The WMS Experiential Learning Program
Learning through Doing

What is an experiential learning activity?

An experiential learning activity is a guided learning opportunity designed to build trust, responsibility, caring, cooperation, respect, communication, and problem-solving skills in a designated group.

The experiential learning begins as a trained facilitator creates a carefully crafted learning environment for the group. The facilitator’s role is to guide the group through a task, maintain safety and allow the group to find their own solutions to problems they encounter.

The debriefing session is an essential piece to the success of any experiential learning activity. This is an opportunity for the group to reflect on their experience, share what they have learned and apply this information to real life situations.

WMS Experiential Learning Day Schedule of Activities

All students will report to the WMS gym at 7:43AM. Students will meet according to their pre-assigned group number. Groups will sit together and listen for opening comments and instructions. The first activity of the day will allow the group to determine a group leader. This person will take attendance for the group and take the attendance sheet to the front office. The parent assistant will help this process as needed. The group leader will be in charge of starting the first group builder activity (parent volunteer will help guide the group through the ice breaker), carrying the stake with the group #, leading the group through the rotation of activities outside and gathering raft building materials.

Students will be dismissed from the gym at 8:05AM and use the pool lobby hall to exit the building.

The following schedule is based on ten experiential activities. Two separate rotations will take place with five groups in each rotation. Each group will be given thirty-five minutes for the activity and debriefing session. A siren will sound letting groups know it is time to rotate to the next activity.

Activities

Group A Rotation

Activity #1 Strengths Course
Activity #2 Raging River
Activity #3 Nitro Swing
Activity #4 Electric Portal
Activity #5 Bucket Game

Group B Rotation

Activity #6 Raging River
Activity #7 Nitro Swing
Activity #8 Dream Catcher
Activity #9 Bucket Game
Activity #10 Strengths Course

Schedule

35 minute activity blocks (includes debriefing)

8:10-8:45am
8:50-9:25am
9:30-10:05am
10:10-10:45am
10:50-11:25am

11:30AM All groups meet on the football field for lunch instructions

LUNCH (11:40 -12:00pm) Students may bring a lunch or bagged lunches are available through school cafeteria. Groups will be asked to sit together for lunch in the cafeteria.

Students will receive information about afternoon activities at 12:00pm. Parent leaders will hand out a plastic grocery bag to each group member for their change of clothing and shoes. Groups will be dismissed to the gym and pool locker rooms to change into their pool clothing.

12:15PM Begin reporting to pool bleachers - Students bring their bag of clothing/shoes with them to their assigned pool bleacher area.

Culminating Group Builder Activity (12:30pm-1:30pm)

“Raft Building and Races”

Goal: Groups will apply trust, responsibility, caring, cooperation, respect, communication, and problem-solving skills focused on during the morning session to build a raft based on materials and guidelines provided.

Each group will report to the pool bleachers with parent assistant and staff facilitator at 12:15pm. Groups will sit with parent assistant and staff facilitator to receive information on raft building activities. Groups will be assigned an area to build their raft, gather the raft materials and report to their designated area. Groups will be allowed 45 minutes to build the raft. Groups will bring their completed raft to the East side of the pool by 1:15pm and report back to the bleachers. Timed heats (3 groups/rafts per heat) will begin at 1:30pm and determine those participating in the final competition.

Parent assistant and staff facilitator are responsible for helping their group of ten students break into two groups of five. One group of five will begin the race by taking the raft across the width of the pool; the second group of five will bring the raft back. Parent assistant and staff facilitator will check each group members’ life jackets before allowing them into the pool.

Group members are responsible for dismantling their raft after they are finished racing. All items from the raft will be returned to their designated areas before groups return to the bleachers. Groups in the final competition will be invited down to the pool deck after the heats are completed. All other groups will sit in designated areas of pool bleachers with parent assistant and staff facilitator to cheer on final raft race.

Group, facilitator and parent assistant will report to assigned raft building area to debrief at 2:25pm. Groups are dismissed by facilitator to change their clothes after the debriefing session.

For More Information

For more information on the Experiential Learning program click here.