Communication isn’t just giving directions however. It’s also hearing what’s being said and following directions. How good are you at following directions?  (I know the first time I tried this experiment, I didn’t do nearly so well!)

Try this:

You Need: The instruction sheet (see below), one for each person in the group, and pencils for each person in the group.

[am4show have=’p8;p9;p10;p37;’ guest_error=’Guest error message’ user_error=’User error message’ ]

1.      Pass the instruction sheet to everyone in your group. Click here to download the Get The Picture instruction sheet .

2.      Tell everyone to read the instructions carefully and to go ahead and get started.

3.      The answers for “Get The Picture” are at the end of the lesson (below).

Get The Picture Instruction Sheet

Please follow the following directions exactly.  Do everything that the instructions say. Read all the following directions before beginning.

1. Circle the word circle in this sentence.

2. Write the third word in this sentence here. __________________

3. Draw a large square on the back of this paper.

4. Draw a large triangle on top of the square on the back of this paper.

5. Draw a rectangle inside the square with a short side touching the middle of the bottom of the square on the back of this paper.

6. Draw a small square to the right of the rectangle in the large square on the back of this paper.

7. Draw a circle above the left side of the triangle.

8. Ignore every single instruction on this page but this one. Turn your paper over and draw a big smiley face on the paper. There should be nothing on the back of this page but one big smiley face. After you’ve drawn your smiley face turn this page back over.

Answer to Get the Picture: There should be nothing on the page except for a smiley face on the back! So now you’ve had a chance to see that giving directions is difficult and following directions is difficult. Let’s put it all together with this next activity.

[/am4show]