Lost at Sea

Seventh grade students in Miss Dannelly’s English classes tested their survival skills with a “Lost at Sea” activity. Students had to practice their close reading skills as they read through a scenario in which they were stranded on the ocean after their ship went down. Students were given a list of fifteen items they had to rank from most important to least important as they used their critical thinking skills to determine what was essential for their survival. First they created an individual ranking of the items and then worked collaboratively with peers to create a new ranking. They had to learn to explain their reasoning as well as compromise until the group agreed. Students had a blast as they got to know their new classmates through working on the scenario. Afterward, Miss Dannelly gave the students the Coast Guard rankings, and they were able to figure out if they lived or perished on the high seas. Izabel Guzman said “We learned it is easier to succeed in a group than on our own.” A fitting statement for these students as they are starting junior high.