Desert island

Objectives of the exercise:

  • to develop cooperation and teamwork skills,
  • to practise collective decision-making,
  • to increase awareness of communication patterns within a group,
  • to observe leadership, participation, and influence in group processes,
  • to encourage negotiation, problem-solving, and consensus-building,
  • to stimulate creativity and imagination,
  • to strengthen group identity through shared cultural creation.

Procedure:

  1. Participants work as one group. The instructor introduces the following scenario:

    “You have landed on a desert island and will be living there together for a long period of time. In order to function successfully as a community, you need to create the foundations of your new society.”

  2. The group’s first task is to establish 10 rules that will govern life on the island. These rules may relate to areas such as:

    • division of responsibilities,
    • sharing resources,
    • conflict resolution,
    • safety and protection,
    • decision-making processes,
    • communication,
    • cooperation and mutual support,
    • individual rights and responsibilities.

  3. Once the rules have been agreed upon, the group works together to create a detailed vision of the island community. The group is asked to complete the following tasks:

A. Creating the Island Map

  1. Participants draw a map of their island on a large sheet of paper.
  2. The map should include important locations such as:
    • places where people live,
    • food and water sources,
    • community meeting areas,
    • recreational spaces,
    • natural landmarks,
    • any other locations considered important by the group.
  3. Participants decide together how the island is organized and what resources are available.

B. Creating National Dishes

  1. The group invents one or more traditional dishes that represent the culture of their island.
  2. Participants decide:
    • the name of each dish,
    • the ingredients available on the island,
    • the preparation method,
    • when and why the dish is eaten.
  3. The group writes a simple recipe for each dish and may illustrate the final result if desired.

C. Creating an Island Anthem

  1. Participants create a short anthem that represents the values, identity, and spirit of their island community.
  2. The anthem may consist of:
    • a short song,
    • a chant,
    • a spoken slogan,
    • a rhythmic group performance.
  3. The focus should be on collaboration and creativity rather than musical ability.

D. Creating an Island Dance

  1. The group designs a simple dance or movement sequence associated with island traditions.

  2. The dance may include:

    • symbolic gestures,
    • coordinated movements,
    • movements representing important aspects of island life,
    • group formations.

  3. All participants should be able to take part regardless of their movement experience.

  4. The instructor remains primarily an observer throughout the process, intervening only when necessary to support safety, participation, and time management.

  5. At the end of the activity, the group presents:

    • their island rules,
    • the island map,
    • national dishes and recipes,
    • the anthem,
    • the dance.

Reflection and Discussion

Possible reflection questions include:

  • How were decisions made within the group?
  • Did the group strive for consensus, voting, compromise, or another method?
  • Who took on leadership roles?
  • Who contributed less frequently?
  • How were disagreements resolved?
  • Which task was the easiest to complete?
  • Which task was the most challenging?
  • How did creativity influence cooperation?
  • How did the group balance different ideas and preferences?
  • How does this process resemble real-life group functioning?

Methodological guidelines:

  • Emphasize that the process of cooperation is more important than the final products.
  • Encourage creativity, flexibility, and playfulness.
  • Avoid evaluating ideas as right or wrong.
  • Allow participants to distribute tasks according to their interests and strengths.
  • Observe communication styles, leadership patterns, and methods of conflict resolution.
  • Encourage equal participation and respect for diverse perspectives.
  • Adapt the complexity of the tasks to the age and abilities of the group.
  • During the reflection phase, focus on group processes rather than artistic or creative quality.