INFLUENCE
Dear Abby
Sometimes we need to ask others for advice to help us with the issues that we are having. No matter how big, or how small, it is important for us to know that we can rely on others to support us. It is equally important for us to be able to listen to others in order to support them when they are in need.
1. Meet in your small groups and look at some of the cue cards that have concerns and problems written on them. The problems could be written by previous students, or could be hypothetical.
2. In your group, take turns reading the problems out loud and saying what advice you would give if you were Dear Abby.
3. After practicing giving advice, take a blank cue card and write down some of the real concerns or problems that you are having.
4. Collect the cards and redistribute them to the small groups. Again, take turns reading the problems aloud and giving advice
Dear Abby
Sometimes we need to ask others for advice to help us with the issues that we are having. No matter how big, or how small, it is important for us to know that we can rely on others to support us. It is equally important for us to be able to listen to others in order to support them when they are in need.
1. Meet in your small groups and look at some of the cue cards that have concerns and problems written on them. The problems could be written by previous students, or could be hypothetical.
2. In your group, take turns reading the problems out loud and saying what advice you would give if you were Dear Abby.
3. After practicing giving advice, take a blank cue card and write down some of the real concerns or problems that you are having.
4. Collect the cards and redistribute them to the small groups. Again, take turns reading the problems aloud and giving advice
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One Two Three
Sometimes we are forced to make choices between several competing possibilities. Sometimes, all of the possibilities are GREAT, which can make deciding quite difficult. Sometimes, none of our choices are good, but it is possible that one is better than the rest. It is important for us to be able to not just MAKE a choice, but for us to be able to justify our choice. 1. Meet in small groups, or as a community with a pad of post-it notes to write down your answers. 2. The leader will ask a series of questions where you will be asked to rank your choices in order. An example of this might be "Where would you rather be on a Saturday afternoon? The beach? At the park? or Shopping Downtown?" 3. Share your choices with each other and explain why you made your selections. |
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Put Yourself on the Line
When we are asked to make decisions amongst our peers, it can be quite difficult to ensure that we stand by our thoughts and opinions, and are not influenced by others. In this activity, you will see what your friends think about certain topics and issues, and you will be forced to make decisions in a public setting. Will you stand by your choices? Or will you be influenced by the group?
1. Stand up as a community.
2. One end of the classroom represents an area where you "strongly agree," with a subject or issue. The other side of the classroom represents an area where you "strongly disagree." The middle of the room is a location for those that are moderate, those that do not have an opinion, or that do not want to take a risk.
3. The leader will read off a series of topics or issues and you will move to different sides of the room depending on how you feel about what is said. For example, where would you stand if I said, "It's okay to talk with strangers on the street?" Or, "It is important to always please the teacher."
4. When you have found your place, discuss with others around you why you chose to stand where you did. Have one person from the group summarize what was said to the community.
5. Meet with your small groups to discuss particularly controversial subjects.
When we are asked to make decisions amongst our peers, it can be quite difficult to ensure that we stand by our thoughts and opinions, and are not influenced by others. In this activity, you will see what your friends think about certain topics and issues, and you will be forced to make decisions in a public setting. Will you stand by your choices? Or will you be influenced by the group?
1. Stand up as a community.
2. One end of the classroom represents an area where you "strongly agree," with a subject or issue. The other side of the classroom represents an area where you "strongly disagree." The middle of the room is a location for those that are moderate, those that do not have an opinion, or that do not want to take a risk.
3. The leader will read off a series of topics or issues and you will move to different sides of the room depending on how you feel about what is said. For example, where would you stand if I said, "It's okay to talk with strangers on the street?" Or, "It is important to always please the teacher."
4. When you have found your place, discuss with others around you why you chose to stand where you did. Have one person from the group summarize what was said to the community.
