Group size: from 4 to 20 participants
Time: The activity duration is about 25 minutes
Materials required: Worksheet for the application of the game LOST ON THE MOON:

OBJECTIVES:

• Observe the group work on a hypothetical situation
• Observe the attitudes (capacity) and aptitudes (behavior), of the group members when working in a team.
• Know the analytic and communicative capacity.
• Analyze the behaviors produced at the moment of communication and the facility to work in cooperation.
• Observe the work atmosphere
• Observe the students motivation capacities towards their team members and towards work.
• Define the positive People who stimulate for work.
• Develop communication abilities.

WHEN TO USE?
This group activity could be better used just before introducing 2.1. Construction of a speech in order to show the students how to make a good structure of speech and construction of arguments.

STEPS
We divide the group into two subgroups, of the same number if possible. One of the formed subgroups follows the instructions of the worksheet “Lost on the moon”, firstly in an individual way and then brings their ideas together, having to reach an agreement and to make a common list.

The second group observes the following characteristics:

• People in the group who lead the meeting development.
• People whose comments have no incidence, (no one pays attention to them).
• How they make group decisions.
• Observe the meeting atmosphere (positive environment, possible verbal assaults, etc.)

In general, the second group will have to observe the difficulties found as a group to reach an agreement. After the first group have concluded their task, the second group bring their ideas together in front of the first one, the observations made. The last thing we will do will be with the whole group together, reflections on the obtained and observed results.

DEBRIEFING
Describe concrete tips for the process of debriefing after the end of the game.
Define two, three or more themes, that have to be discussed by the participants after their participation in the activity.
Try to point out also concrete questions, that can be used during the discussion.
It`s also important some time for self-reflection to be foreseen, when the participants can describe how it felt to them to play the concrete role, what did they do well, what do they wish they hadn`t said, what did they learn from it etc.
Here can be added some additional tasks, that the participants can do as a homework.

VARIATIONS OF THE GAME:
It is a very important technique in order to know the group performance, communication techniques, the interaction produced, to detect conflicts, roles, etc.