7 Habits Lesson Plans

ASIAN COMPUTER COLLEGE
Advancing knowledge Cultivating potentials Creating success

7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens Youth Camp
S.Y. 2013-2014
January 24-25, 2014, 3:00 pm to 10:30 am
I. PRAYER AND REFLECTION
3:30
II. RULES AND REGULATIONS (As exemplified by the icebreakers)
3:45
A. ICEBREAKER No. 1: PENNY CHINNY
Have every attendee get a FIVE PESO COIN. In this game its every man/woman for them self. Each attendee will take the coin
and place it on their chin. They must balance it on their chin. When I say balance I don;t mean that the coin will stand on its edge. It
should lay flat on the chin. This means that kids will be looking up to the ceiling.
If done right everyone should be looking up in the air with the coin placed on the bottom of their chin. You cant lick it or
stealthily use your gum. On go all of the kids will try to knock off other kids coins off their chin while making sure their coin does not
get swatted off or falls. If a players penny falls they are out. No one is allowed to touch their own penny with their hands again once
the game has started. No cheating. To win you must be the last one with a coin on your chin and have never touched it to put it back in
place or picked it off the ground and put it back on your chin.
B. ICEBREAKER No. 2: OVERHAND KNOT (Not as easy as it looks!)
For this community builder, you will need one piece of 3-foot rope/bandana for every two people. Pass out ropes and ask
youth to practice tying an overhand knot -- otherwise known as the first step in tying your shoe. When they all have a clear idea of the
knot, instruct the group to form a line and grab hold of the rope that the person next to them is holding. You should end up with a line
that looks like this: youth-rope-youth-rope-youth-rope-youth and so on.
Once in place, their goal is to tie an overhand knot in the center rope (i.e. the one in bold above) without anyone letting go of
the rope(s) they are holding. What's the trick? There really isn't one, other than the group must cooperate, brainstorm together, and
think of themselves not as individuals but as one, unified rope! This activity could easily be followed up with a discussion of
leadership within the group, being attentive to the needs of all, listening to different voices, and how we are called to be one body in
Christ.
C. BANDANA GAME
This is a fun and entertaining team training exercise that helps you cover many topics such as team coordination, selforganisation, leadership, teamwork and cooperative behaviour while achieving a given goal quickly and efficiently.
Teams are assigned to wear a bandana in a way that it is different from other groups. The first group that does this successfully
wins. The pressure to wear the bandana uniquely but quickly leads to complexities similar to those found when engaged in real-life
projects. The time pressure helps to increase tension and stress so teams can practice working under pressure while achieving a goal.
1. Divide the delegates to groups of five. This is usually an ideal number for a team to practice inter-team communication skills.
If you dont have enough people, divide delegates into three groups.
2. Explain that the objective of the exercise is that each group must wear a bandana in a unique way. All members of a group
must wear the bandana in the same way. Declare that you will be the judge and that if even a single member is not wearing
the bandana the same way as everyone else in that group, the team is disqualified.
3. Once a group has finished the task, it should shout finished.
4. Other groups should continue until all have successfully completed the task.
5. Their bandana style cannot be the same as groups that have already finished. Hence it is possible that two groups might be
aiming to wear their bandana the same way and will be competing on timing. The failed group must then adopt a different
style to finish successfully so it is very risky to compete on timing with another group as they can easily end up at the bottom
of the ranking list.
6. Confirm that everyone has understood the objective. On your mark, get the groups to start the activity.
7. Record the total time for each group as they finish. Create a ranking order based on completion times.
8. Give a prize to the group that finishes first.
Discussion:
What do you think of your teamwork? If you were the winning team, what contributed to your success? If you did not win, what
slowed you down? Were you happy with the communication in your team? Did you nominate a leader? How did you coordinate your
activities? How did you decide on a unique style of wearing a bandana? If you were to go through this exercise a second time what
would you do differently?
III. INTRODUCTORY SESSION: 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TEENS
4:45 5:30
Materials: You will need the Habits poem and handout.

Procedures: Inform the class that you are going to read them something. While reading, have the students think about the words and
what you are describing. When you are finished reading the poem, ask the class what the poem was describing. Be prepared to give
students hints. When finished, reveal to the students that the poem described a habit. Let the reaction of the class direct a class
discussion and questions. Re-read the poem if desired. Give the students the handout and have them complete it as a classroom
assignment. Encourage your students to share their habits with others in the class.
Questions/Observations:
Why are habits important?
Did you suddenly realize you had a habit that you did not know you had?
Are any of your habits more positive than others?
Did you share any habits with any other students in class?
1
Asian Computer College Youth Camp
Who am I?
I am your companion. I am
your greatest helper or heaviest burden.
I will push you onward or drag you down
to failure. I am completely at your command.
Half the things I do you might just as well
turn over to me and I will be able to do
them quickly and correctly.
I have made failures.

I am not a machine, thought I work
with all the precision of a machine plus
the intelligence of a human. You may run
me for a profit or run me for ruin-it
makes no difference to me.
I am easily managed- you must merely,

Take me, train me, be firm with me,
be firm with me. Show me exactly how you
and I will place the world at your feet. Be
want something done and after a dew
easy with me and I will destroy you.
lessons I will do it automatically. I am the
servant of all great individuals and, alas, of
Who am I?
have made great. Those who are failures,
Covey, Sean. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens. New York: Fireside, 1998
Habit Forming!
Name:
Date:
Habits are actions that we do that are nearly automatically. Which means we do those actions over and over again often without
realizing it. For example, some of us make our bed every morning as soon as we get up; while others do not.
The Good, the Bad, or the Ugly

Make a list of all your habits below. Be sure to include habits that you consider good or positive as well as habits that you consider
bad or negative.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
HABIT NO. 1: BE PROACTIVE
5:30 6:30
OBJECTIVE(S): Students will examine the differences between proactive and reactive people. They will determine ways to behave
more proactively .
MATERIALS: bottle of water, can of soda, absorbent towel, 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens book and personal workbook, tape,
chart paper, paper statements, vocabulary worksheet, copies of Good Day Plan organizer
ANTICIPATORY SET: Have a can of soda and a bottle of water on a towel in the front of the room. Explain to the students that
there are two types of people in the world. Pour some water in a glass. Pick up the can of soda, shake vigorously and open carefully
and pour in a glass. As it foams and spills, ask students to describe the type of person who is more like water; then describe the type
of person who is more like the soda.
PROCESSING: Overarching Question- What will I do about living a happy life?
1.
Quote- Abe Lincoln "People are about just as happy as they make up their mind to be." Students explain in own words.
2.
Compare and contrast- "Can Do" and "No Can Do" attitudes. Ask the students to determine whether the following attitudes
are "Can Do" and "No Can Do"
Thats just the way I am
You ruined my day
I can do better that that
I am not going to let your bad mood rub off on me
Theres nothing I can do
Take initiative to make it happen
Lets look at all our options
Think about solutions and options
I have to
Act
I choose to
Think about problems and barriers
I cant
Are acted upon
Theres got to be a way
Wait for something to happen to them
3.
Introduce vocabulary words- proactive (Can Do), reactive (No Can Do), self-awareness, conscience, imagination, willpower.
Match vocabulary words with definitions by cutting definitions apart and taping to paper that will go in final tab of portfolio
under Definitions and Resources. Discuss words and ask students to give examples of each behavior. Have students think of
connection between these behaviors and having a happy life. Share connections with class.
I stand apart from myself and observe my thoughts and actions.
I can listen to my inner voice to know right from wrong.
I can envision new possibilities.
I have the power to choose.
CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING: Can Do and No Can Do/ Proactive versus Reactive-have students take strips of paper
statements and categorize by taping on chart paper or board- explain reasons for choice.
2
HABIT NO. 2: BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND
6:30 7:45
We may be busy, we may be efficient, but we will only be effective if we begin with the end in mind.
OBJECTIVE(S): Students will identify future goals for employment, education and independent living.
MATERIALS: Puzzles-children sizes with about 50 pieces (for each group of 4-5 students to have one); Your mission statement;
Sample mission statement; colored paper for mission statements; markers
ANTICIPATORY SET: Illicit Habit 1; role play shaking of soda bottle, ask to identify Habit 1 (Being Proactive); write proactive
and reactive on board and brainstorm examples (I'll try/I'll do it; You ruined my day/I'm not going to let your bad mood rub off on me
Habit 1: Being Proactive : you are the driver of your life
Habit 2: Since you are the driver, you decide on your destination and where you are going "Begin with the End in Mind".
Ask for two volunteers to complete a puzzle. One will solve the puzzle upside down, while another will solve it with the picture
facing up. Ask the class whom they think will be able to complete the puzzle first. Ask them why.
Lesson: If you don't have the end in mind with your life, the same may happen. If you don't create a vision of your own, someone
else will do it for you.
ACTIVITY No. 1: PAPER TOWER
Group Size: 4-5 people per team
Time: 15-20 minutes
Materials: Each team receives: two sheets of regular paper (8.5 x 11), one large coin, one pair of
scissors
Objective: Using two sheets of paper, build the tallest freestanding structure that will hold a
large coin as far off the ground as possible.
Set Up / Preparation:
Provide two sheets of paper (8.5 x 11) to each team as well as one large coin and a pair of
scissors. This activity is best done on a floor that is rock solid and where there is absolutely no
wind. Make sure people are far enough away from each other that they dont interfere with each
others structure.
Rules:
1. The structure must be completed in the specified time limit (example: 10 minutes).
2. The tower must be free standing. It cant lean on or be supported by anything other than the surface of the floor.
3. No other supplies may be used.
Comments: The solution Ive provided involves cutting each sheet of paper in half lengthwise - - youll end up with four pieces of
paper measuring 4.25 x 11. Then fold each sheet in half lengthwise and then fold it again to create three folds in each sheet. Youll
then fold each piece of paper into a long triangular tube (see pictures below). You can keep these tubes from unfolding by cutting little
tabs into the ends of the tubes. Then insert one tube end into another tube end, its as if you are going to make an antennae. Once
youve created a tower made of four sections of this triangular tubing youll be faced with balancing it and then placing your coin on
top (a tricky thing to do). There are other ways to build a tall stru cture Im sure. If you can beat my record of 45 send me a photo!
Debriefing Suggestions: I like to use this activity to talk about goal setting. Building a tower to hold up a coin is a lot like setting
and achieving goals. One has to make a plan, experiment, have desire, share ideas, etc.
ACTIVITY No. 2: MY PERSONAL VISION
Objectives: By the end of the activity, the participants would have been able to:
Reflect on their dreams and what they want to achieve in life.
Share openly their dreams with fellow participants
Know other participants better
Materials: One cartolina or one manila paper; Candles (mood setting)
Briefing the Activity:
1. Successful people have a clear idea of they future they want for themselves. They have personal visions. If you want to be
successful, then you must know the future you want for yourself. The next activity will hopefully help you become clearer
about that future.
2. Instruct your students to get a notebook, turn to a blank page, and then place their pencil or ballpen on that page to mark it
and close your notebook again.
3. Tell them to bring their notebooks with them and to sit far from one. Make sure there is a lot of space between them and
whoever is beside them. Make sure that they are sitting comfortably, but DO NOT LIE DOWN.
4. LEAD THEM THROUGH A REFLECTION ACTIVITY BY READING THE FOLLOWING AS CLEARLY AS
POSSIBLE:
Listen well and follow my instructions as I lead you through this activity.
You have two great gifts: imagining and dreamingThese are wonderful and powerful abilities...All great things that have
happened and achieved began in the imagination as dreamsFor this activity, you will make use of these two abilities
Quiet down and focus. Let go of all distractions. You may close your eyes or fix it on the floor in front of you or on
something in front of you.
Imagine yourself riding a time machine, which takes you to the future. See yourself inside the machine. The engine starts and
you start your travel to the future.
3
Imagineyou are now 10-15 years from today. Imagine.
How you will look at that timeimagine it clearly in your mindbe aware of how you feel.
What kind of person you will besee yourself and be aware about how you feel
Where you will be living...imagine it in great detailbe aware of how you feel about what you see in your
mind
Whom you will be withimagine it clearlybe aware of how you feel about whom you are with
What you will be doingsee it clearly in your mind in great detailbe aware of your feelings
How will you be serving othersimagine it clearlybe aware of how you feel 10-15 years from now
What values will you live by what principles will govern your behavior.what possessions will you have
what will be important to you.what will excite youwhat will make you happywhat will motivate you
10-15 years from now
Be aware of what comes to your imagination and what is in your heart. Imagine and feel everything that comes to you
What else comes to your mind and heart? Become aware of everything in full detail as if it is already happening now and you
are experiencing it already.
In a short while, I will start to count backwards from 10 to 1 to help you slowly come
back to the present...
When I get to one, quietly and without talking get your notebooks and go outside this buildingFind a place outside where
you can be alone by yourself, far from any other fellow participant. Do not stay close or near any fellow participant. When you have
found your own place, sit down and start to write in your notebook what you imagined and felt during this activity.
Just keep on writing. Do not be concerned about grammar and style. It is much more important to write down everything that
you have imagined and felt. You can correct the grammar and improve your writing style later on.
We will call you back with a bellWhen you hear it, please finish what you are writing and proceed back here.
I will now start the count. 10987654321
Please proceed quietly now to find your spot and start to writeRemain quiet and silent. On the way out, you can pick up a
copy of the reflection instructions you just went through in case you want to refer to it.
5.
6.
Give the participants 10 minutes to settle down. Then give them 20 minutes to write. Call them back to the room with the
bell.
Gather the participants in their small groups and allow them to share what they wrote to each other. After sharing, process
accordingly.
PROCESSING:
Round-robin: Describe how you found the activity
In what way was this activity useful or helpful to you?
How do you feel about your future now?
What do you need to do to make that future become possible?
Synthesize learning and insights.
LESSON: In life, if you know where you want to get, you will be able to achieve your goal much easier. Without goals, and plans to
reach them, you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination.
IV. DINNER . . . DINNER . . . DINNER
7:45 8:30
V. Icebreaker Game and Dance (c/o Ms. Myra)
8:30 8:45
Face the Cookie; Keep it Up; Face Dance

