Length of Activity:
20 minutes
Materials:
A small ball, a list of possible sustainability-related challenges
Learning Objectives:
SWBAT develop skills of reconciling conflicting points and coming to agreement
SWBAT accept sustainability-related challenges while playing a game
Steps:
1. Prompt all the students put their chairs in a circle and get ready for a brainstorming activity.
2. Based on what was discussed in the previous debate stage, students have a round-table discussion on how exactly they can come up with a way to reconcile the two (or multiple) conflicting approaches to sustainability. Be sure to inform students that they must try their best to come to an agreement. As they discuss, monitor them to be sure everyone is getting the chance to share.
3. Have the students come to an agreement or compromise about an approach to sustainability, if possible.
4. Begin explaining the "I Dare You” Game. Give clear instructions about the procedure so students are aware of what they are doing (see the following steps).
5. One student throws the ball at a random student saying “I dare you to do [whatever] for a week” (like not using plastic water bottles for a week, or riding a bike to campus as opposed to driving a car, etc.).
6. The students need to catch the ball, accept or reject the challenge. The activity continues until every student has a challenge to complete for a week.
7. The game involves a 1-week challenge, so a week later the students would report (prepare a written report and present it orally) on their experience with the challenge.
8. They will have to tell whether they liked it or not, what were the positive and negative aspects of this challenge, and will they be willing to stick with this approach to sustainability for a longer period of time.
9. Reflection. Tell the students to reflect on their experience of first introducing a problem (over-consumption, poor sustainability culture etc.),
10. The students will debate about the issue, identify the main pros and cons, and eventually come to a solution to the problem. Where could they compromise on certain aspects for the benefit of the community (at least for a week)?
11. The teacher writes down the 7-day challenge each student accepted, and reminds them about a written report that is due next week.