How can a bucket, a ball of paper and some masking tape help us to understand risk taking?
This was the question I posed to the Stage 4 students during our PDHPE work last week.
They were confused and wondering if I had gone completely mad!
I set up the activity as you can see in the pictures. A bucket about 10 metres away from them. 15 pieces of masking tape set out at equal intervals marked the throw lines and points available should they get the paper ball into the bucket. Simple yet effective in highlighting the risks that adolescents take.
The students had three attempts at throwing the paper into the bucket, underarm. They got to choose from which mark they wanted to attempt this, bearing in mind the mark that was furthest away was worth the most points.
Each student took their turn to decide how much they were willing to risk to achieve the most points. Some played it safe and started at the mark closest to the bucket. A calculated risk of certain success. No! it missed. Some started midway and missed too. There were those who took their first attempt from mark 15! All but one lucky student missed!!
Students had made up their minds as to where to throw from but were influenced by me after I told them that they wouldn’t get the ball in from their chosen mark and should move forward. They listened to me!
On another occasion I said that if they didn’t get the ball in from the mark they chose they couldn’t come to my party!
Risky business – some calculated and it paid off, some calculated and it didn’t. Some were just lucky!
Even if they were lucky twice going from the same mark, they missed the last. We put this scenario into a situation in which we do not wear a helmet while skating and never fall off and injure ourselves. However, there is always a possibility of getting knocked over and hitting our head, which could be fatal. This could be prevented by wearing the helmet at all times and avoiding the risk behaviour.
We discussed how this reflected risk taking in ‘real life’. Students could clearly see that there are differing levels of risk that people take. Some have a big impact and some don’t. They decided peer pressure is a big factor in whether or not risks are taken. As was the reason for taking a risk, external factors such as being given a reward for throwing from further away influenced them greatly.
A simple game that has exposed Stage 4 to some factors and consequences of risk taking behaviour.
Adolescence is a time when brains are developing and risk taking behaviours are part of this. Adolescents need to test their own abilities. I just hope that they are more aware of the consequences of these risks and avoid risky situations that can cause themselves or others harm.
This week we are moving on to understanding the different types of drugs that are in society. They will be moving through this and on to a drugs support campaign.
A wonderful example of real life teaching making sense to students. Love your thinking outside square and using it as a learning tool for your students. Gold Star Sally.