VI. CONTINUATION OF 7 HABITS (Review)
HABIT NO. 3: PUT FIRST THINGS FIRST
8:45 9:45
OBJECTIVE(S): Students will identify the 4 Time Quadrants and type of person associated with each quadrant. The student will
identify goals for the week and "prioritize" them.
MATERIALS: *suitcase/clothes, *Time Quadrant/Person word cards, *List of Time Quadrant/Person activities to identify with each
Quadrant, *T/F worksheet, *Calendar sheets, *tape
ANTICIPATORY SET: TWO MINUTE QUICK WRITE
Ask your students to make a list of all the responsibilities they have in a week. Tell them to include school, chores, babysitting,
extracurricular activities, sports, etc.
Ask them how busy are they. Many of you may have just realized that the list of things you are responsible is
VERY long. Ask them if they have time for all these things each week? What happens when you dont have time
for something? How do they decide which tasks are most important?
Introduce Habit 3 by using the metaphor of packing clothes in a suitcase. Explain that if no planning and folding
went into the thought of packing, then your things will not fit into the suitcase. But by folding and placing the
items you will need first on top, describing how if you plan and prioritize what needs to be done, you can "pack
more into your suitcase". pack more into your life!
PROCESSING: 1)Now we are going to answer some questions about ourselves to see if we would have been the person to pack at
the last minute, the procrastinator or someone who plans out what they will pack and packs in ahead of time, the prioritizer. 2)Answer
and score the T/F worksheet. 3) Introduce and discuss the Time Quadrant/person word cards
THE PROCRASTINATOR
Puts things off until it becomes a crisis.
Results in: Stress & anxiety
Burnout
Just so-so performance
THE YES-MAN
Seems urgent, but if skipped, nothing bad will
happen.
Results in: Being a pleaser
Lacks discipline
THE PRIORITIZER
Important to my life dreams and goals.
Results: Control of your life
Balance
High Performance
THE SLACKER
Not important or urgent.
Results in: Wastes time
Lacks responsibility; Guilt
CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING: Give list of Time Quadrant/person activities and have students place with correct Time
Quadrant/Person
Cramming all night for a test you didnt study for during the week.
Answering the phone because it is ringing, even though you are in the middle of making dinner.
Sleeping in until noon just because you dont see the need to get up and do anything.
Playing video games most of the day and not thinking about doing anything else.
Starting and completing an assignment the night before it is due.
Doing your homework on time which helps to understand the work and not have to cram for the test the night before.
Going out with some friends to the movies because you dont want them to get mad at you.
Taking care of your car by changing the oil so you prevent any car problems later.
HABIT NO. 4: THINK WIN-WIN
9:45 10:45
OBJECTIVE(S): Students will identify the difference between win-win, win-lose, lose-win, and lose-lose and that thinking win-win
is the foundation of getting along with others..
ANTICIPATORY SET: How do you feel when you win? Because this is such a good feeling, we often try to win at many things,
such as when we get into disagreements with others. Today, were going to look at a conflict, or disagreement, and possible endings
for this conflict, one of which is for both people to have the feeling of winning. You will then have the opportunity to create a
chart, or grid, of possible outcomes of the conflict that you see. During the Debriefing we will reflect on how to think about the winwin concept and share personal situations in the Closing.
ACTIVITY No. 1: NIPS GAME
Materials: bags of NIPS
Objective: Earn as many points as you can before time runs out.
Setup / Preparation :
1. Have people partner up and ask them to assume the traditional arm wrestling position. I like people to lie on the floor and get in
the arm wrestling position (yes, even with adults) however; if tables are easily available you can use them. Part of the setup for this is
to actually use this phrase Please get in the arm wrestling position. Using this phrase will plant a seed that will influence the actions
of the participants.
2. The following directions are then given to the group:
Your challenge is to earn as many points as you can before time runs out. You (individually)
earn a point when the back of your arm wrestling partners hand touches the ground.
(Demonstrate this for the group) You will have 10 seconds from the time I say GO.
3. Then say Go! after youve given the instructions.
4. After 10 seconds is up say Stop! and then see how many points people have earned. What usually happens (99% of the time) is
very few points (if any) are earned because people spent all their time actually arm wrestling rather than working together. Ill give
the group a couple of tries until they start to get it.
5. If youre wondering where this game gets its name, heres the explanation - - for every point earned, people get one NIPS/chocolate
candy. Getting to eat candy is usually great incentive for kids although Im not much for giving kids more sugar.
ACTIVITY No. 2: Role-Play
(Note: You will need to select students beforehand and coach them to present a role-play for the class.)
1. Role-play the following situation with another adult, with a student, or have two students prepare it beforehand. Freeze the action
when the argument is heating up.
SCENARIO: Kim is a third year student. She has been having trouble in math, and tomorrow there is a big test. While she is in the
living room studying for this test and trying to work out some problems, her brother, Mark, comes in from school. Mark, who is in
grade 7, has had a hard day at school, so he wants to have some fun and relax. He turns on some music and begins to sing and dance
around. Kim wants quiet, and the music is disturbing her. They argue.
2. Ask the following:
Whats going on?
What is Kim feeling? What is Mark feeling?
What are Kims needs? What are Marks needs? It is important to discuss needs, because a good resolution depends on
satisfying the needs of both teens.
ACTIVITY No. 3: Win-Win Grid

1. Show the following grid of ways the conflict could come out. Boxes on the grid represent different types of solution to the
conflict.
Kim gets what she needs
Kim doesnt get what she needs
Mark gets what he needs

WIN-WIN
LOSE-WIN
Mark doesnt get what he needs

WIN-LOSE
LOSE-LOSE
2. Divide students into small groups. Give each group a grid handout and ask the groups to come up with possible endings to fit in the
grid, using the handout. They may have multiple solutions for each box. In order to complete the win-win section, both people must be
able to have their needs met.
3. After students have had sufficient time to complete their handouts, use their responses to fill in the blank grid on the board or chart
paper. Begin with the win-lose, lose-win boxes, then complete the lose-lose box, and fill in the win-win one last.
PROCESSING:
What types of solutions were easiest to come up with?
Which were the hardest?
What would be necessary to accomplish the win-win solutions?
Discuss the importance of being able to listen to one another in order to hear the needs of the other person. If both people get angry
and cant listen, its hard to get to a win-win solution. If each person can be calm and listen to the other, its easier to brainstorm ideas
to get to a win-win solution.
Discuss the different types of people and make them reflect what kind of person are they based on this habit:
LOSE LOSE THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL
People with this attitude usually:
Seek revenge
Desire to win at all costs
Are obsessed with others in a negative manner
Have codependent and emotionally damaging
relationships
LOSE WIN THE DOORMAT

Set low expectations for themselves
Have low self-esteem and never consider themselves worthy
or good enough
Compromise their standards over and over again
Give in to peer pressure
Allow themselves to be walked on with the excuse of being
the peacemaker
Is there a time when a Lose-Win attitude is fine?
WIN LOSE THE TOTEM POLE

Use other people, emotionally or physically, for their own
selfish purposes
Try to get ahead at the expense of others
Spread rumors about others
Concentrate on getting their own way without thinking about
others feelings
Become jealous and envious when something good happens
to someone else
WIN WIN THE ALL YOU CAN EAT BUFFET
Are happy when others succeed
Help others succeed
Are willing to share recognition with others
See life as an All-you-can-eat buffet for everybody
sportsmanship
Common insights:
Lose-Lose and Win-Lose require lots more energy and this type of thinking produces less (points) for all involved. We must be on
the look out for Win-Win opportunities from the outset.
Whats wrong with wanting to win? Well, theres nothing wrong with that type of thinking. I play competitive sports and I
love to win (but not at the expense of relationships). The challenge is the application of this win at all costs and in all
situations attitude is that its un-sustainable and very costly and its unattractive. People need to get their competitive yahyahs out in an appropriate venue (like playing some kind of sport). Going for the jugular, especially with people on your own
team, is counterproductive.
HABIT NO. 5: SEEK FIRST TO UNDERSTAND THEN TO BE UNDERSTOOD

