Objective: By the end of this class, you will be able to… ✔ Work in a group by communicating effectively.
- Recognize the dangers of labeling and stereotyping and ways to avoid those behaviors
Agenda:
- Activator
- Lifeboat Activity
- Summarizer: Why was the Lifeboat activity a challenge? Explain your answer.
The Lifeboat
You and the following people are on a sinking cruise ship that was headed to the Bahamas. As your ship is sinking, you spot an island and believe that you are close enough to reach it in a lifeboat. However, there are 14 of you left alive, but only room for 8 in the lifeboat. Those that go in the lifeboat will probably make it to the island where they will try to survive until they are rescued. Those that are left on the sinking cruise ship will likely go down with the ship and die. You are one of the officers of the cruise ship and the highest ranking survivor. You are given the responsibility of deciding who remains on the ship and who goes aboard the lifeboat.
Part 1
- You have to decide the order in which you would save the people on the sinking ship. Place an “X” next to the 8 people you would choose to go in the lifeboat.*
- On a separate sheet of paper, write down the reason why you chose each person.
Part 2
- Get into groups with your rows.
- You must come up with who you will save as a group. Place an “X” next to the 8 people you would choose to go in the lifeboat.* Most likely, people are going to have differing opinions, but you can only have one answer.
- On a separate sheet of paper, write down the reason why you chose each person.
*This is the only information you have on the following people.*
“It’s not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are” – Roy Disney
| Self-Choice | Group- Choice | Class- Choice | People/Description |
| X | Lola – She is a 22 years old go-go dancer who was on the boat to relax from her recent breast augmentation surgery. She suffers from clinical depression and has had 2 suicide attempts but none in at least a year. | ||
| X | X | X | Mary Anne – She is a 45 years old experienced nurse and single mother with 2 school aged children at home however they are living with her sister due to a Child Protective Services because she is an active alcoholic. |
| X | X | Billy – He is a 16 years old boy on probation for stealing money from old ladies. He is very charming, friendly and helpful when he wants to be but cannot be trusted. | |
| X | X | Dr. Storch – He is 55 in good health except he has a prosthetic leg from a car accident. He is very intelligent but likes to throw his knowledge in everyone’s face as he is a bit arrogant. | |
| X | X | X | Sheena – She is 30 and is an ex- fitness instructor with an athletic build however she is HIV positive from being raped one late night after working on the side as a cocktail waitress. |
| Mickey – Mickey is in his mid 40’s and is an unemployed cocaine addict, however he is unusually strong from years of street fighting and working on the docks. Mickey has a disfigured face from the years of street fighting and his hygiene is not the best. | |||
| X | X | Shane – Shane is a genius age 39 with a degree in cellular biology, making breakthroughs in his work on a cure for cancer but he is in a wheelchair and he comes across as selfish and rude. | |
| Tom – He is 41 and a hero from both gulf wars but he hears voices when he isn’t medicated. | |||
| Cindy – Cindy is a 70 years old retired schoolteacher with 4 adult children and 15 grandchildren. She also is an expert chef and homemaker. Cindy is a chronic smoker who is awaiting test results from a test indicating she may have lung cancer. | |||
| X | X | Barry – He is in his late 20’s and has survival techniques from his years as a hired mercenary. He angers easily with a short temper but otherwise has excellent leadership skills when calm. Barry admitted to you that he killed someone in a fight in a 3rd world country many years ago and he never was caught and claims it was self-defense anyway | |
| X | X | X | Xavier– He is 18 and in good health, but he barely speaks English as he is from some strange country you’ve never heard of but he is an aspiring musician with a newly signed record contract for playing the zither. He is on an international terrorist watch list but swears he is being wrongly racially profiled. |
| X | X | X | Fred – He is a 40 years old husband and father of 4 and an expert in yachting and sea navigation and in good health but since you have been on this boat trip he has gotten on your nerves often because he is very opinionated. Fred is on this trip because he recently abandoned his sick wife and children and does not plan on ever seeing them again. |
| X | X | X | Yourself |
- What personal morals and values came into play with your decisions? Did anything particular stand out to you?
I decided to choose people who are upstanding members of society and those that have skills that are likely to allow us to survive until we are rescued.
- Can people change their morals and values? If so, what does it take?
A person’s morals and values can change when life is viewed from a different perspective. In this case, a traumatic event causes them to see how fast life can change and they might have to make decisions, they never thought they would have to make.
- How can alcohol and drug use/abuse affect one’s morals and values? Give examples.
Addiction affects a person emotionally, physically and mentally so it is easy to give up one’s morals to satisfy this addiction. Example if a person believes stealing is wrong their addiction may cause them to steal to be able to afford the substance.
- How do morals and values come into play with regard to substance use/abuse and recovery?
If the addicted person’s support group enforces specific values and morals, it may be easier for them to end their addiction.
5. Based on this discussion and exercise, what might you need to work on?
I need to work on being more decisive._
Who Am I?
Divide the picture below into at least 20 sections. In each of the sections, list something that describes you, your personality or your goals. Be creative!
INDIVIDUAL: WHY DID YOU PICK THE PEOPLE YOU PICKED?
I would choose myself first because I want to live and I am an officer of the cruise ship. I will be a good leader to the chosen passengers. I would choose Sheena then Lola. I think they would be useful on the island until we are rescued. They both deserve a chance at life after their heartbreaking past, and they are still very young. Letting them die after their experiences and suffering, especially with Lola who has 0 attempts in a year, would be tragic.
The fourth person I would choose is Billy. He is also very young. His upbringing may have caused this behavior, but he deserves the chance to turn his life around. The fifth passenger would be Mary Anne and the sixth Shane. Like Billy, Mary Anne can hopefully turn her life around after this experience for the sake of her kids. She is an experienced nurse so that would be beneficial on the island and to many people when we are rescued. Shane, despite his attitude, is an upstanding member of society. If he dies so will his cancer research which could help millions of people.
The last two are Xavier and Fred. Xavier is also young and has his life ahead of him. He is in good health so that would help us to survive also. Fred is the last person I would choose because he is useful in sea navigation which can help us and is in good health.
GROUP: WHY DID YOU PICK THE PEOPLE YOU PICKED? We all agreed that Mary Anne would be useful as she is an experienced nurse and would be useful on the island. Billy and Xavier deserve a second chance as they are both very young. We chose ourselves and Sheena as she was the passenger we sympathized with the most. Dr. Storch would also be useful as he is very smart, and Fred is an expert in sea navigation which will help us to get back to land if we are not rescued. Barry is useful as he has survival techniques and leadership skills which will allow us to survive and get by on the island.
