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by Sylvia Dresser * Malone, Jeanette S. Wild Adventures: a guidebook of activities for building connections with others and the earth. Needham Heights, MA: Simon and Schuster Custom Publishing, Inc., 1998. Wild Adventures is published in cooperation with the Association for Experiential Education, and as the name implies, blends both environmental education and experiential education. The presentation is very pleasing to the eye - great drawings of natural scenes, nicely laid out so that you can tell exactly which part of the instructions to go to. The spiral binding also allows the book to lie flat, so you won't lose your place! The first few sections provide instructions on how to use the book and in what settings things work best, and include useful tools such as an equipment list. Although geared towards upper elementary students, the activities can be easily adapted or used as is for other age groups. And it is the activities that are the meat of the book - over 40, each one described fully, with suggested time frames, material lists, suggested setting, and topic indications for both the "eco-topic" and the "team theme" (sometimes there are more than one of each). Activities are divided into four sections: Building relationships to others and the earth, Celebrating Animal Diversity, Helping Others Grow, and Strengthening our connections. Examples of activities are: Food Chain Tag, Ants in the Plants, Animal Teams, Survival Quests, and Who's that Wild Thing? When an activity is based on another specific activity, credit is given to the originator of the activity. If any special materials are needed, like Survival Quest cards, they are included and can be easily cut out for use. Each activity also has suggested follow-up or processing activities. A very useful text, recommended to all who work with kids, whether or not you have access to the great outdoors, but even better if you do! * Luckner, John L. and Reldan S. Nadler. Processing the Experience: Strategies to Enhance and Generalize Learning. Second ed. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall-Hunt Publishing Co., 1997. The second edition of this standard in the field starts off with the rational behind both experiential learning and processing, and moves on to the theory of promoting change, edgework, corrective emotional experience, and what to do with feelings. Part three moves on to communication skills, group development, and various methods of processing and developing metaphors. Part four includes such topics as learning activities and retention strategies, resolving conflict, and thinking about thinking. In the final section, case studies are outlined and responded to by experts in the field. Although, this is an extremely well organized and usable book. It meets the needs of both the practitioner in the field looking for new ideas and strategies, and the academician looking for the "why" in what we do. Activities range from specific suggestions to more general theoretical applications. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the book is very readable and easy to use when looking for specifics. Recommended for any one who works with groups! * Chapelle, Sharon, and Lisa Bigman, with Francesca Hillyer. Diversity in Action: Using adventure activities to explore issues of diversity with middle school and high school age youth. Hamilton, MA: Project Adventure, 1998. Sharon Chapelle and Lisa Bigman are training partners with the World of Difference program run by the Anti-Defamation League of B'Nai Brith. They take their learnings and philosophy and meld it with the Project Adventure's Diversity training methodology. The first few chapters tell stories about experiences, cover operating principles such as the Full Value Contract, and sequencing an adventure program. The second part of the book moves into issues like nurturing communities, building allies, and group identities. In the chapter on How Does It Feel to be Different, for instance, there is a theoretical discussion of difference and the stress it creates, discrimination and developmental issues, standing up for ourselves and others, followed by a suggested reading list. There is a worksheet on identifying discrimination, a couple of stories, some issues involving group skills, and then an activity section. Each activity is categorized and described, and then related to some specific diversity skills, as well as referenced to some processing questions. In section three, specific issues of individual identity, racial identity, and gender and sexual orientation are covered. Don't be put off by the emphasis in the title on young people - this
book is for everyone who works with issues regarding diversity and difference.
Well laid out, easy to follow directions make this a gem for anyone's library.
Highly recommended.
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