Summer Institute: Field Studies: The Ropes Course at Triangle Training Center

Welcome to our experience at the Ropes Course!

Main Page
Images Page

Hello and welcome to the webpage which will describe our experience at the Ropes course. It was supposed to teach us teamwork and give us an experience about working as a team with a group of other people.

The first thing that we did was get to know each other better by doing a few activities. We got into groups and then started the activities. One of the activities was to try to get all 9 of us in the group onto a 2x2 wooden podium for 30 seconds while reciting one of our characteristics in a certain order. This taught us how to work together and listen to all possible ideas no matter how farfetched they seemed.

After that, we did an activity that was called, appropriately enough, "Walk." Everyone in the group had to stand on two long wooden blocks with rope attached. We would grab the ropes so we could pick up the wooden blocks. The goal was for all of us to work together to get to a certain point while on the wooden blocks. If we fell off the blocks, we would have to suffer a consequence. Some of the consequences were not talking, singing when you talk, turning around backwards, being blindfolded, and much more. Again, it was supposed to improve teamwork and trust (especially if you were blindfolded).

Another activity that we did was the "Spider's Web". It was also supposed to teach us teamwork. The goal was to get everyone on the team over on the other side of the web through certain holes without actually touching the web. Some of the holes were easier and we could just easily go through them, but some other holes were harder and required others to lift the person and help them out onto the other side. The key solution to completing this activity successfully is trust.

The Cure for Cancer was an interesting activity. The story was that you had to take "the cure for cancer" which you stole from the natives, and you had to get it to the helicopter before the natives caught you, and you were twenty minutes ahead. You had to cross a river filled with alligators and the only means of getting across was by swinging with the rope hanging over the middle of the river. The only way to do it was by using something you brought with you to get the rope. It required group planning, leadership, and teamwork. Again, to be successful in the activity, we had to listen to all ideas no wonder how weird they sounded.

Another activity we did was the "Flying Squirrel." This activity involved all of us working as a team and a whole lot of trust. We had to trust everyone because we were getting lifted up into the air by a rope which was attached to a harness which we were wearing. At any point in time, if your teammates didn't do what they were supposed to, and they didn't pull as hard as they could, you would fall.

Images

Click here to see our images page! These images are pictures of what we did while we were at the Ropes Course. Pictures for all of the last four activities are on the Images page.

This page was created by Albert Ren and Patrick Colyer.

Made: July 1999

Welcome to our experience at the Ropes Course!
Main Page Images Page	Hello and welcome to the webpage which will describe our experience at the Ropes course. It was supposed to teach us teamwork and give us an experience about working as a team with a group of other people. The first thing that we did was get to know each other better by doing a few activities. We got into groups and then started the activities. One of the activities was to try to get all 9 of us in the group onto a 2x2 wooden podium for 30 seconds while reciting one of our characteristics in a certain order. This taught us how to work together and listen to all possible ideas no matter how farfetched they seemed. After that, we did an activity that was called, appropriately enough, "Walk." Everyone in the group had to stand on two long wooden blocks with rope attached. We would grab the ropes so we could pick up the wooden blocks. The goal was for all of us to work together to get to a certain point while on the wooden blocks. If we fell off the blocks, we would have to suffer a consequence. Some of the consequences were not talking, singing when you talk, turning around backwards, being blindfolded, and much more. Again, it was supposed to improve teamwork and trust (especially if you were blindfolded). Another activity that we did was the "Spider's Web". It was also supposed to teach us teamwork. The goal was to get everyone on the team over on the other side of the web through certain holes without actually touching the web. Some of the holes were easier and we could just easily go through them, but some other holes were harder and required others to lift the person and help them out onto the other side. The key solution to completing this activity successfully is trust. The Cure for Cancer was an interesting activity. The story was that you had to take "the cure for cancer" which you stole from the natives, and you had to get it to the helicopter before the natives caught you, and you were twenty minutes ahead. You had to cross a river filled with alligators and the only means of getting across was by swinging with the rope hanging over the middle of the river. The only way to do it was by using something you brought with you to get the rope. It required group planning, leadership, and teamwork. Again, to be successful in the activity, we had to listen to all ideas no wonder how weird they sounded. Another activity we did was the "Flying Squirrel." This activity involved all of us working as a team and a whole lot of trust. We had to trust everyone because we were getting lifted up into the air by a rope which was attached to a harness which we were wearing. At any point in time, if your teammates didn't do what they were supposed to, and they didn't pull as hard as they could, you would fall. Images Click here to see our images page! These images are pictures of what we did while we were at the Ropes Course. Pictures for all of the last four activities are on the Images page.
This page was created by Albert Ren and Patrick Colyer.