OBJECTIVE(S):
1. Students will state and apply the three components of genuine listening (a. Listen with your eyes, heart, and ears, b. Stand in their
shoes, c. Practice mirroring).
2. Students will distinguish what are genuine listening styles and poor listening styles.
MATERIALS: Any object found in a classroom setting
ANTICIPATORY SET: Take one student aside, where they will not be able to hear as you explain the instructions to the rest of the
class. Pick any object in the classroom. The chosen student will have to find the identified object. Explain to the class that, without
any verbal communication or pointing, they will have to guide the student to whatever object is chosen by clapping. As the student
walks close to the object they will clap louder and faster, and as the student walks away from the object they will not clap at all.
(Comparable to the Hot and Cold game) Once the student has identified the chosen object the game is complete.
LESSON: The student must understand what his/her classmates are trying to communicate to them. When you are not able to talk, it
makes the task much more difficult and frustrating. In Seeking First to Understand they must try to figure out what their classmates
are trying to tell them without asking questions.
6
ACTIVITY No. 1: Snowflakes

This quick exercise highlights the importance of clear communication and active listening in order to accurately express ideas
and instructions or to receive messages from others.
After hearing the same directions for creating a simple paper snowflake, teens discover that the individual results can vary
considerably. Through discussion, they discover that people interpret things differently, and understanding others relies on this
concept.
GOALS:
1. To identify ways that messages can be misinterpreted.
2. To strengthen communication skills.
3. To recognize use of different communication and listening techniques.
MATERIALS: One 8.5 x 11 paper per person.
ACTIVITY:
Give one sheet of paper to each person. Explain that you want them to follow the directions you are about the give
without asking questions of you or their neighbors. They will work individually. Give the following directions quickly, without
clarifying exactly what you mean:
1. Fold the paper in half and tear off a top corner.
2. Fold it in half again and tear off the top corner.
3. Fold it in half again and tear off the left corner.
4. Rotate the paper to the right three times and tear off the bottom corner.
5. Fold it in half again and tear off the middle piece.
Instruct the group to unfold their papers and compare their snowflakes with those around them. They will find that their snowflakes
may or may not match others.
PROCESSING:
Discuss the importance of communicating clearly, as illustrated by the different ways participants interpreted the same instructions.
Use questions such as:
1. Why is it that even though everyone received the same directions, not everyone had the same outcome? What would have
changed if you could have asked questions?
2. Have you ever told someone one thing only to have the person hear and do something different? What happened, and how
did you deal with it?
3. If you are the leader of a group, what steps can you take to make sure that others clearly understand what you're trying to tell
them?
4. How can you improve your communication skills when it becomes obvious that others are seeing things differently than you
intended?
Review the "Keys to Communication" graphic organizer. Hold up the mirror and let each student look at themselves. State that in
order to be a good listener you must think like a mirror. Explain that a mirror does not judge. It doesn't give advice. It reflects.
Mirroring is simply repeating back in your own words what the other person is saying and feeling. Demonstrate mirroring utilizing
the "Mirroring" conversation scenario.
ACTIVITY No. 2: Yarn Talk
Bring a ball or skein of yarn. Best time - late evening, after a snack. Everybody sits in a large circle (so they can see each
other - no back rows). Introduce a topic (i.e. - how can we have better unity in our group? What are the hindrances to unity, and how
can we overcome them?) Then lay out the ground rules:
a. ONLY the person holding the yarn ball may talk. He/she will talk uninterrupted - everyone will get their turn. (you may need
to set a 3-5 min. time-limit if you have a large or very talkative group - use a watch with an alarm to signal the end of their
time, or an egg timer).
b. The yarn begins with the first person to raise their hand, then proceeds to the left. Everybody has the opportunity to talk - but
no one is required to.
c. The first person holds the end of the yarn, passing the ball; the next person continues to hold onto the string of yarn as it is
passed - once the ball has gone all the way around, you will have a large yarn circle. After it has gone all the way around,
those who want to talk silently raise their hands. The person holding the yarn tosses the ball to one of them, still holding their
section of yarn. As the ball gets passed and unrolled, you will have a large spider web forming.
d. No bashing people - present or absent (i.e. - one youth, who was extremely negative and made most of the group angry, was
not at the retreat, and we didn't allow them to speak about him). Any comments about those present need to be made in a
loving, constructive manner (Eph. 4:29).
e. This is not a GRIPE SESSION - our goal is finding solutions to our problems.
f. What is said here is CONFIDENTIAL and should not leave this room (esp. important to teach them how to keep
confidences).
THE NEXT DAY:

I.
Morning Prayer and Exercise
7:00 7:15
II.
Icebreaker: Monster
7:15 7:30
The group task is to create a monster, within the following guidelines:
The monster must be made up of all the group members, and they must all be connected.
The monster must have five feet on the ground, no more, no less. It can have only five arms waving in the air like
tentacles, no more, no less. (To figure out the number of feet and arms, divide the group in half and add one. (i.e..- a group of
ten, divided in half would be five. They get six legs and six arms.)
The monster must make three noises.
The monster must be able to move from one spot to another with arms waving, feet moving and noises sounding, without
falling apart! (You may want to make tape marks on the floor. Make the distance challenging, but not unattainable!)
7
NOTE: Some additional challenges if certain individuals are taking charge and monopolizing the planning process, it is possible
for lightning to strike and take their voice away! Other individuals can be made blind (close their eyes or blindfold them).
Process this activity by discussing who took leadership, how the group solved the problem, and if anything could have been done
differently.
HABIT NO. 6: SYNERGIZE
7:30 8:45
OBJECTIVE(S): Students will examine the meaning of the word "synergize" and identify ways that people can work together to
create a better solution than one could alone.
MATERIALS: Paper and pencil
ANTICIPATORY SET: 3 Letter Words Body Parts: Tell the
students to individually, think of any body parts that are spelled
using only 3 letters and write them on their paper. Hint: there are
10. After a few minutes have them work with a partner to compare
answers. If they are still having trouble after that, have them walk
around the room and compare answers.
Answers: 1. Ear 2. Eye 3. Lip 4. Arm 5. Leg 6. Toe 7. Gum 8. Rib
9. Jaw 10. Hip
LESSON: By working together (synergizing) they should be able
to come up with all the answers. The sum of the parts is greater
than the whole.
ACTIVITY No. 1: How Many Shapes Do it Take?
JUST THE FACTS: It takes all types of team members to create a
balanced, cohesive team. This activity will give participants the
opportunity to gain a better understanding of the roles different
people play on a team and the importance of each role.
Time: 20 minutes
Materials: Five large pieces of paper, each with one of the
following shapes drawn: square, rectangle, circle, triangle, and
squiggle
Procedures:
1.
Which Shape are You?
There are some people who believe there are five basic
personality types, and each type tends to prefer a different
shape. Knowing whether you, your co-workers and friends are
squares, rectangles, circles, triangles, or squiggles just might
help you build better careers, teams, and friendships. Here is
what each shape might say about you and how you can
recognize other people for their shapes.
If you are a SQUARE: You are an organized, logical, and
hardworking person who likes structure and rules. But
sometimes you have trouble making decisions because you
always want more information. You feel most comfortable in a
stable environment with clear directions on what to do. You tend
to like things that are regular and orderly. You will work on a
task until it is finished, no matter what.
How to spot a square: They appear to move straight, use
precise or specific gestures, love routine, and are very
concerned with detail. They are also very neat in their
appearance and their personal workspace. They do a lot of
planning and are always prompt.
If you are a RECTANGLE: You are a courageous (brave),
exciting, and inquisitive explorer who always searches for ways
to grow and change. You enjoy trying things youve never done
before and love asking questions that have never been asked.
You like structure, and will often be the person to be sure things
are done the proper way, taking all rules and regulations into
consideration. When you are given a task you will start
organizing it to be sure it can be done in the most systematic
way.
How to spot a rectangle: These people often have fleeting
eyes and flushed faces. They also tend to giggle and they like
variety. For example, theyll come into work early or late but
not on time. And those who have offices tend to be disorganized
with a mishmash of furniture.
Before beginning this activity, place each of the five

shapes in a different location in of the room. Ensure there
is enough room for participants to move around for this
activity.
2. Discuss the fact that teams are all made up of people who
perform different roles. Think about a sports team
(football, basketball, soccer, hockey, etc.). What might
If you are a TRIANGLE: You are a born leader whos
competitive, confident, and can make decisions. You also like
happen if one basketball player hogged the ball all of the
recognition. You are goal oriented and enjoy planning
time? What might happen if the quarterback tried to run
something out and then doing it (you are motivated by the
the ball all of the time instead of passing? So, it takes all
accomplishment). You will tend to look at big long-term issues,
different types of players to make an efficient and
but might forget the details. When given a task you set a goal
and work on a plan for it. American business has traditionally
winning team, right?
been run by triangles and, although usually men, more women
3. Now, switch gears. Tell participants that not only does it
are taking those roles today.
take all different types of players to make a team
How to spot a triangle: They have powerful voices, love to
effective; it takes all kinds of shapes, too.
tell jokes, and they play as hard as they work. They also tend to
4. Say something to the effect of: I want you all to look
be stylish dressers.
around the room. Five different shapes are hanging up.
If you are a CIRCLE: You are social and communicative. There
The shapes are a square, a rectangle, a circle, a triangle,
are no hard edges about you. You handle things by talking
and a squiggle. What if I told you that knowing whether
about them and smoothing things out with everybody.
you, your co-workers and friends are squares, rectangles,
Communication is your first priority. When given a task, you will
want to talk about it. You are a people person, with lots of
circles, triangles, or squiggles could help you build better
sympathy and consideration for others. You listen and
teams and better careers?
communicate well and are very perceptive about other peoples
5. Ask participants to stand up and take a few moments to
feelings. You like harmony and hate making unpopular
think about the shape they like best or find most
decisions.
How to spot a circle: They are friendly, nurturing, persuasive,
appealing. Then ask participants to walk over to that
and generous. They tend to be relaxed and smile a lot. Theyre
shape.
talkative, but have a mellow voice. They also have a full laugh
6. Once everyone has chosen their personal shape, use the
and like to touch others on the shoulder and arm.
information in Activity 14 to tell them a little bit about
each shapes personality. In fact, when you are finished with this activity, many participants will want to have a copy of
what the shapes mean.
Conclusion:
Discuss the following questions with the group:
a. Do you think people have the characteristics of more than one shape?
b. Why do you think it is important to have all different shapes working on the same team? Offer some of the information
below, if appropriate:
8
The Square, Rectangle, and Triangle are all convergent. This mean they are working TOWARDS something specific and
finite, and they do it in a logical and systematic way. But they might be lacking in personal creativity.
The Circle and Squiggle are divergent. This mean they are creative, extroverted, and intuitive. They will reach out
around them into new areas and to other people. But they arent particularly systematic or dependable.
ACTIVITY No. 2: TANGRAMS
Procedures: Divide the class into groups of 5 to 6 members. Tell them that they would be required to work together by forming the
following figures from the tangrams given. However, there are a few rules:
1. Nobody is allowed to talk when anyone is holding a piece of the jigsaw; otherwise you have to start again.
2. You are only allowed to touch the pieces of the jigsaw that you pick up out of the pile.
Figure No. 1: House

