The volcano game is based on anger regulation in the AART program. We use this as a teaching tool here at our school.
Purpose: To give students the opportunity to practice problem-solving skills so that they can transfer the learning and master interaction with others.
Material:
- A plastic laminated, legal size “THE VOLCANO GAME” diagram,
- Game pieces and scoring pieces (for example, wooden pieces)
- Book in which students and teachers write down situations that they feel are not OK.
Frequency:
Situations are written up in the book when they occur during the school day. THE VOLCANO GAME can be played as often as you can arrange for it. For example, once a week, preferably at a fixed time, 45 minutes.
Implementation:
- The participating students (1-2 students and one adult) decide, each time ,which situation will be played.
- We begin the game with the student who has chosen situation (A) telling the first thing he said or did in the situation and moves the piece to the lowest point in the Volcano. The student gets a point token by finding out what they themselves did, and 1 point token for each solution the student finds at that point in the situation that can stop/solve the situation. All proposed solutions are written down in the book under the situation described.
- Then it is the other student’s turn (B) to say the first thing they remember doing in the situation. The student gets one point for remembering the first thing she/he did, and 1 point chip for each solution she/he thinks she/he could have done to stop/solve the situation. If there is a student and an adult playing, the adult takes the perspective of a staff member, with a focus on a safe and good school environment for all students.
- Then it is student (A)’s turn to move up the volcano a notch and find out what she/he did in the situation when the other person said/did what they did. Again 1 point for finding out what you did yourself and 1 point chip per proposed solution.
- The game continues like this until they no longer remember or the situation has ended.
- Now all options for solving the problem are read out by the teacher and they get 5 points for agreeing on the solution that is best for both of them, and for those who were involved in, or witnessed, the situation.
- Then we practice the solution by being ourselves in the situation, and both get 5 point tokens for practicing a good solution.
- At the end of 45 minutes of play, the points are tallied.
Hope the “recipe” can be of help 😉
Vulkanen emosjonsregulering og konfliktforståelse-løsning – download