Abraham Maslow established the theory of a hierarchy of needs for the general population, which begins with young adolescents. It is very important to satisfy the needs of these young adults, especially at the lower level, if you wish to have the students enjoy an activity or unit within the curriculum frameworks. After paying careful attention to all aspects of this integrated unit, I believe it is fair to say that this project will fit the characteristics of the students involved.

To begin with, physiological needs are the most important. These are the very basic needs that help to make an individual feel comfort, such as food, air, water, and sleep. These requirements will be met along the way so the students will be able to think about things other than the necessities.

Next on the hierarchy scale are safety needs which refer to security, stability, and consistency. From the very beginning of the project the students will be forming close bonds within established groups. Over the course of several months we, as teachers, will be monitoring these groups to be sure that everyone is interacting appropriately.

It is our hopes that this project will allow the students to feel safe enough that they will want to take risks to reach outside of the normal. We hope that this safety level will teach them to reach outside of their personal shelter and learn more about individuals that may have otherwise gone unnoticed.

Once the students feel comfortable within the safety realm, they will need to conquer the needs of love. This level looks at the desire of humans to belong to groups and have acceptance by others within that group. We feel that this will be an easy task if the groups are watched carefully for conflict.

Next on Maslow's hierarchy are esteem needs and there are two types which need to be addressed. The first, self-esteem, comes from an individual feeling proud of an accomplishment. The second, attention and recognition, comes from others feeling proud for an individual. There are most likely going to be some students that surpass this level and others that stay stationary. We are hopeful that the students will be conditioned through strenuous activity in school to overcome any obstacle faced on the weekend in the White Mountains. If they can feel proud of themselves for what is achieved and if the peers can give acknowledgment to others, this level should not be a problem either.

The last level on Maslow's hierarchy of needs is the want for self-actualization. This comes when an individual wants to become more than they already are, or in others words, they want to maximize their potential. This happens very rarely due to complications within the prior level. Most individuals stay at where they feel comfortable and do not take any additional risks. We are not sure if a few students will surpass this level due to complete enjoyment in this activity.