Be a home for the stranger, a balm to the suffering, a tower of strength for the fugitive. ~ Bah'u'llh ~
Figure No. 2: Bird
"Use what talents you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there
except those that sang best. Henry Van Dyke
Figure No. 3: Balance
Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep balance you must keep on moving. -- Albert Einstein
Figure No. 4: Lamp
Be a lamp unto them that walk in darkness, a joy to the sorrowful... ~ Bah'u'llh ~
PROCESSING:
"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.." -- Helen Keller
Overarching Question: What will I do about working with others to obtain the best possible outcome?
Questions/Discussions:
How effective did your team communicate and cooperate with one another?
What was the most difficult part of this activity?
What was easy about this activity?
Why is communication so important when working on a team?
Why is cooperation so integral in a successful working team?
The essence of synergy is that more is accomplished when working with a team.
Compromise is 1 + 1 = 1.5
Cooperation is 1 + 1 = 2
Synergy is created when two or more people work together to create something that is bigger than what each individual could
have created or accomplished. When we opening practice a win-win attitude, seek first to understand, and proactive in our
relationships, synergy is created. (Habit #4 + Habit #5 + Habit #1 = Habit #6)
Synergy helps us to reach the third alternative and to create an atmosphere that supports true effectiveness.
When people of different abilities, styles of thinking, skills, and paradigms work together, results can be astounding. Even
valuing the differences between right brained (creative thinkers) and left brained (analytical and organized) thinkers brings out the best
in all of us. In order to accomplish this, we must appreciate and respect others; this means throwing away stereotypes.
"Getting to Synergy" Action Planning
Define the problem or opportunity
Their Way- seek first to understand the ideas of others
My Way- seek to be understood by sharing your ideas
Brainstorm- create new options and ideas
High Way- find the best solution
HABIT NO. 7: SHARPEN THE SAW
8:45 9:30
OBJECTIVE(S): Students will examine the concept of "sharpening the saw" and identify ways to keep their own "saws sharp"
MATERIALS: apple
ANTICIPATORY SET: Apple Slice Activity: At the beginning of the day show the students your apple and cut it in
half. Place it aside for the rest of the day. Once you see the inside has turned brown pick it up and show the students. Explain how the
apple is similar to us in the sense that if we sit around and do not take care of ourselves, we will not be good and fresh. Then slide
off the outmost part of the apple (where it is brown). Show the students how the inside is still good and fresh.
ICEBREAKER: Think Outside the Box
The concept of the activity is that gaining certain essential skills is necessary in order to be seen, heard, and taken seriously.
The directions for this activity are as follows:
Participants pair up with someone they dont really know; facing one another. They are instructed to take 1 minute to observe
their partner from head to toe. They then turn away from one another and must change two things about themselves that will be
noticeable; but, not too obvious. Turning back to face one another, each person tries to guess what their partner changed about their
appearance. Next, they repeat this activity; however, this time they must personally make and try to guess in their partner twelve
visible changes in about five minutes.
In general, participants declare that twelve changes will be impossible; however, this activity demonstrates that you shouldnt
be afraid to try. Once you begin to try, you find it can indeed be done; sometimes, it just takes thinking outside the box. This skills of
creativity and an ability to break through imaginary boundaries is one employed by many successful agents for change.
LESSON: If we dont take time to take care of ourselves, we will not be the best that we can be. What does the following quote:
"The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining." John F. Kennedy mean to you? (take care of yourself before you get
stressed) How about, "Nothing overmuch?"(balance & moderation in all things)
ACTIVITY No. 1: Four Corner Activity
1. Write BODY (Physical), HEART (Social/Emotional), SOUL (Spiritual), and MIND (Mental/Intellectual) on separate
cartolinas. Place one chart in each of the four corners of the room. Divide the participant into four groups, and have each group
gather around one of the posted flip charts. Give an example of how to sharpen the saw for each area. E.G., body- eat breakfast,
exercise regularly, go without junk food, soda, etc.; mind- subscribe to an educational magazine, read the newspaper or online
version everyday, visit a museum; heart- spend time with a family member, build a humor collection; soul, watch the sunrise or
sunset; keep a gratitude journal, meditate
2. Give each group 30 seconds to brainstorm and write as many ideas as they can on how to Sharpen the Saw in their assigned
areas. After 30 seconds, have each group rotate clockwise to the next flipchart page, read it so they will not duplicate any ideas,
and then brainstorm and add to the list for 30 seconds. Then have them rotate clockwise to the third chart, read the chart again,
and, this time, make sure their favorite way to Sharpen the Saw is added to the list. They should be very specific. Have them
rotate clockwise once for more for the last round, review the list that exists, and again, add their favorite activity or idea. They
should lengthen the list as best as they can. After the fourth round, have the person holding the marking pen at each flip chart stay
at the chart, and have everyone else take his/her seat.
3. Start with the Physical flip chart. As the person standing at the Physical flipchart reads the list, have each participant capture
any ideas they may like to try. Have them write their ideas in their worksheet. You may want to stop and explore in greater detail
specific ideas of what people put on the list, e.g. exercise: what are some of the students favourite ways to exercise? Follow the
same procedure with all four dimensions of Sharpen the Saw.
4. Now have all participants set at least one Sharpen the Saw goal for the next 30 days. This must be a goal they really want to
achieve.
PROCESSING: Overarching Questions:
1. Why do we need to renew ourselves? Is it
important or not? Why?
2. What will I do about keeping my personal self
sharp so that I can better deal with life?
3. In your opinion, what is the most difficult to
renew yourself in four basic areas of life:
physical, social/emotional, mental, or spiritual?
Why?
LAST SESSION: AFFIRMATION CIRCLE
9:30 10:15
Jesus' ministry was often to those who were the
outcasts and the forgotten in his culture. Time and again
he empowered them to see themselves not as the
discarded or the insignificant but as God's beloved
children. The world might be a more compassionate and
peaceful place if more people embraced this simple truth
and truly trusted it. I'm a firm believer that we can't
really learn to fully love others until we learn to fully
love ourselves.
With that in mind, invite youth into a simple
experience of affirming each other as an expression of
love and care for their fellow youth group members.
Tape a simple, white paper plate to each person's back
and give everyone a magic marker. Invite youth to mill
around the room as they take time to write one or more
affirming words on each person's plate. Challenge them
to think of descriptive words or phrases that describe
each person's unique qualities. When finished, take off
each person's plate and write their name on the back.
Consider closing your meeting by sharing and
discussing Psalm 139 and passing out the plates for
10
youth to take home and hang in their rooms as a reminder that they are wonderfully made...and as a daily challenge to see others this
way, too.
Gods Perfect Knowledge of Man

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
139
O LORD, You have searched me and known me.

You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.
You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.
Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
If I say, Surely the darkness shall fall on me,
Even the night shall be light about me;
Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,
But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.
For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mothers womb.
2
10
11
[a]
12
13
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they would be more in number than
the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.
Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God!
Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.
For they speak against You wickedly;
Your enemies take Your name in vain.
Do I not hate them, O LORD, who hate You?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?
I hate them with perfect hatred;
I count them my enemies.
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.
14
[b]
15
16
17
18
19
20
[c]
21
22
23
24
Gods Perfect Knowledge of Man

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
139
O LORD, You have searched me and known me.

You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.
You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.
Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
If I say, Surely the darkness shall fall on me,
Even the night shall be light about me;
Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,
But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.
For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mothers womb.
2
10
11
[a]
12
13
11
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they would be more in number than
the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.
Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God!
Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.
For they speak against You wickedly;
Your enemies take Your name in vain.
Do I not hate them, O LORD, who hate You?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?
I hate them with perfect hatred;
I count them my enemies.
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.
14
[b]
15
16
17
18
19
20
[c]
21
22
23
24
APPENDICES: OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES

GOAL SETTING EXERCISES
Now let's do some interesting goal setting exercises. These exercises will help you know yourself and find out your goals
easily.
EXERCISE ONE: THE MILLION POUNDS GIVEAWAY
If I was given a million dollars today but I have to spend it immediately. I would buy the following ten things. Take out a
piece of paper and list them. Remember, you must spend it and buy stuff with it. You can't invest it in stocks or put it in the
bank. List ten things that you truly want.
EXERCISE TWO: LONG LOST FRIEND
You come across a good old friend today. You lose contact with this friend and haven't seen him for three years. Both you
are delighted to see each other again. He says:" I havent seen you for three years! How are you doing recently?" You
answer his questions:
I live in (town, city, village ):
The car that I drive is:
I am making a living by (job title/job role):
I am earning (USD per year):
My hobbies and interests are:
I have given up/I have taken up:
Since Ive last seen you a new skill that I have acquired is:
My partner is:
Other:
EXERCISE THREE CHARITY GIVEAWAY:
If I had US$100,000 to give to a single charity I would give it to:
Write it on the paper.
EXERCISE FOUR: THE LAST TIME I FELT WAS
The last time that I felt success was:
The last time that I did something that I really, really didnt want to do, but did it anyway, was:
The last time I felt truly happy was:
The last time I felt truly at peace was:
The last time I felt really proud of myself was:
The last new skill that I developed was:
The last time that I felt totally focused was:
EXERCISE FIVE I AM FINANCIALLY FREE
You have won the lottery and acquired millions and millions of dollars. You don't have to worry about bills coming, loan
repayments or other payments. Picture this incredible wealth. Now, what are you going to do? How are you going to fill
each day?
After you have done these exercises, you will know yourself more. Now let's take a look at these exercises.
Exercise One: The Million Pounds Giveaway gives you your long-term goals. All of these you want to achieve in your
lifetime or even in the next decade.
Exercise Two: Long lost friend gives you the answers to where you want to achieve in three years time. This will be your
short-term goal.
Exercise Three Charity Giveaway shows how you would like to contribute to the society, and to help others.
Exercise Four: The last time I felt was helps you to appreciate life and enables you to know when you are experiencing
certain feelings. It gives you a point of reference for the future to feel that experience again.
Exercise Five I am financially free. This exercise indicates how you would like to spend your time and what you
really want to do. Could you do more of this in your life? Could you even do this for a living? Just think it.
If you do these exercises honestly, you will know your purpose, passions, needs and drivers. Go ahead and set your goals!
A Short Lesson on Prayer

