Spatial Requirements: Regular classroom setup; little or no space required
Activity Type: Group
Grades: 5-12
Group Size: 8 or more
Time: 30-60 minutes

Introduction: Resource Resilience has a lot to do with creativity and thinking outside the box. It means utilizing the resources available to you to achieve a goal or solve a problem. This activity is a fun way to illustrate this concept. 

Materials:

• A box of several assorted items that could creatively be turned into musical instruments: toilet paper rolls, shoeboxes, elastic bands, pie pans, wire whisks, cans, chopsticks, spoons, or anything really!

 Activity:

Divide the class into small groups. Explain that each group is a rock band. Their instruments, unfortunately, were burned up in a fire just before their big debut. Luckily, they have Resource Resilience!  Give each group a bag of the random items. Tell them that they may use the resources provided, along with any others that they have at their immediate disposal (in their desks or backpacks) to come up with instruments. Each group should think of a band name and come up with a song about resilience. Give students plenty of time to compose their song and perform their big “debut” in front of the class.

Processing the Experience:

• How difficult was it to turn your items into instruments?
• What else was difficult about this activity?
• How did it feel to discover that you had a resource you could use in your desk or backpack?
• How can thinking creatively help us solve problems in life? Have you ever used creativity to solve a problem?
• How does this activity relate to Resource Resilience?
• What lessons from this activity can we apply in the real world?