Bomb Shelter Activity:
Several nuclear bombs were accidentally set off (not a terrorist attack…the bombs are old and malfunctioned) and experts believe
one is heading in the direction of the town the people listed below live in. Thirteen people live in that town, but only eight people
can fit into the only bomb shelter. It is up to YOU to decide who gets into the bomb shelter, and who does not.
Step one: Individually decide who you think should be selected to be in the shelter. Identify your choices in the box on the left.
1) 19 year old mother and 8 month old baby (they
count for one spot)
2) 20 year old husband and father of the above
mother and baby. He’s an unemployed 7-11
worker.
3) A 16 year old movie star
4) A 44 year old expert plumber, carpenter, mason,
welder, mechanic who is disabled from an accident
on the job
5) A 33 year old high school teacher
6) A 77 year old Unitarian Minister
8) A 39 year old 3rd year medical student who flunked out
of med school
9) A 24 year old body builder who has won bodybuilding
competitions
10) A 67 year old retired officer turned security guard
who carries a gun (cannot separate the gun from the
person)
11) A 21 year old college cheerleader
12) A 48 year old nurse who has been working in a cancer
unit for 20 years
13) A 31 year old parolee who was just released from jail
for growing marijuana
7) A 57 year old Historian. An expert on all history and
languages
Step two: As a group, decide who you think should be selected into the shelter and why. Identify your groups choices in the box
on the left.
1) 19 year old mother and 8 month old baby (they
count for one spot)
2) 20 year old husband and father of the above
mother and baby. He’s an unemployed 7-11
worker.
3) A 16 year old movie star
4) A 44 year old expert plumber, carpenter, mason,
welder, mechanic who is disabled from an accident
on the job
5) A 33 year old high school teacher
6) A 77 year old Unitarian Minister
7) A 57 year old Historian. An expert on all history and
languages
8) A 39 year old 3rd year medical student who flunked out
of med school
9) A 24 year old body builder who has won bodybuilding
competitions
10) A 67 year old retired officer turned security guard
who carries a gun (cannot separate the gun from the
person)
11) A 21 year old college cheerleader
12) A 48 year old nurse who has been working in a cancer
unit for 20 years
13) A 31 year old parolee who was just released from jail
for growing marijuana
Bomb Shelter Debriefing Questions:
Processing Questions-Please discuss in your groups:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Which people were easy for your group to select and please say what you valued about them.
Which people in your group did you have controversy over and why? How did the controversy resolve?
What is the sex of the college cheerleader? Why?
What qualities made you decide on your choices?
Where do we get our beliefs about these people?
Points to make:
Our values, beliefs and experiences help determine what we think we know about people
Sometimes what we think is true or fact is just based on our limited experiences/assumptions
Those beliefs, truths, trusims are what drives us – everyone has them, its normal
When you understand yourself, you can then determine more proactively how you want to handle certain situations
Values change over time and are shaped when we discuss issues with each other
It can be difficult in groups when people have opposing values