In keeping with our look at how to invite youth to get beyond the wave of consumerism that is about to wash over our
culture in the following weeks, we offer up this short Bible study discussion on the spiritual (and sometimes not-so
-spiritual) practice of prayer:
FOCUS: To help students examine their understanding of prayer as a spiritual practice.
OPENING UP: Invite the group to pray with you and say:
Dear God, we come before you and give thanks for everything we have. We ask that you continue to bless us. Give us the
things that we need and the things that we want. Help us get the best MP3 players, the best video game systems, the
coolest clothes, the hottest sports car. Help us make good grades on all our tests and homework, and help us to win and be
number one at whatever we try. Most especially, bless our country so that we continue to be more powerful and more
wealthy than any other country in the world. Thanks God. Amen.
12
Ask: If you heard this prayer in a worship service, how do you think you would react/feel? How is this prayer
different/same as your idea of prayer?
REFLECTION: Go around the circle and invite each person to finish the phrase Prayer is... with one word. Do this
three times, encouraging them to use a different word each time. Encourage them to consider action words, descriptive
words, symbols, emotions, etc. Keep a written list of their responses.
DIGGING INTO THE TEXT: Read Matthew 6: 5-17 together. Ask: How could the text help shape our prayer practice?
How might we pray differently than we do now in church/in private?
Read Luke 5:16. Ask: What do you think about Jesus' practice of praying alone? What do you imagine he prayed about?
What does your own prayer practice look like or what would you like it to look like?
BRINGING TOGETHER SCRIPTURE & OUR STORY: Pose "The Big Question": Do you think God answers prayer?
If so, how? What does a prayer sound like if it's not about asking for stuff? What part, if any, do we play in helping God to
answer prayers (or own or those of others)?
Encourage the group to reflect on the different ideas and images of prayer that you have discussed. Invite them to create
(perhaps in silence, as an act of prayer) a group mural that illustrates, without words, different ways of understanding
prayer.
TAKING ACTION: Invite youth to take up a prayer practice in the coming weeks that involves "emptying" oneself of
those me-centered desires and distractions that get in the way of a more meaningful prayer practice. Encourage students,
like Jesus, to find a "secluded place" to pray, whether that be in their bedroom or outside in the woods or locked in the
bathroom! Invite youth to use a prayer box or bowl as a way to begin their time of person prayer. This vessel could be
used in two ways. One: place into the receptacle things or symbols of things that might distract you in your time of prayer
or draw you into yourself instead of into God. These might include a cell phone, watch, TV remote, homework, money,
etc. Two: place into the receptacle slips of paper on which you have written the names of people or places for which you
want to focus your prayer time.
Im in It to Win It
The Educational Goal of the Game
This game was designed for students involved in the Im Determined Project who have been studying The 7
Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey. They needed to understand generalization regarding the
vocabulary in the book, specifically prioritizer, procrastinator, slacker, and yes man. In order to
grasp the concepts, many examples needed to be given involving scenarios with which they are familiar or to
which they are able to relate. Also many needed to hear the vocabulary multiple times before they could
pronounce or remember the five-syllable words. In addition, they will gain knowledge of how to wisely
respond in a variety of situations and will hopefully recognize the everyday opportunities that come knocking at
the door of their lives and take advantage of those opportunities.
Things to Keep in Mind
1. There may be autistic students playing the game. Care should be taken to ensure that the scenarios in
the game are not confused with social stories.
2. It should be pointed out to the students prior to playing the game that the scenarios are made up. Cards
in the game do not reflect the behavior of a specific student in the past, but are designed to show what
choices students could make -- good or bad. Also, a card that a student picks is not an indication of
what his behavior would be. Students with autism may be offended when they draw a procrastinator,
slacker, or yes man card, especially if the behavior on the card is not a behavior which they would
manifest. They need to be reminded that it is a game and not real.
3. If a student picks and opportunity card that is not a prioritizer, be sure to discuss what a prioritizer
would do in such a case.
4. Avoid calling or allowing any student to be labeled a procrastinator, slacker, or yes man. Emphasize
that we are all in the process of becoming more of a Prioritizer. We can all learn this skill!
5. This game was designed for students at Meadowbrook High School in Chesterfield County. Different
schools will have different programs in place. The opportunity cards or scenario cards may have to be
tweaked to reflect the culture of your school. For example, Meadowbrook has a wonderful self-directed
study time (SDS) in which students can get extra help from a teacher, do homework, participate in a
club, etc. The cards that refer to SDS time may be meaningless at another school.
13
How to Assemble the Game

1. Shoe Game Piece Markers
a. The markers for this game are shoes from a Sears online catalog. The shoes have been chosen
carefully to reflect various careers and students should be encouraged to use shoes appropriate to
their careers. Students who wish to work as carpenters should choose steel-toed boots, those
wishing to work in food service should choose black shoes with a non-skid sole, students
wishing to work in an area of health care should choose which leather walking shoes, etc.
b. The markers are made by laminating the shoes and cutting them out. The original game was
played on a magnetic white board, so magnets were applied using a hot glue gun.
c. The students name can be written on the back of the shoe with a Vis--vis marker if the game is
to be continued on another day.
2. Game board
a. The game board symbolizes the path toward a goal in life. The feet symbolize the steps that we
take along the path to reach the goal sometimes forward, sometimes backward. There are ups
and downs in the path, as things dont always go according to plans. This is a good opportunity
to help students visualize idioms and vocabulary such as setback, moving forward, ups and
downs, getting ahead, falling behind, etc.
b. The feet were glued in pairs of left and right feet to symbolize treading a path from one end of
the paper to the other. The path appears to be going up and down low hills. At one end, the
picture of the girl at the starting line was glued. At the other end, the finish line was glued. It is
suggested that the feet be printed on paper not resembling skin tones or in various shades of skin
tones to avoid any appearance of racial stereotyping.
c. The No slacker, procrastinator, and yes man pictures are pasted along the route to create
visual interest. They serve as reminders of the lessons learned and lend themselves to use as
classroom posters or teaching aides.
d. The game board was originally made of bulletin board paper. The paper was held to a
whiteboard with magnets. The images could also be reduced on the copier to fit on a poster
board.
3. Opportunity Cards
1
Opportunity Card
You have the opportunity
to do make up work. This
will erase two zeroes and
raise your grade from a D
to a C. You have one
week.
2
Opportunity Card
to go on a field trip. You
have 2 days to get your
field trip slip signed and
turned into your teacher.
3
Opportunity Card
to get extra help by going
to SDS. The test is in
three days, and you are
quite confused at this
point.
4
Opportunity Card
to apply to Resources for
Independent Living. You
would like to take Drivers
Education. However, they
will only take 15 students.
It is very important to be
one of the first to get your
signed application turned
it or the opportunity will
be lost.
Opportunity
Cards
a. The opportunity cards (front) are in large print. They describe an opportunity which the
students may face.
14 Asian Computer College Youth Camp
b. There is also a sheet designed for the back of the cards in a above. These pages all have
opportunity card printed in large red letters.
c. Copy the opportunity cards (a) on the back of (b). Cut them out to make individual cards.
Opportunity
Card
Opportunity
Card
Opportunity
Card.
Print these on the backs of the Opportunity

Cards.
Opportunity
Card
4. Scenario Script
a. The scenario script explains 4 ways to respond to an opportunity. The proper scenario will be
read by the teacher after an opportunity and a choice card are drawn.
1.
Procrastinator
You really intended to do the make-up work. You actually picked it up from
your teacher. But you were distracted by TV, texting, and video games at
home. You ran out of time. Keep the D and go back 3 steps.
Slacker
You avoided your teacher before and after class so that she wouldnt give
you any make-up work. Your teacher was aware of that. She not only gave
you zeroes, but didnt give you the half point that would raise your grade
from a D to a D+. Go back 4 steps.
Yes Man
You picked up the make-up work the day you got back. Your friends came
over and asked you to play basketball for just an hour. But you didnt get
back in an hour. By the time you got back, it was too late to finish your
homework. You did a sloppy job on one assignment, and didnt do the other
at all. You barely got a D+. Go back 3 steps.
Prioriti zer
You picked up the homework, and did what you could the first night. You
still had some questions, so you asked your teacher for an SDS pass so that
she could help you understand the rest of the assignments. You got the C.
Go ahead 2 steps for picking up your work, 2 steps for doing it the first
night, 2 steps for asking for an SDS pass, and 2 steps for showing up to
SDS. Thats 8 steps in all!
3
Procrastinator
You really intended to study, and did try to study at home. However, you
were confused. You needed to get an SDS pass the next day to get extra
help. You were going to hang out with your fri ends for a few minutes when
you arrived at school and then get the SDS pass. However, you
procrastinated too long and didnt allow enough time to get the pass without
being late for first period. Go back 2 steps.
Slacker
You figure that you go to school for 6 hours a day, and thats enough. You
dont like to study for tests, so you dont. You got a D-. Your parents saw
the grade on Edline. Now you have a mandatory study time at home. Go
back 4 steps.
Yes Man
You intended to study with a friend. But the friend decided he wanted to
play video games instead. You decided to play with him. You flunked the
test. Go back 4 steps.
Prioriti zer
You studied a little bit each night for 3 nights before the test. You got a 97%
and raised your grade from a B+ to an A. Go ahead 6 steps.
2
Procrastinator
You picked up the field trip slip, and put it in a special place in your book bag
so that you could find it easily. Every time you thought about it, you didnt
want to stop what you were doing to give it to your mom. You didnt get it
signed. You missed an opportunity to job shadow in your chosen field. Go
back 4 steps.
Slacker
You put the field trip slip on your dads dresser and figured that he would see
it, sign it, and give it to you. He didnt see it. You stayed at school. Go back
4 steps for a lost opportunity.
Yes Man
Your friend whined about what a stupid field trip it was and he wasnt going
on any short bus. You decided to stay at school with your friend and didnt
get your slip signed. But your friend changed his mind and went. It wasnt a
short bus either. You stayed at school doing boring paper work. Go back 5
steps for letting your friends attitude influence you.
Prioritizer
You put the field trip slip in your homework folder, got it signed as soon as
you got home, put it back in your homework folder, and put the homework
folder back in your backpack. Excellent work! Go ahead 2 steps for putting
your field trip slip in your homework folder, 2 steps for getting it signed, 2
steps for putting it back in your homework folder, and 2 steps for putting your
homework folder back in your backpack 8 steps total.
Scenario Cards. Do not cut apart. Nothing will

be printed on the back of these cards.
4
Procrastinator
You are really excited about finally getting your license. You carefully take
the long application home to your mom. But when you get home you decide
to have a snack first. You put the application on the bookshelf and forget
about it. Walk back 5 steps.
Slacker
You decide that you have plenty of time. You take the application home, and
leave it in your room. You didnt really want any kind of classes during
summer vacation.
Walk back 5 steps.
Yes Man
Your friends talked you into not filling out the application so you could hang
out with them all summer. Walk back 5 steps.
Prioritizer
You filled out the application lightly in pencil and had your mom look over it
and make corrections. Then you filled it out neatly in ink. You were 18, so
you could sign it yourself. You brought it back to your case manager the next
day and he faxed it to Resources for Independent Living. You were accept ed
into the program. Drive ahead 6 steps.
b. The Scenario cards are not to be cut apart. They should be stapled into a packed in numerical
order to make it easier for the teacher to find the scenario that matches the opportunity card and
the choice card that the student has drawn.
5. Choice Cards. The choice cards are made by first printing the sheets that say Slacker,
Procrastinator, Yes Man, or Prioritizer on them. Each sheet of a word should be printed in a
different color (yellow for Prioritizer cards, orange for Procrastinator cards, etc.) Print out one of
each sheet except of Prioritizer. Print out 8 sheets of Prioritizer to ensure forward progress during
the game.
Slacker
Slacker
Slacker
Slacker
Slacker
Slacker
Slacker
Slacker
Slacker
Slacker
Slacker
Slacker
Slacker
Slacker
Slacker
Choice Cards. Cut them out. Paste the

words slacker, procrastinator, yes
man or prioritizer on the back of feet
below.
Feet for Choice Card backs. Cut them out.

