This handbook presents a collection of over 35 experiential and adventure-based activities using only a single item of equipment--a 15-foot long section of 1-inch tubular climbing webbing, called a raccoon circle. Some of the activities are quiet, some are loud, and they range from low to high challenge levels. Different-sized groups can be…

Undergraduates enrolled in a field video production class at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington completed a low ropes challenge course as a team-building activity. Found that the ropes course contributed to group processes and getting students to trust one another, although its contribution to building intragroup cohesiveness was…

The Outdoor Program is part of the special education program in a Northwest U.S. junior high school that combines wilderness activities with traditional classroom activities for students with behavior disorders. The goals of the program are to help the students learn to trust each other and the teachers, to teach students how to cooperate, and to…

While working and playing together at camp, staff often work through most, if not all, of the stages of group formation, commonly referred to as forming, storming, norming, performing, and finally, transforming. Ten adventure-based games and activities are presented to help camp directors train staff and help them progress through these stages.…

Uses three examples to illustrate how adventure education encourages the development of community: it is voluntary; it taps a human need to demonstrate competence and skill; and it provides opportunities for people to rally around a common need or goal, often in the service of others. Discusses similarities and differences of community- and…

This study examined the long-term effects of participation in a half-day, low-element challenge course on the group functioning of members of college student organizations. Seventy-six participants completed measures of group cohesion, group effectiveness, and individual effectiveness within the group at four points in time: (a) one week prior to…

This book, which is intended for educators and trainers involved in designing group activities, examines the theory and practice of group activities. The first three chapters, which introduce theories about group instruction, deal with the following topics: the rationale for group instruction (types of group methods and reasons for using them);…

This report provides an evaluation, for the school year 1982-83, of the Resident Environmental Classroom project for Chapter I classroom teachers and students in the Cleveland Public Schools. The project is designed to provide students with direct experience with the natural environment, exposure to experiential learning concepts, exposure to a…