Spatial Requirements: Classroom with moderate space required
Activity Type: Object lesson
Grades: 3-12
Group Size: 2 or more
Time: 15-20 minutes

Introduction: Having a limited view – an attitude of anger, failure, “who cares,” or “I can’t” – is the biggest impediment to gaining a life of opportunity, freedom, and self-respect. It is only when a person learns to climb the wall that their perception changes and the future becomes bright.  This activity teaches that when we climb over the wall, our options are literally endless.

Materials:

• 30 mousetraps (You may also set up dominoes or eggs in an outside setting)
• Blindfold
• Masking tape             

 Activity:

Place the masking tape on the floor in a rectangular shape 15 feet long and 4 feet wide.  Place the 30 loaded mousetraps, dominoes, or eggs randomly inside the rectangular area.  Put a blindfold on one person. The person walking through the traps should make sure to lift his/her foot up when walking instead of sliding it along the ground.

Once they have gone through the traps once with the blindfold, remove the blindfold, reset the mousetraps, and have them try again.

Processing the Experience:

• (For the person walking through the mousetraps) How difficult was it to navigate through the mousetraps when you were blindfolded?
• How did this wall (blindfold) limit your view?
• What limits your view in life?
• What might the blindfold represent in your life?
• What might the mousetraps represent in your life?
• How many mousetraps did you set off when you were blindfolded as compared to when you weren’t?  
• What kind of freedom did you have when you had the blindfold on?
• What kind of freedom and opportunities do you have in life when you can see the “big picture”?
• How can you tell if you are on top of the wall?