Paste the words slacker, procrastinator,
yes man or prioritizer on the back of
these cards.
How to Play the Game

1. Students select shoe markers that represent footwear appropriate to their chosen career or a career in
which they are interested. All markers are placed in a vertical line across the starting line.
2. A student chooses BOTH an opportunity card AND a choice card. Both are read aloud so that the
group may hear whats written on the cards. The color coding on the choice cards will be helpful to
struggling readers.
3. The teacher asks for the number on the opportunity card and finds the corresponding scenario in the
scenario cards. Based on the choice card selected, the teacher reads the scenario. For example, If
15
the student chose a choice card with the word Slacker on it, the teacher reads the scenario for the
Slacker and instructs the student to move the number of paces backward stated in the scenario.
Discuss what a prioritizer would do in that situation. Of course, if a choice card had the word
Prioritizer on it, the student would move forward.
4. Students take turns choosing a choice card and an opportunity card and moving their shoe markers
according to the scenarios.
5. The first student to reach the finish line wins the game. Pay Day and $100,000 Grand candy bars or
chocolate coins work well as rewards for winning the game, and reinforce the lesson at the same
time.
Alternatives:
1. Play for a specified time and the student who has made the most progress toward their goal is the
winner.
For further application:
1. For more challenge, read a scenario and have the student guess which choice the person in the
scenario made (Slacker, Procrastinator, Yes man, Prioritizer). The students can roll a die to move
forward in the game.
2. To increase the challenge, ask the students to pick an opportunity card and a choice card. They then
must state their own scenario that would apply to the opportunity.
3. Ask the students to modify the opportunity cards and scenario cards for their school.
4. Ask the students to write a Good Day Plan for someone in one of the scenarios.
5. Write a paragraph or story describing how someone was once a slacker (procrastinator, Yes man) and
changed into a prioritizer.
6. Create a bulletin board to recognize prioritizer behaviors when they occur.
7. Ask a graduating senior to share about some strategies he/she uses to be a prioritizer with
underclassmen.
The Silent Game
Needs: None
Procedures: Put students into groups of two. Instruct the students to communicate a piece of personal information to their partner
without making any noise or silent mouthing. Give them 3-5 minutes to find out this information.
Examples: Food, Music, Sports, Colors, TV Shows, etc.
Questions/Discussion:
This is an excellent activity at the beginning of the year when the class is learning about each other.
Was it difficult communicating information about yourself silently?
Which was more difficult, communicating about yourself or trying to learn about the other person?
Drawing of a Student
Needs: You will need a poster-sized drawing paper and markers.
Procedures: Place students into groups of 4. Instruct groups to draw a portrait of what a typical student looks like. They may label
things if they wish. When completed, have each group share their drawing with the class.
Who drew a picture of which gender male, female, or non-gender? Why did you choose that gender?
Why did you add the details that you did? Did you choose a specific type of student in the drawing?
Are all students like the one you drew?
When reviewing the class drawings, do you see any stereotypes? What is a stereotype? Do we, as people, make judgments or
choices based on stereotypes?
How do stereotypes or stereotyping affect us personally and as groups?
Are stereotypes correct?
Extension of Activity: Have students draw a picture of a teacher or administrator. Change questioning to mirror this.
Dancing Lines
Needs: You will need a gymnasium and a CD that contains enough songs for each member in their line.
Procedures: Put students into groups of 6 to 12 depending on class size. There will be a leader for each group. Start the music. The
leader of each group will hear the first piece of music begin to play, and move/dance anyway they see fit. As the leader begins to
move, the rest of the members in the group will mimic the leaders movements and follow their leader while staying in their groups
line. After about one minute, another song will start; this is the signal for a leader change. The person who was the leader runs to the
16
back of the line and the next person in line resumes the role of the leader. This new leader will have a new song to dance or move to.
Dancing goes on until everyone in the group has had a turn to be the leader and dance.
The Dancing Line is a fun activity that focuses on self-confidence and teamwork within the classroom. It is also designed for
students to make strong connections with other students. The Dancing Line builds strong community ties among your students.
This would be a great activity to apply into your class in the middle of the school year. Students will already know one
another and they will feel more comfortable boogieing on down in front of their peers.
How did you get through this activity while being scared?
How does this get you ready for life?
What is the most important concept that you will take away from this activity?
Barnyard Call
Needs: You will need multiple slips of paper with the name of a barnyard animal on them. Make sure to have two animals that only
have 2 or 3 slips of paper, and one animal that only has one slip of paper. Pigs, cows, horses, cats, sheep, donkeys, and dogs are some
examples of animals that you can use. Because many participants are needed, at least two classes are needed for this activity.
Procedures: Randomly give a slip of paper to each student, making sure that the single animal paper has been handed out. Tell the
students that when instructed, they will quietly begin to make the noise of their designated animal. As they make their sound, students
are to move about the room/space and find others that are making the same sound/call. When they find similar animals, have the
students continue calling and maneuvering about, collecting others in their group. Help students out when necessary.
How did it feel when you found your animal group?
Was it hard to find your group?
What did you feel when you had difficulties finding similar animals?
Did anyone feel left out at some time during this activity?
For the person who didnt have a group, how did they feel?
How does this activity relate to real life?
Would this activity influence how you might behave when put into a situation where a person is not finding a group or feeling
left out?
Variation: Instead of using animal calls, you could write the titles of common songs (that most people might know) on the
slips of paper. Have students hum the song.
Enchanted Forest
Needs: You will need 16 poly spots or paper plates and a medium sized open area.
Procedures: Students will be challenged to find the pathway through the Enchanted Forest. All steps will be used once, and they are
not able to skip over a step to get to another one. When they take the wrong path, they are told, Thank You, by the facilitator and
they need to step out of the forest and someone else gets a turn. Everyone in the group needs to get through the forest safely. They
can be further challenged by being told that they need to be completely silent through the whole adventure as to not attract wild beasts.
Blind Drawing
Needs: You will need copies of direction cards. If you do not have a document camera you will need one card for every two students
in your class. At least one piece of white paper or notebook paper, and a pencil or pen will be needed per student.
Procedures: Assign each student with a partner. Have each set of partners turn their desks so they are sitting shoulder to shoulder,
facing in opposite directions. Give one student in each pair a direction card, cautioning the student to hold the card so that their
partner doesnt see the figures on them. Tell the students with the direction cards that it is their responsibility to give careful, complete
instructions for drawing the figures on the card that they hold. The students without cards are to follow their partners instructions,
trying to reproduce the unseen figures. Stress that everyone must follow these guidelines:
Only the person giving directions may speak.
The person drawing may not ask questions but must do the best he or she can to follow the directions as given.
The person drawing should hold his or her paper so that the person giving instructions cannot see it.
When everyone is finished, have students share their work, holding up the original cards next to the final drawing. Many or most
drawings will not even resemble the originals and should cause a lot of laughter. Then have students try the exercise again, with
partners switching places and trading for new cards.
What was the hardest part of the activity?
Did you feel your partner communicated effectively?
What was easier for you, drawing or giving directions?
Did your partner get mad or frustrated?
Why is it important to give specific and accurate directions in life?
Juggling
17
Needs: You will need numerous items such as small stuffed animals, Koosh balls, rubber chicken, tennis ball, juggling ball, small
Nerf ball, etc. Items should not be too hard or large. Have fun and choose some strange, bizarre items.
Procedures: Divide the class into groups of 6-10; larger groups work well. If necessary, do this activity with more than one class.
Instruct the students to form a circle facing each other. Have one person come up and get one item. They will be the person that
always begins and ends the juggling round. To begin, have the starting person toss the item to another person in the group. While
tossing the item, she/he must say the persons name. This second person continues the tossing process until everyone in the group has
received and tossed the item one time and one time only (always saying the name of the person they are tossing to). Tell the group
that they shouldnt pass it to the person next to them. The juggling round always ends when the item is returned back to the starting
person.
After a successful juggling round, have the starting person come up and get another item. Repeat the whole process using two items;
pay particular attention to the timing of the tossing. The juggling must always be in the same order as the original round (person to
person), always saying the persons name and always ending with the starting person. Continue adding new items after a successful
juggling round.
How effective did your team communicate and cooperate with one another?
What was easy about this activity?
Why is communication so important when working on a team?
Why is cooperation so integral in a successful working team?
Hand Tracing
Needs: You will need a hand, a pen/pencil, and a piece of paper.
Procedures: Have students trace their hand on a piece of paper. In the palm of the hand, instruct students to write the chosen topic.
On each of the fingers, have them write supporting details, adjectives, etc. than correspond to the topic. I use this activity as a note to
the upcoming 6th graders. I have my students trace their hands and on the fingers and I have them write 5 ways that they are going to
help them next year as 6th graders. On the palm of the hand they need to write at least 5 adjectives that represent how they want them
to feel when they come to our school. These are given to the feeder schools so that they know they will be welcomed here next school
year. If you teach a 7th or 8th grade you can do a collage on the 5 things about them that they would like to tell people.
Why is it important to let others know that you will be there to help them through hard times?
When have you ever given someone a hand in life?
Has someone ever given you a hand in life? How did that make you feel?
Is it scary to open up and let people know you?
Is it important to open up in school?
This is a great activity for your 6th graders to do for next years incoming students.
In 7th or 8th grade, Hand Tracing can be used as a collage on the specific topics that best represents them.
Pipeline
Needs: You will need a paper roll segment for each member of the group, 1 marble, a small receptacle, and any type of area.
Procedures: Divide students into groups of 8+. Instruct the teams to devise a method for moving a marble through a series of hand
held paper gutters and then successfully drop the marble into a receptacle located about 20 to 50 away as quickly as possible. Here
are the guidelines:
Paper gutters cannot touch each other or the ground.
Player controlling a marble can not move his or her feet.
No one can move arms beyond the width of his or her body space.
Only the first person can touch the marble.
Marble must not move backward.
Receptacle cannot be moved.
Any violation of the guidelines, or if the marble drops, the team must start over.
You can tell them that the marble is their integrity, courage, effort, etc., and they each had to take care of how they received it, carried
it, and passed it. At the end of the activity you can give them a marble to take home as an, anchor, for the experience. You can also
give them wooden marbles and they could write the life-skill on the marble.
Observations/Questions:
How did you contribute in this activity?
What roles were assumed during the activity?
How did you decide on gutter pieces?
How was the first person chosen?
What was the group reaction to dropping the marble?
What kind of problem-solving went on?
Categories
Needs: None
Procedures: Place students in a circle around the room. Go over this list and have kids determine which category they fall in to.
Crossing their arms (right on top or left on top)
Clasping hands (right or left thumb is on top)
Circling your tongue
Lifting eyebrows (both, right, left)
Lifting your Elvis Lip
18
Second toe being bigger than the big toe

Widows Peek
Blood type?
Do you shower in the morning or at night?
Which is your dominate eye?
What is your shoe size?
What month were you born in?
Can you roll your tongue? Can you turn your tongue upside down?
What is your astrological sign?
After a store purchase, do you count your change or not?
Do you pick you up pennies from the ground or ignore them?
How does it make you feel that there are others just like you?
Were there others similar to you that you might not have thought you had anything in common with?
Are we different?
Are we the same?
Why does this matter?
People who are the same as you on a genetic level. Even though you may be different in many ways you may find a
similarity with someone who you may not have thought of.
Tagxedo.com/Woordle.net
Needs: You will need a computer lab, and the internet.
Procedures: Tagxedo and Wordle are tools for generating, Word clouds from text that you provide. The clouds give greater
prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. You can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color
schemes. The images you create with these internet sites are yours to use however you like. You can print them out, or save them to
your computer or you can save them in the Wordle gallery to share with your friends. When you come to the website click on Create
Your Own. Begin writing in the desired text. When you are finished click on, Go. You are then able to change various aspects of
the text, the font, color, shape, format, and size. Print these out and put them on display. They are beautiful.
The Good, the Bad, and the Reasonable

