Time Capsule

Get boxes for each member of the group. If you choose, you can decorate the boxes in the group or outside of group time. Tell the kids to pretend these boxes are time capsules that will be buried for 100 years. When they are dug up, people will know about them only from the items in the capsule and the way they are decorated. Instruct the kids to fill the capsule with items that describe/show who they are, where they came from or how they feel. Items can include pictures, toys, etc. They can do this over the week then show and discuss with the group the items in each member's box and why they included them.

Purpose

To get students to think about who they are, things that are important to them, and things that have made them who they are. Also, to get students thinking about how they want others to see them.

Goals

To get students to share pieces of themselves, their values and their culture with other members of the group. For other students to show an interest in lives of their group members and to be supportive of the sharing and self-disclosure that goes on.

The rationale behind this activity is that students of other cultures spend a lot of time trying to fit in with the majority and often are not encouraged to share aspects of their culture that they are proud of. This gives them the opportunity to be proud of themselves and their heritage. They are the experts on this subject and are being encouraged to share. I think this will work because it is presented in a fun, futuristic, "let's pretend" manner, but they get to share items that represent themselves.