High School PE Lesson Ideas

Name of Activity: Survivor Houghton

Purpose of Activity: The purpose of the activity is to have students work together to solve challenges while also incorporating fitness activities.

Suggested Grade Level: 9-12

Materials Needed:

Survivor Houghton Handout

The following equipment is needed for this activity:

- 4 tribal flags (wood stick with bandana attached—each team has a different color)
- 16 resource challenge cards (4 water, 4 food, 4 fire, and 4 shelter)
- gym floor tape
- 4 laminated turkey targets
- 4 playground balls (4 inches in diameter)
- 4 large Gatorade jugs (or other large container)
- 4 folding mats
- 20 noodle pieces (about 1½ inches in length)
- 4 laminated fire cards
- 4 unassembled camping tents
- bandanas/blindfolds for all students (each tribe has its own color)
- 4 agility ladders taped on gym floor
- 12 jump ropes (varied lengths)
- 4 sets of 2 small cones with rope spread from one cone to the other

Description of Idea

Variations:

NOTE: This idea was created for the high school I teach at in western New York and uses equipment that is available within our PE program. The resource challenge cards can be creatively adapted to fit the location and available equipment of a different school.

Assessment Ideas:

After the activity has been completed, discuss the questions below with the students. Be sure to get responses from members representing all the tribes.
- While completing the Survivor Challenge, what is one way your tribe worked well together?
- While completing the Survivor Challenge, what is one way your tribe could have improved in working together?
- If you could go back as a tribe and re-do one part of the Survivor Challenge, what would it be? How would you do things differently?