JUST THE FACTS: Teamwork can be tough. Dealing with different personalities and compromise is not necessarily easy. So, what
do you do when you are part of a team and there are barriers to the teams success? This could be a sports team, a team at work, or a
group working on a school or community project. The purpose of this activity is to engage participants in a discussion of some of the
barriers to effective teamwork and the strategies they may be able to put in place to create positive outcomes.
Time: 25 minutes
Materials: Flip chart and markers
Dry spaghetti and marshmallows
Timer
Directions
a.
Ask participants if teamwork is ALWAYS easy. (Most likely you will receive no answers). Delve deeper and ask
about some of the reasons why teams sometimes dont work or what makes teamwork so difficult at times. Write
these answers on the flip chart. Answers may include: inconsistent team players, time issues, compatibility,
differences in communication styles (both giving and receiving), lack of trust, no clear goal, etc.
b. Next, divide participants into groups of four or more. Ask each group to elect a team leader for this activity. Give
each group a supply of spaghetti and marshmallows. Tell the group they will have 15 minutes to work together to
create the tallest freestanding structure possible. Before you say, go, tell the teams that their team leaders may only
supervise and offer instructions. He or she may not physically participate in this activity.
c. After 15 minutes, evaluate the structures. Usually the highest structure has a solid and wide foundation. Discuss
with participants what it means to have a solid foundation and why laying a solid foundation is important (and the
core of an effective team). Mastering Soft Skills for Workplace Success
Use the following questions for additional discussion:
1. How did your team work together? What specifically worked well? What difficulties did you experience?
2. Besides the team leader, what role did each person play in the group? How was each person helpful to the end goal?
3. Was it a plus or a minus that the team leader was not able to physically participate in the activity? How did the team leader feel
about his or her level of participation?
4. What would you do differently if given a second chance at this activity?
Journaling Activity
You are the leader of a team at work. What type of leader would you like to be one that gets involved and works with the team or
one that tells the team what to do? Explain your choice.
Extension Activity
Have participants interview no fewer than 20 of their peers and ask two simple questions:
1. What is the best part of working on a team?
2. What is the most difficult part of working on a team?
Participants should be instructed to bring their results back to the larger group. The larger group should then examine the most
common difficulties described and come up with solutions to turn these difficulties into successes.
CREATIVITY GAMES:
19
Sea If We Can Find the Errors

PURPOSE: To provide an exercise that challenges participants to think creatively.
TIME REQUIRED: 10 minutes
THE EXERCISE IN ACTION: Allow people to work individually to find the errors in following statement.
You may not belief that there are six errers in this short paragraph.
Studi the paragraph carefully. You can reed it as many times as
necessary. Dont give up too easily. See if you can find all of them
Most participants will find five but few will ever find the sixth. The sixth is simply that there are only five errors(so its an error to say
there are six).The exercise points out how we often think inflexibly and fail to consider all the options when problem solving.
PLAYING THE NUMBERS

PURPOSE: To engage participants in a creative exercise after a break or lunch.
TIME REQUIRED: 10 minutes
THE EXERCISE IN ACTION: Heres a quick exercise you can use after lunch or break. Place these numbers on a chart or white
board.
8, 11, 15, 5, 14, 1, 7, 6, 10, 13, 3, 12, 2

Tell the participants, You are seeing all the numbers from 1 to 15 with the exception of 4 and 9.Your task is to decide why the
numbers are arranged in this sequence, then put the missing numbers in their proper places
Take the test yourself right now. After you have made your decision,turn this page upside down for the correct answer.
ANSWER: The numbers are listed alphabetically.
30 SECONDS
PURPOSE: To quickly energize and challenge participants.
TIME REQUIRED: 30 seconds for each individual.
THE EXERCISE IN ACTION: Here the trainer chooses a topic and challenges participants to list as many titles as they can from this
category. For example, things used in cooking, type of fruits, vegetables etc.. Highest total achieved by the person will be considered
as the winner.
INTERVIEWS
PURPOSE: To demonstrate the dynamics of listening and memory skills.
TIME REQUIRED: 10 to 15 minutes
THE EXERCISE IN ACTION: Here one person is interviewed for five minutes on a specific topic by a team of three people, while
another team of three listens to the questions and answers. At the end of the time, the listening team must recap what the interviewee
has said in three sentences. The team asking the questions scores the other team on the accuracy of its recap. Teams are then rotated so
that the listeners become the interviews, and new interviewees and topics are chosen. The team with the highest total wins.
PASS THE MASK

Objectives:
To break the ice, raise the groups energy level, and take steps towards team building
To help participants relax by being able to appear silly with each other
None
Materials:
Process:
Ask all the participants to stand in a circle, facing inwards. Explain that each person is going to receive and then make a facial mask
that he or she will pass on to the next person, who will make a new one to pass on, etc. Tell participants the following: I am going to
make a face or a mask and make eye contact with the person on my left. She or he must try to copy the exact same mask, with her
or his face, as if she or he were looking in a mirror [demonstrate]. Then, that person will turn to the left and create a new mask to pass
on to the next person. We will pass the mask around the circle. Lets try it now, and remember to make eye contact and give the
person enough time to make a really good copy of your mask.
Closure :
Allow the group to discuss how they felt during the exercise.
MOVING SCULPTURES
Objectives: To energize participants and encourage them to be spontaneous and get outside themselves while performing
To help participants work towards building a team and developing trust
Materials: None
Process:
Designate an open space at the front of the room as the stage area. Tell the group, In this exercise we will make some human team
sculptures and poems together. Its a team-building and group creativity exercise.
Ask for a volunteer to come up to the stage and strike a pose of his or her choice (demonstrate). Once this first person is in a pose, ask
for another volunteer to come up and strike a different pose that in some way touches the first pose. (Make sure that everyone is
comfortable with the physical contact.) Ask more participants to come up voluntarily, strike a pose that connects with those already on
the stage, and freeze in that position.
20
Explain to participants that when you say the word change (let the word last a few seconds: chaaaaange), they should change to a
new pose. Remind them to stay touching at least one other participant, even while changing poses. Tell them that, as soon as you finish
saying the drawn-out chaaaaange, they should freeze in their new positions.
Watch the group carefully and advise them whenever you see that someone is not in contact with at least one other person in the
group. If you notice that male and female participants feel uncomfortable touching one another, help rearrange the sculpture so that
people of the same sex are closer to each other. You can also play with the group by changing the length of the word change, so that
sometimes they have a long time to find their pose, while at other times they must rearrange themselves very quickly (in two to three
seconds). This makes the exercise more challenging and entertaining. Allow more teams to come up after the first group has made a
few poses.
Helpful Verses: Entry Points
-Assurance of salvation John 5:24
-Guilt/Forgiveness I John 1:9
-Lack of meaning Eccl. 12:8, 13
-Fear of death John 11:25-27
-Desire for maximum living John 10:10
-No basis for values Eph. 4:17-5:21
-Separation from God Rom. 3:22b-24
-Frustration with sin I John 2:1
-What hell is like Luke 16:19-31
-Good works Eph. 2:8-10
-The old life and the new Eph. 4:17-24
-You are a new creation 2 Cor. 5:17
AFFIRMATION CIRCLE
Jesus' ministry was often to those who were the outcasts and the forgotten in his culture. Time and again he empowered them to see
themselves not as the discarded or the insignificant but as God's beloved children. The world might be a more compassionate and
peaceful place if more people embraced this simple truth and truly trusted it. I'm a firm believer that we can't really learn to fully love
others until we learn to fully love ourselves.
With that in mind, invite youth into a simple experience of affirming each other as an expression of love and care for their fellow
youth group members. Tape a simple, white paper plate to each person's back and give everyone a magic marker. Invite youth to mill
around the room as they take time to write one or more affirming words on each person's plate. Challenge them to think of descriptive
words or phrases that describe each person's unique qualities. When finished, take off each person's plate and write their name on the
back. Consider closing your meeting by sharing and discussing Psalm 139 and passing out the plates for youth to take home and hang
in their rooms as a reminder that they are wonderfully made...and as a daily challenge to see others this way, too.
OVER HAND KNOT (Not as easy as it looks!)

For this community builder, you will need one piece of 3-foot rope for every two people. Pass out ropes and ask youth to practice
tying an overhand knot -- otherwise known as the first step in tying your shoe. When they all have a clear idea of the knot, instruct the
group to form a line and grab hold of the rope that the person next to them is holding. You should end up with a line that looks like
this: youth-rope-youth-rope-youth-rope-youth and so on.
Once in place, their goal is to tie an overhand knot in the center rope (i.e. the one in bold above) without anyone letting go of the
rope(s) they are holding. What's the trick? There really isn't one, other than the group must cooperate, brainstorm together, and think
of themselves not as individuals but as one, unified rope! This activity could easily be followed up with a discussion of leadership
within the group, being attentive to the needs of all, listening to different voices, and how we are called to be one body in Christ.
Leaky Bucket - You can use as many members of your team as you wish. You have four containers and three minutes to fill a large
punctured drum with water. The holes in the drum may only be covered by parts of the team members anatomy to prevent water from
leaking out. The team with the most water in the drum by the end of the time is the winner.
Sponge Toss - The team lines up in two lines facing each other about 10 ft. apart. The team members fill the sponges with water and
then toss them to the next people standing in the line. They then toss the sponges back and forth down the line until it gets to the end
of the line, where they squeeze the remaining water into the bucket. The team with the most water in the bucket is the winner.
Platform - A platform is placed in the middle of the field. The group must get the entire team on the platform and remain there for a
designated amount of time.
21
Earthball Relay - The team must get the earthball through a designated obstacle course. Points are deducted for each cone that is
touched or missed. The time is recorded for the team's effort.
Balloon Toss - With all participants at one end of the field, we catapult water balloons from the opposite end of the field. Trying to
catch the balloon without it bursting in your hands only adds to the fun of getting wet. Those who catch an unpopped balloon win a
prize. Get ready for some competition with good ol' wet fun!
Head to Head - Within the circled barrier, participants will be instructed to move around, never staying in one spot. Facilitators will
shout out various body parts, like HEAD! Participants will have to quickly find a partner to connect head to head with, and as long
as they can fit, participants can also work in groups of twos, threes or fours. The facilitators will shout WALK and participants must
continue moving around until another body part is named, for instance, ELBOW. The process will start all over again until the game
is finished. Bonding happens very quickly during this fun activity!
SPIDER FIGHTERS
Gather your students in groups of three or four. Students will place their arms over each others shoulders to form a tight huddle with
their heads touching in the middle. A Each team of three gets a balloon. The balloon is placed in the middle of the huddle on the floor.
When the game begins the huddle of three to four must use their feet and work together to protect their balloon and pop the other
teams balloons with their feet. They may not let go of each other. Their huddle moves in unison kicking their balloon with their feet
while popping other groups ballons. Last group with their balloon wins.
ELASTICS BULLS EYE
Group Size: Groups of 6 8 people
Age Range: middle school adult
Intensity: Mental=2, Physical=1
Time: 10 20 minutes (without debrief)
Space: Minimal Medium -- Lots
Set Up Time: 60 seconds
Props: One piece of stretchy elastic and one target (non-elastic string loop) for each group
Objective
The group must release the stretched out elastic circle in such a way that the elastic falls inside the target (inside the bulls eye).
Set Up / Preparation
Divide the group into teams of 4-8.
Supply each group with one elastic circle and one target (non-elastic string).
Each person in the group holds onto the elastic with two fingers and then the group backs up so the elastic is stretched out in a big
circle (people are spaced evenly from each other). Place the target in the center of the circle. NOTE: the target in the video clip and
photo is a bucket - - this is a MUCH more difficult challenge than using the non-elastic string as a target.
The group must now release the elastic simultaneously and in such a way that the elastic falls into the target.
Rules
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
1.
2.
3.
The group must keep the elastic fully stretched just before the release.
The group must release the elastic simultaneously.
The stretched elastic circle must be kept parallel to the ground.
The target must stay in the center of the circle.
The elastic can only land inside the target as a result of the simultaneous release of the elastic by the group (example: the
elastic cannot be thrown in to the bucket by one person)
Safety Warning
Do not allow participants to place the elastic near their eyes.
Comments
If youre looking for a team challenge that is easy to transport and very difficult for a group to have success with, this is it! Very
rarely will a group actually solve this challenge - - its that difficult. What this activity will do is get a group to engage in dialogue and
creative problem solving. Because the group will likely experience non-success, it will provide them with an opportunity to determine
what non-success means to them.
Debriefing Suggestions
Frustration. Blame. These are things youll likely be helping a group process through with this activity. Especially if you
allow/make them do the activity for a long time (i.e. 30 minutes).
Is it possible to solve this challenge? Yes. But its very rare (in my experience). Why do it then? Offer this activity up
BECAUSE its nearly impossible to complete. If you have a group that can get any challenge done quickly and easily then this is a
great challenge to give them. This activity may be the thing that helps them evolve and play a bigger game.
Your ability to debrief this effectively will determine the outcome of this lesson. Are you able to work with a group that is
trying to process non-success?
Variations
Use different types of targets. Examples: a string circle on the ground, a 5 gallon bucket, a cup, etc.
Index Card Challenge
22
Group Size: Individuals

