Image Perspectives (a Chiji Cards Activity)

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Image cards are truly one of the most versatile team building prop (in my opinion). My two favorite decks of images are Chiji Cards (above) and Climer Cards (both physical and virtual decks). And, one of my favorite projects to do with long-term groups (e.g., school-based classes that meet regularly), is to make our own set of image cards (digital resources and magazine cut-outs, laminated). 

Recently, I was searching for resources for a curriculum development project. One of the curriculum's themes is 'Diversity' so, naturally, I picked up my copy of Diversity in Action: Using Adventure Activities to Explore Issues of Diversity with Middle School and High School Age Youth by Chappelle, Bigman & Hillyer (an amazing book!). Digging through the book I came across the activity, Human Camera (Rohnke, Silver Bullets). In the Diversity Skills section of the activity the authors state, "This activity lends itself well to discussions about how each of us perceives the world differently." 

Based on the environmental context where the curriculum was going to be delivered (the school's indoor and outdoor spaces), I knew Human Camera was not going to be as 'rich' as it needed to be. How could I do something similar to make the point about perceiving the world differently? Image cards came to mind. Here's what I'm thinking (another Beta Test my friend!): 

Image Perspectives

Set Up: Scatter out your set(s) of image cards, images up, on the floor or a few tables. When working with six or more participants, form small groups of three or four in a group. (This is a good activity for small groups of six or less.) 

Frontload: (Using some of the language from Diversity in Action) "This activity lends itself well to discussions about how each of us perceives the world differently. People who look at the same 'image' often see it differently. Let's try out this idea." 

Directions: 

• Sit together with your small group around in the program area. Give yourself a little space away from other groups so you can carry on a discussion without interrupting each other. 
• One person from your small group is invited to find an image from the pool of cards that is the backdrop for a story that happened in the person's life. 
• The image/card chooser returns to her/his group and shows the image. 
• First, each of the choosers group members is invited to share a story this image brings up for them - something from their lives. [In most cases, I'm guessing, something will come up for everyone. If someone needs to "Pass" it's okay.]
• The person who choose the image/card will then tell the story about what the image means to her/him.
• After this sharing, each small group is given the opportunity to discuss the similarities and differences between their stories. Their perspectives of the same image. 
• Then, someone else from the small group is invited to choose an image/card from the pool that tells a story for him/her. 
• The process continues for each participant within each small group. (If others are still working through their first turn, the groups done with their first turn can invite someone from their group to take another turn - pick a new image/card that tells another story.) 

Group Processing (These two question are what I would like to explore with the whole group. Inspired by the Human Camera activity in Diversity in Action):

• How do our different perspectives, or stories, about the things we see influence how we react to the world around us? 
• Please share some first hand examples of this idea? 

Let me know if you try this one. How did it go? What did you change? 

All the best, 

Chris Cavert, Ed.D.