in a mountainous area and then burst into flames. It is approximately 12
noon in August. The twin-engine, 10-passenger plane has completely burned,
and only the airplane frame remains. The pilot was killed in the crash, but
none of the passengers has been seriously injured.
The pilot was unable to notify anyone of your position before the plan
crashed. Just before the crash, you noted that the plane's altimeter
registered about 2,000 meters. The crash site is in a very dry and rocky
area. You are dressed in lightweight clothing.
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STEP ONE
After the plane crashed and before it caught fire, your group was able to
salvage the 15 items listed on the Ranking Form following these directions.
Your first task (as an individual) is to rank those items according to your
personal opinion in terms of their importance to your personal survival.
Write "1" next to the most important item, "2" next to the second most
important item, and so on to "15" next to the least important item.
You have 10 minutes to complete this task and record the results.
Mountain Survival Simulation - Ranking Sheet
STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 STEP 4 STEP 5
Your The Survival Difference Difference
Indiv- Group Experts Between Between
Idual Ranking
Ranking 1 & 3 2 & 3
Ranking
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Topographical Air
Map of the Area
Flashlight (four
Battery size)
Four Waterproof
Tents
One Rifle With
Ammunition
Two Gerry-Cans
Of Water
One Cosmetic Mirror
One Knife
Four Pairs of
Sunglasses
Three Boxes of Matches
One Metal Coffee Pot
First Aid Kit
12 Packages of Nuts
Two Metal Bars
One Clear Plastic
Tarpaulin (3' X 4')
One Large Candle
STEP TWO
The next phase of the exercise is concerned with group problem solving.
You will be divided into group of approximately six people. As a group,
rank the importance of the 15 items to the survival of ALL of you. Use the
Ranking Form to record your answers.
You are to employ the method of group consensus in reaching decisions.
This means that the final ranking should be acceptable to each group member.
Consensus is difficult to reach; therefore, not every solution or every
part of every solution will meet with everyone's complete approval. Try, as
a group, to make each decision one with which all group members can at least
partially agree.
You have 20 minutes to reach consensus in your group.
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STEP THREE
Listen to the Expert Ranking results as reported by the instructor. Record
these numbers on your ranking sheet.
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STEP FOUR
Compare the expert's ranking with your own. Record the difference between
the two rankings of each item. Total the differences. This represents how
close or far you were to the answers of the expert. (The lower the score in
Step Four the closer you were to agreeing with the experts.)
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STEP FIVE
Compare the experts' ranking to your group decisions. Record the
differences in each item. Total the difference.
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STEP SIX
Complete the Group Decision-Making Questionnaire individually and then
discuss your answers. You have 15 minutes for this step
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Adapted by permission from Organization and People: Readings, Cases, and
Exercises in Organization Behavior, Third Edition by J.B. Ritchie and Paul
Thompson; Copyright 1984 by West Publishing Co. All rights reserved
Group Decision-Making Questionnaire
1. How much time was spent initially in planning how to approach the task,
developing a framework or analysis, etc.? (Check one)
_____ None
_____ Some
_____ Quite a Bit
2. How much time was spent in explicitly identifying available resources for
the task? (Check one)
_____ None
_____ Some
_____ Quite a Bit
3. How much time was spent in disagreement or arguing? (Check one)
_____ None
_____ Some
_____ Quite a Bit
4. What approaches were used to resolve the conflicts or disagreements that
arose?
5. What was the participation pattern during this group problem solving?
(Check one)
_____ Not everyone participated: a few did all the talking.
_____ A few talked a bit too much; other didn't talk enough.
_____ We didn't talk the same amount, but we each talked about the right
amount.
6. Members who did not talk may have been tuned out or they may have been
very involved. How many were involved in the discussion when they were not
talking? (Check one)
_____ All of us
_____ Most of us
_____ A few of us
_____ None of us
7. How many helped deep the discussion "on track" (for example, by orienting
the group to the task, by bringing back members who digressed, etc.)?
(Check one)
_____ All of us
_____ Most of us
_____ A few of us
_____ None of us
8. How many facilitated a climate of "warmth and support" ( for example, or
orienting the group to the task, by bringing back members who digressed)?
(Check one)
_____ All of us
_____ Most of us
_____ A few of us
_____ None of us
9. How many openly stated their disagreements and tried to discuss them
rather than ignore them or pretend there were none? (Check one)
_____ All of us
_____ Most of us
_____ A few of us
_____ None of us
Participative Decision Making - The Mountain Survival Problem
1. Two gerry-cans of water
The water is extremely essential to survive desert conditions.
2. Four waterproof tents
The four tents are the second most critical. The tents have good insulation
qualities and can be used as a shelter, and to sleep in.
3. Once clear plastic tarpaulin
Like the tents, the plastic tarpaulin is critical. Plastic can be used as a
windbreak, to cover an are for a fire, and for providing waterproofing. It
can be wrapped or draped as protective outercovering. It could be used as a
roof, as a wind protector, and as a shield.
4. Three boxes of matches
Fire to warm the surroundings and ward off the chill of cool desert nights
would be very helpful for survival. The boxes of matches then become very
important in getting a fire started.
5. One large candle
Candle wax serves as additional fire starter. The candle might also be sued
to light up the area a night and hence add to the morale of the survivors.
It could also be used to heat up small amounts of water in the metal
coffeepots.
6. One knife
The knife would be useful initially in getting the fire started. It can be
used to shave kindling, shave the candle wax, and to cut small branches.
7. One metal coffee pot
The primary use of the coffeepot would be to heat water for drinking at
night. The coffeepot could also be used as a digging tool if it were
necessary to dig for better shelter or to find water.
8. One cosmetic mirror
The mirror would be useful during the daylight hours to signal. Given the
terrain, the location, and the fact that a flight plan would have been filed
the rescue would undoubtedly be an airborne one. Immediately after the
crash, someone should stand in the sun and be ready for rescue aircraft.
9. Flashlight (four battery size)
Just as the mirror would be useful for signal purposes in the daylight, the
flashlight would be a signaling device when there is no direct sunlight. It
would also be useful for providing light to the survivors if they had to
leave the fire circle (to find wood, etc.). Thus, it could be considered in
terms of both safety and morale.
10. First aid kit
The first aid kit may or may not be useful. The questions would depend on
the contents of the kit. Bandage and tape might be useful in constructing a
shelter, as well as in caring for cuts and wounds. Medicine and drugs might
be useful, but care must be exercised in their use.
11. Four pairs of sunglasses
Sunglasses would be useful to prevent sun blindness and as a relief for
tired eyes. They might be useful for some of the survivors who have
trouble sleeping in daylight, or by the light of the campfire.
12. Twelve packages of nuts
May be useful as a snack to relieve tension and to provide a small amount of
energy. However, they probably are salted, and would require more liquid
intake. There are not enough of them to provide for significant nutrition,
but they probably would be somewhat of a morale factor.
13. Topographical air map of the area
It would not be very useful as a map of the terrain because of its scale,
and might be misleading if it encouraged people to leave the crash site. It
would be useful as a fire starter.
14. Two metal bars
They could be used as a digging tool or as a support for shelter.
15. One rifle with ammunition
The rifle might be useful for signaling if ground rescue was imminent.
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