Age Range: elementary adult
Time: 5-30 minutes
Set Up Time: seconds
Props: One 4 x 6 index card and one pair of scissors for each person
Objective
Expand a four by six inch index card to a dimension that is large enough to actually step through. In
other words, make a hole in the index card large enough to pass your entire body through.
Provide one four inch by six inch index card and a pair of scissors to each participant (scissors can be
shared if necessary). People can work individually or in teams to find a solution.
Rules
1.The card may not be ripped in the process of stepping through it.
2.No other materials may be used.
Comments
1. When the average person reads this challenge and then looks at the index card, the reaction is usually
There is no way! I love activities that look impossible.
2. This can be a great individual challenge and it makes a good team (of 2 or 3) challenge.
This is a handy activity to teach the concept of making due with what you have or making a lot out of
(seemingly) a little. Another lesson could be that in order to solve some challenges we have to expand
our thinking (like the card has to be expanded).
Quote
Life shrinks or expands in proportion to ones courage.
-- Anais Nin
Variations
1. This activity works with an even smaller index card (3x5) but you have to cut it just right.
2. Write on the card that you plan to cut up. Have people write the areas in their life that could use some
expansive thinking.
Back Writing
Group Size: 10 100
Time: 5 10 minutes (without debrief)
Set Up Time: 60 seconds
Props: Markers and paper
Objective
Successfully communicate (transmit) a written message through your team.
1.
Create small groups of 4 or 5 people each. Have each small group sit in chairs (or on the floor) in
a line, one person behind the other. Provide the person at the front of each line with an 8 _ x 11 sheet
of paper and a marker.
23 Asian Computer College Youth Camp
2.
Give the big group the following directions: In a moment, Im going to ask the person at the back
of each small group to come to the front of the room where they will watch me draw a picture on a big
piece of paper. Only this small group of people will be allowed to view the picture. Once they see the
picture they will return to their seats where they will then use their finger to draw the same picture on the
back of the person sitting in front of them who will then draw the picture on the persons back in front of
them who will then draw the picture on the back of the person in front of them and so on. The person
at the front of the line will then draw the picture on the piece of paper using the marker. Once each team
is done, we will compare final drawings with the original drawing.
3.
Keep the first picture simple like a smiley face. After the first round, have people rotate positions
in their small groups so everyone can get a chance at being the first person. See Variations below for
suggestions on other (more difficult) pictures to draw.
Rules
1.
2.
1.
2.
1.
2.
People have only one chance to draw the picture on the back of someone else.
Verbal communication is not allowed.
Comments
This activity reminds some of the childrens game called telegraph where a group of 10 or 15
people sit in a circle and the leader whispers a short story into the ear of the person sitting next to them
who then whispers the story into the persons ear sitting next to them, and so on. By the time the story
gets all the way around the circle, the story usually sounds nothing like the original story.
This activity requires people to communicate through touch. Its a stretch for most people to use
this sense in this way (and stretching is good).
I like to have groups participate in this activity and then discuss (in their small groups) what
theyve found to be true about communication as demonstrated through this activity. Groups will often
discuss issues such as the importance of clarity and how messages delivered with great care can get
turned upside-down in short order.
Occasionally there will be a person or two who attempt to cheat by looking at their neighbors to
see how they are doing. I dont concern myself with this behavior because what often happens is they
end up getting erroneous information (i.e. their neighbor is doing it wrong). This provides for an
interesting debrief topic.
Variations
I use the following pictures in this order (each is harder than its predecessor):
PAPER TOWER
Group Size: 2-4 people per team
Time: 15-30 minutes
Set Up Time: seconds
Props: Each team receives: two sheets of regular paper (8.5 x 11), one large coin, one pair of scissors
Objective
Using two sheets of paper, build the tallest freestanding structure that will hold a large coin as far off the ground as possible.
24
Provide two sheets of paper (8.5 x 11) to each team as well as one large coin and a pair of scissors. This activity is best done on a
floor that is rock solid (tile, no carpet) and where there is absolutely no wind. Make sure people are far enough away from each other
that they dont interfere with each others structure.
Rules
1. The structure must be completed in the specified time limit (example: 15 minutes).
2. The tower must be free standing. It cant lean on or be supported by anything other than the surface of the floor.
3. No other supplies may be used.
Comments
The solution Ive provided involves cutting each sheet of paper in half lengthwise - - youll end up with four pieces of paper measuring
4.25 x 11. Then fold each sheet in half lengthwise and then fold it again to create three folds in each sheet. Youll then fold each
piece of paper into a long triangular tube (see pictures below). You can keep these tubes from unfolding by cutting little tabs into the
ends of the tubes. Then insert one tube end into another tube end, its as if you are going to make an antennae. Once youve created
a tower made of four sections of this triangular tubing youll be faced with balancing it and then placing your coin on top (a tricky thing to
do). There are other ways to build a tall structure Im sure. If you can beat my record of 45 send me a photo!
I like to use this activity to talk about goal setting. Building a tower to hold up a coin is a lot like setting and achieving goals. One has
to make a plan, experiment, have desire, share ideas, etc.
Variations
1. This activity can be competitive in nature - - i.e. the winner is the one whose coin is the furthest off the ground. Or you can make this
a win-win activity by establishing the following goal: individually you are to build your structures to hold your coin up. Once all the
structures are completed, ALL structures will be measured (floor to coin). The total of all structure heights are then added up. This total
is now the record.
2. If you like, you can keep going by re-supplying the group with new paper and have them build new structures with the goal being to
beat the record. Hopefully the group will begin to share the best practices in design strategies. If they share designs and help each
other, its likely the group will significantly surpass their original record.
Quote
Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility.
-- Saint Augustine
MY PERSONAL VISION
(Participants Copy)
You have two great gifts: imagining and dreamingThese are wonderful and powerful abilities...All
great things that have happened and achieved began in the imagination as dreamsFor this
activity, you will make use of these two abilities
Quiet down and focus. Let go of all distractions. You may close your eyes or fix it on the floor or on
an object in front of you.
Imagine yourself riding a time machine, which takes you to the future. See yourself inside the
machine. The engine starts and you start your travel to the future.
Imagineyou are now 10-15 years from today. Imagine.
How you will look at that timeimagine it clearly in your mindbe aware of how you feel.
What kind of person you will besee yourself and be aware about how you feel
Where you will be living...imagine it in great detailbe aware of how you feel about what you
see in your mind
Whom you will be withimagine it clearlybe aware of how you feel about whom you are
with
What you will be doingsee it clearly in your mind in great detailbe aware of your feelings
How will you be serving othersimagine it clearlybe aware of how you feel
10-15 years from nowwhat values will you live by what principles will govern your
behavior.what possessions will you havewhat will be important to you.what will excite
youwhat will make you happywhat will motivate you 10-15 years from now
Be aware of what comes to your imagination and what is in your heart. Imagine and feel everything
25
that comes to you

What else comes to your mind and heart? Become aware of everything in full detail as if it is
already happening now and you are experiencing it already.
Find a place outside where you can be alone by yourself, far from any other fellow participant.
When you have found your own place, sit down and start to write in your notebook what you
imagined and felt during this activity.
Just keep on writing. Do not be concerned about grammar and style. It is much more important to
write down everything that you have imagined and felt. You can correct the grammar and improve
your writing style later on.
26

7 Habits Lesson Plans

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

7 Habits Lesson Plans

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

ASIAN COMPUTER COLLEGE

Advancing knowledge Cultivating potentials Creating success

Materials: You will need the Habits poem and handout.

Asian Computer College Youth Camp

I have made failures.

I am easily managed- you must merely,

The Good, the Bad, or the Ugly

HABIT NO. 1: BE PROACTIVE

Asian Computer College Youth Camp

HABIT NO. 2: BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND

Asian Computer College Youth Camp

Imagineyou are now 10-15 years from today. Imagine.

V. Icebreaker Game and Dance (c/o Ms. Myra)

Face the Cookie; Keep it Up; Face Dance

HABIT NO. 3: PUT FIRST THINGS FIRST

Asian Computer College Youth Camp

HABIT NO. 4: THINK WIN-WIN

Asian Computer College Youth Camp

ACTIVITY No. 3: Win-Win Grid

Mark gets what he needs

Mark doesnt get what he needs

LOSE WIN THE DOORMAT

WIN LOSE THE TOTEM POLE

HABIT NO. 5: SEEK FIRST TO UNDERSTAND THEN TO BE UNDERSTOOD

Asian Computer College Youth Camp

ACTIVITY No. 1: Snowflakes

THE NEXT DAY:

Morning Prayer and Exercise

Asian Computer College Youth Camp

Which Shape are You?

Before beginning this activity, place each of the five

Asian Computer College Youth Camp

Figure No. 1: House

"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.." -- Helen Keller

Asian Computer College Youth Camp

Asian Computer College Youth Camp

Gods Perfect Knowledge of Man

O LORD, You have searched me and known me.

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Gods Perfect Knowledge of Man

O LORD, You have searched me and known me.

Asian Computer College Youth Camp

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

APPENDICES: OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES

A Short Lesson on Prayer

Asian Computer College Youth Camp

Asian Computer College Youth Camp

How to Assemble the Game

Print these on the backs of the Opportunity

Scenario Cards. Do not cut apart. Nothing will

Choice Cards. Cut them out. Paste the

Feet for Choice Card backs. Cut them out.

How to Play the Game

Asian Computer College Youth Camp

Was it difficult communicating information about yourself silently?

Are all students like the one you drew?

How do stereotypes or stereotyping affect us personally and as groups?

Are stereotypes correct?

Asian Computer College Youth Camp

What was the most difficult part of this activity?

How does this get you ready for life?

How did it feel when you found your animal group?

Was it hard to find your group?