Gloria Gantes

LEI 4724
Activity 2
Activity: Music Box
Source:
Equipment Needed: None
Activity Description:
Purpose and Objective: Participants are enforced to work on their problem solving skills
by identifying the hidden rule behind the game. The hidden rule is to name items that
begin with solfge, do re mi fa so la ti do.
Set Up:
1. Facilitator must introduce him/herself
2. Have participants sit in a circle, facing towards the inside
Implementation:
1. Facilitator begins by telling an introductory story incorporating the magical music
box. For example: One day, I was walking down town and entered what seemed
to be an antique record store. I was walking around just viewing merchandise
when the store employee approached me offering me an exclusive view to a
magical music box. Immediately I was intrigued. I wondered what could be so
magical about this. Turns out that when I open it, the box had a never-ending
bottom of special items. I can tell you one, but why dont you guess what else is
in there.
2. Facilitator: When I opened the mystery music box, I saw sombreros. What else
did you think there was?
3. Facilitator will allow one person at a time, working around the circle, to provide
their answers. If their answer begins with either do re mi fa so la ti or do, then
affirm Yes, there was ___ in my music box; or deny Nope, no ____ in the
music box if their item does not begin with those syllables. Examples of some
accepted answers are sombreros, falling apples, lanterns, realists, etc.
4. Time permitted for game is between five and ten minutes, or until participants
have figured out the trick of the game
Reflection: Can either be decided to be done immediately after the game or to be done
after another debriefing activity or lesson that relates to this activity
Leadership Considerations:
This activity is great mental stimulator; but it brings great risk. If a participant
cannot figure out the hidden trick after noticing their classmates have, they can begin to
feel inferior and as if they are not capable. In other terms, it can be detrimental to their
self-efficacy. It is imperative to encourage participation all throughout and if need be,
throw in some clues.
For example, in a patient who has en emotional or behavioral disability such as
borderline personality disorder, it is very common for feelings of worthlessness and
insecurity to be triggered. These symptoms are very similar to patients with severe
depressive moods except that these moods are steady and not as rapidly eliciting as a
patient with BPD. In order to ease and encourage the problem solving process, the
facilitator can provide clues by enunciating the beginning syllables of words, such as
SOmbrero or FAlling apples.