Activity 4: Caterpillar traverse

The Challenge

The entire group must travel through the arranged squares as a unit.

Safety Reminders!

Appropriate caution is important to conduct these activities in a safe manner. Be sure to review these reminders prior to beginning the activity, and if necessary, share reminders with the group during the activity.

• Follow general safety procedures
• People with knee, ankle or back injuries should not participate
• When tying bandanas around ankles, tie them loosely to prevent injury
• The group should move slowly to avoid injuries

Helpful hints

• This activity is best for groups that are patient. Do not attempt this activity with an overactive or immature group
• If you have more than 10 people, create multiple teams and provide each team with a set of stepping stones

Activity Instructions

1. Circle up the group. Distribute or display the appropriate “Risk Taking Note” for the activity. Have one participant read it aloud twice. Provide a few moments for the participants to think about the message:
   “One does not discover new lands without consenting to losing sight of the shore for a very long time.” - Andre Gide
2. Share the following storyline with group.
   Your team has been transformed into a giant caterpillar, and you must cross a river as quickly and efficiently as possible in order to become human again. You may only step on the stepping stones (in the squares).
3. Have the group identify the “land” they are leaving behind (what they no longer need) and to identify their goal on the other side (places/things for which they strive).
4. Read aloud the following Activity Challenge Box to the group.
   Challenge: The entire group must travel through the arranged squares as a unit. Follow the guidelines below:
   • The boundary ropes and stepping stones may not be moved
   • The group must remain in a line with ankles tied throughout the activity
   • Everyone must only step within each Toobeez squares
   • No other equipment may be used
   • If any guidelines are broken, the group must begin again
5. Before the participants attempt an activity challenge, have the group work through the following six steps:

Problem Solving Sequence:

1. Circle up
2. Know and understand the challenge and the guidelines
3. Brainstorm
4. Make a plan
5. Do the plan
6. Evaluate results and adjust as necessary
6. Ask the group to stand behind one of the boundary lines (on one side of the river) and then line up shoulder to shoulder. Provide each person with a bandana and ask them to loosely tie their ankles together.
7. Be sure to monitor the group for safety as they attempt the activity.
8. If participants get stuck, have the students circle up again. Here are some suggested questions to help guide the group back on track*:
   
   • What is working?
   • What ideas have you not tried yet that someone suggested?
9. If your group is still struggling OR if you feel your group would benefit from an additional challenge, present a variation provided on the next page.
10. After the activity, move to the debriefing questions for discussion.
    

Activity Variations

1. Use a blindfold.
   Give a few people a bandana to blindfold themselves for part of the activity.
2. Limit the time.
   Provide a time limit (example, 20 minutes) for the group to complete the task.
3. Create two groups.
   Divide the team in half with one group starting on each end. The groups must switch places before time runs out. See if the groups work together or against one another.

Debriefing the Activity

Use these debriefing questions as a guide for your discussion. Select the questions you feel will best benefit your group. It is not mandatory to cover every question. If possible, record the group’s responses on flip chart paper so all comments are displayed. Make sure to let everyone share their ideas, and remind participants that everyone’s opinions and feelings are important!

Base questions for debriefing:

• How did you feel when you first tied your ankles together?
• How did you first attempt to cross the river?
• What do the following represent: the stepping stones? The bandanas? The journey?
• What was one of the challenges of doing this activity?
• What did the group have to do or believe to be successful?
• How can you apply what you just learned to other challenges you face?

If the group was unable to complete the task in the given time:

• What would you do differently next time?
• Since you were not able to solve the problem, does it mean your group is a failure? (Push the group to respond with more than a “yes” or “no” and to instead point out and discuss what they learned.)

Additional questions: Choose which ones are the most appropriate:

• What advice would you give to another group working on this activity?
• What was one positive thing that happened during the challenge?
• What did a fellow team member do that was really helpful?
• What was one thing that you did that surprised you?

Close on a Positive Note

Sum up the different ideas and feelings that you heard expressed, and restate ideas and learning moments the participants shared. Then, read the Risk Taking Note out loud again, and ask people to discuss what they think this note means. Discuss what they thought it meant at the beginning and what they think it means now.

* (ˆ) Do not provide the participants with answers. Allow them to work together.