"Lord of the Flies" Survival Game

Seventh graders are immersed in an "island survival" adventure related to their study of William Golding's 1954 classic Lord of the Flies. The novel tells the story of a group of school-age boys marooned on an uninhabited island, where they struggle to survive without a government or rules.

In this creative, unique activity that spans 10 class sessions, our boys are assigned to belong to one of two "tribes." Using knowledge gained from history classes in the fall, they first determine what type of government system to adopt.

During the simulations, they strategize methods to overcome obstacles and acquire resources such as wood, food, shelter, and water. The simulation requires the boys to negotiate, debate, and reflect critically on their decisions as they face challenges to their survival.

In journals, they regularly write about their thinking, their decisions and consequences. Writing skills are further developed and honed. In addition to analyzing the themes, conflicts, and characters in the novel, they analyze their own actions, bringing a component of personal reflection and introspection to the activity. In a recent class, the boys' writing assignment was to identify which character in the novel they felt they were most like and why, based upon their own behavior in their tribe.

This new learning experience is an example of the in-depth, active learning that crosses disciplines at Saint David's, allowing our boys to dig deep and grapple with important life issues.

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