The premise is simple, and one that most TV viewers will know. You’re on a boat, it hits a rock, and sinks. You swim to a nearby island and find a large box with about 10 things. From there the game begins.
- Divide students into small groups, usually 3 to 4 students. Explain the ground rules.
- Everyone on the island has 6 health points;
- You have to eat 1 food everyday;
- If you get hurt or don’t eat, you lose 1 health point;
- Some of the items you choose to take from the box may help you;
When they’re finished, we go to the first game slide of the PowerPoint. It’s night, and it begins to rain. You have to find a place to sleep for the night. You have three choices
- The Mountain
- The Forest
- The Beach
Each choice will have its own consequences. In this case, the only choice that won’t lead to a student losing health points, or dying, is the forest. Someone is struck by lighting on the mountain, and has to roll a die for damage, either 1 to 6. Someone on the beach is swept out to sea. They can roll a die to see if they can swim (50%) and if they can’t, roll again for damage of 1 to 6.
The next day students are allowed to look for food. They can roll 1 to 2 dice, and take whatever food comes up. Any food left over can be saved.
The next days proceed the same, with problems, solutions, and consequences. The last day sees the students trying to get off the island, either by swimming, building a raft, or building a boat.
If they’ve saved enough food, they’ll be able to survive for the week or so at sea it takes for them to be found.
The game takes about 30 to 60 minutes and is great for mid-to-high level learners. Read some teacher testimonials to see how the game has worked for others.