Type of Tool: Boardgame / Simulation exercise
Target group: Young people aged 18-25.
With proper modification and adaptation it can be used in working with other target groups
Topic Addressed: Cultural awareness, Social interaction, Sustainable Development, Citizenship, Intercultural Learning
Material / Equipment needed:
Jenga blocks or dominos (no. of sets depends on no. of participants)
Flip chart paper
Markers
Duration: 30-45 min (depending on group size)
Aims:
To make participants aware of effects of human activity
To develop positive attitude towards protection of historical heritage
Description:
This tool can be used to develop cultural awareness and social competences. It deals with the ways we take care of our historical and natural heritage.
Before the session, make a tower or any kind of other construction out of Jenga block or dominos.
Ask participants to come to place with blocks, observe, and let each of participants take one block and let them observe what is happening.
The idea is that the construction of blocks represents one of the culture sites where the participants are tourists. They should act as tourists, some of them just visiting the site and others taking objects from there.
After they finish, ask participants the following questions to facilitate discussion
• What happened during the game?
• What is the effect of human activities?
• Can you predict the consequences of such activity in the long-term?
The facilitator should write the key points of the discussion on the flipchart so that participants can become aware of the situation and its future consequences.
After the first discussion, ask participants:
• What would you say if this tower/construction was Acropolis (Athens), Forum Romanum (Rome), Postojna Cave (Slovenia) or a similar place?
Observe how participants react, what they say, how they interact. Write key points on flipchart.
Direct the discussion in problem solving direction by asking them what they would put as general instruction on how to behave in history/natural sites.