Plan
This Activity highlights the importance of leadership and great communication. Like the game of ‘telephone’ where a word is transformed as it is miscommunicated from person to person. This challenge demonstrates how even simple instructions can be misinterpreted with sometimes humorous results.
- How will you make up your pairs?
- What materials do you need for this activity?
- What problems in communication do you forecast?
Do
- The youth start by writing out detailed instructions on how to layer clothing for outdoor winter activities.
- Another youth must follow the instructions word-for-word. And do what is written. To be clear, they must follow the instructions exactly. It will not only be funny, but it will highlight the assumptions we all make, teach us how to write descriptive instructions, and provide satisfaction when they get us to complete the task.
- Have fun with it. Mess up on purpose until there is simply no way around the instructions.
- Film the activity and post to social media and tag @ScoutsCanada
Review
- What do you know now that you didn’t before?
- How could you communicate more effectively with your instructions?
- What was hard about writing the instructions?
- How would you do it differently?
- Remember to add your activity to the Scouts for Sustainability Take Action Map
Keep it Simple
- Limit layering to 2-3 items.
Take it Further
- Add more layers. Don’t forget a hat and mitts!
- Make a Tik Tok video
