PPssyycchhoollooggiiccaal l ggaammee‘the forest’‘the forest’

Do you want to know what Do you want to know what your life is like?your life is like?

How to playHow to play

• The students will need a piece of The students will need a piece of paper and a pen.paper and a pen.

• The teacher will guide the students The teacher will guide the students in an imaginary walk through the in an imaginary walk through the forest, asking them questions forest, asking them questions about the things they will find on about the things they will find on the way.the way.

• They’ll have to choose, among the They’ll have to choose, among the different answers, the one they different answers, the one they think it’s true for them. think it’s true for them.

• It’s not until the end that they will It’s not until the end that they will know the key to the questions and know the key to the questions and answers.answers.

• This psychological game will make This psychological game will make them think about important things them think about important things in life.in life.

Imagine…Imagine…you are in the you are in the forestforest

1. What is your forest like?1. What is your forest like?

a) A coniferous forest?a) A coniferous forest?

b) A b) A temperate temperate forest?forest?

c) A tropical forest?

d) A Mediterranean forest?

2. How do you feel in the 2. How do you feel in the forest?forest?

• a) Excited and happy

• b) Relaxed and calm

• c) Uncomfortable and angry

• d) Frightened and nervous

3. You start walking in the forest and you find… a key

• What will you do with it?

– a) I’ll throw it away

– b) I’ll keep it

– c) I’ll put it where someone could see it

4. Now you’ve come to… a river

• a) It’s a small river, almost a stream and I’ll jump over it

• b) It’s a deep river but I’ll swim to cross it

• c) It’s a river with rapids and I’ll turn around

5. You keep on walking and you find… a house

• a) It’s a wooden house

• b) It’s a cottage

• c) It’s a castle

• d) It’s a tipi

6. As you keep walking you find… a wall

• a) it’s a brick wall. You don’t like it, so you turn round

• b) It’s a stone wall. Although it’s hard, you jump over it

• c) It’s a cardboard wall. You kick it and destroy it

• d) It’s like a big window. You open it and you keep on walking

The key: 1. The forest is ‘LIFE’ and your life is the same as your forest.

a) A coniferous forests have awesome evergreen

vegetation but they are very cold places.

b) Temperate forests change with every season. Leaves

change colour in autumn, fall in winter and go back in spring

and till the end of summer.

c) The tropical forest is full of life, animals, vegetation,

water. But watch out! It also hides dangers.

d) The Mediterranean forests are full of aromatic herbs, they

don’t have very big trees. They have adapted to drought

conditions and to the unpredictable rains.

You enjoy a wonderful life but take good care of your

friends or you will end alone.

Your life is changing and this is positive. But be careful

you choose well at the end.

You are full of life, everybody loves you. Don’t forget that life also has bad

moments.Perhaps you are no the

luckiest person in the world but you know what to do in every moment of your life

2. How you feel in your forest 2. How you feel in your forest is how you feel in lifeis how you feel in life

• a) Excited and happy

• b) Relaxed and calm

• c) Uncomfortable and angry

• d) Frightened and nervous

3. The key is… friendship

• If you’ve thrown it away– a) You don’t consider friendship a high value

• If you’ve kept it– b) Friendship is very important to you

• If you’ve put it where someone could see it– c) You are very selective choosing your friends

4. The river means… problems!

• a) A small river. You don’t have big problems and you solve them easily

• b) A deep river. You don’t run away from your problems even they are serious

• c) A river with rapids. You don’t know how to face your problems

5. The house is… your family life5. The house is… your family life• a) Your family life is like wood,

warm and comfortable

• b) Your family life is traditional and ordinary

• c) Your family life is strong and steady

• d) Your family life may have no strong roots

6. The wall is death

•a) You’re not prepared to face death, you do not admit such possibility

•b) Death is hard but you know is inevitable

•c) You never give in, you’re a real fighter

•d) You consider death part of life, so you accept that some day it will knock at your door