"Survivor" castaways are responsible every day for maintaining their island camps, making fire and food, and any number of additional tasks critical to their survival. Marooned together, they have to rely on each other to get them done; adopting a collaborative teamwork plan of attack, with rotating duties for each tribe member, is key. This basic day-to-day "Survivor" experience makes for both a functional and fun kindergarten activity model: a rotating "Survivor" Job Wheel for delegating students their daily classroom chores. Constructing the Job Wheel itself is also a creative, collaborative class activity. Beyond the usual project props (posterboard, markers, scissors and glue), provide island-themed items (shells, leaves and plastic fish) for decorating in the spirit of the castaways. Have each student bring in a personal photo to glue on his "Survivor" slice of the teamwork-designed larger Job Wheel.
The game of "Survivor" is centered around team challenges designed to both test and evoke a variety of skills and strengths. Every season, challenges inspired by the classic children's game "Memory" are a hallmark for testing competitors' detail perception, information retention and concentration focus. Bring "Survivor" excitement to kindergarten "Memory" activities through accessible mediums and enlivening twists, including dividing students into teams and using their desks (or the teacher's blackboard) as props for the game board. Create cards on posterboard with images, letters or numbers tied to the current learning unit.
Trademark "Survivor" challenges also encompass a host of tried-and-true physical contests, targeted to elicit from castaways myriad performance skills, including leadership and teamwork, cooperation, sportsmanship, patience and perseverance. These contests' inventive game concepts can be readily channeled into activities for kindergartners, with corresponding benefits of encouraging a healthy spirit of competition, cultivating these player attributes and emphasizing the importance of physical fitness. For an optimally "Survivor"-representative experience, plan an outdoor "Survivor" Field Day. Divide students into "tribes" and encourage them to dress "island-style" for the day; designate each tribe a color and have them wear similar T-shirts, bandannas or hats. Fill the day with organized "Survivor"-inspired games, such as capture the flag, three-legged races, egg tosses, baton relays and horseshoes. Devise simple castaway adventure stories for each game's context to maximize both participatory enthusiasm and appreciation of the day's purpose.
Finally,"Survivor's" signature "reward" feature is a given prize awarded to challenge winners, often involving out-of-camp excursions to experience the indigenous culture of the surrounding global region and always highlighted by a feast. This imaginative approach to "reward," as cultural enrichment, is a tailor-made framework for kindergarten activities designed to teach about cultural diversity. In kindergarten, however, there are no "winners" and "losers"; rather, "reward" here is all-inclusive, to be earned, shared and enjoyed collectively as one team. In this activity, "reward" takes the form of a recurring educational program celebrating the cultural -- and culinary -- traditions of different regions, civilizations and countries. Focus on distinctive elements that will at once enthuse and enlighten kids about the culture they represent; engage them, for example, in festive songs and dances, traditional games, arts and crafts, and, of course, cooking and tasting different foods. Use music, flags, costumes, beads and the recipes and ingredients to feed your hard-working classroom castaways.