5. Meet with your small groups to discuss particularly controversial subjects.
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Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down
Like putting yourself on the line, Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down is about expressing your opinions and feelings on a topic - but this time, in rapid fire succession. Rather than deep thinking, this is more about a gut feeling. Do you agree, disagree? 1. Sit in a circle as a community. 2. Show the three different ways to show your opinion on an issue. Thumbs up - AGREE! Thumbs down - DISAGREE. Thumbs sideways - NO OPINION, or PASS. 3. In rapid fire succession, you will be asked a series of questions. Show your opinion on those questions with the appropriate hand signal. |
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Peer Coaching
Coaches don't need to know everything. A good coach is simply someone who wants to support you and others to get better and achieve more than you can right now. In that respect, we can all be coaches! It is helpful if a coach knows a little bit about the thing they are coaching, and in this group, there are many students who might be considered "experts" at a certain subject, or in a certain area.
How can you become a coach? How can you help others?
Coaches don't need to know everything. A good coach is simply someone who wants to support you and others to get better and achieve more than you can right now. In that respect, we can all be coaches! It is helpful if a coach knows a little bit about the thing they are coaching, and in this group, there are many students who might be considered "experts" at a certain subject, or in a certain area.
How can you become a coach? How can you help others?
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1. Meet in your small groups.
2. In your group, brainstorm a list of areas where someone could be a coach. It could be a subject area, a topic of study, a sport, or even a skill. 3. Share with each other what areas you feel you have a good understanding of. 4. On a cue card, write down the areas where you think you could act as a coach to other students. 5. Meet back as a community and share your thoughts. As a whole group, we can even come up with specific times and ways that we can become coaches for others. |
Two on a Crayon
What does true cooperation look like? How do we decide on how best to work together? What makes working together easier? What if you are unable to speak to the person you're suppose to be working with? What if all the things that make working together easier are taken away?
1. Get into pairs.
2. With your partner, grab a marker and a piece of A3 paper.
3. Without talking to each other, before, after, or during, both of you will hold onto the same marker and draw a picture on the A3 paper. The leader will play some music that will last for only a few minutes, and by the time the song is done, your picture should be complete.
What does true cooperation look like? How do we decide on how best to work together? What makes working together easier? What if you are unable to speak to the person you're suppose to be working with? What if all the things that make working together easier are taken away?
1. Get into pairs.
2. With your partner, grab a marker and a piece of A3 paper.
3. Without talking to each other, before, after, or during, both of you will hold onto the same marker and draw a picture on the A3 paper. The leader will play some music that will last for only a few minutes, and by the time the song is done, your picture should be complete.
Inclusion
Ideal Classroom
What makes an "Ideal Classroom?" To find out, let's work together as a group to create a list of things that are most important to us.
Are you someone that can respect and honour these agreements for the next week... the next month... the next year?
What makes an "Ideal Classroom?" To find out, let's work together as a group to create a list of things that are most important to us.
- Break into pairs and brainstorm ideas.
- Share our ideas with our groups.
- Wait for a FULL DAY.
- Pick the ideas we think are most important by giving points to our top choices.
- (1st Choice - 25pts. 2nd Choice - 15pts. 3rd Choice - 5pts.)
Are you someone that can respect and honour these agreements for the next week... the next month... the next year?
Question-of-the-Day
To get to know each other and to learn to speak in front of a group of our peers, it is important for us to ask and answer questions. Here are some questions to get us started:
To get to know each other and to learn to speak in front of a group of our peers, it is important for us to ask and answer questions. Here are some questions to get us started:
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1. I feel happy when...
2. I feel sad when... 3. I feel angry when... 4. I feel scared when... 5. The scariest thing is... 6. The biggest thing in the world is... 7. I'm bigger than... 8. I'm smaller than... 9. The smallest thing is... 10. My favourite toy is... 11. My favourite pet is... 12. My favourite food is... 13. My favourite show is... 14. My favourite song is... 15. My favourite story is... 16. My favourite colour is... 17. My favourite weather is... 18. Rain makes me feel... 19. Wind makes me feel... 20. Sunshine makes me feel... 21. Snow makes me feel... 22. Fog makes me feel... 23. When I think of blue, I think of... 24. When I think of red, I think of... 25. When I think of green, I think of... |
26. When I think of yellow, I think of...
27. When I think of orange, I think of... 28. When I think of black, I think of... 29. When I think of brown, I think of... 30. Today I feel... 31. What is something scratchy? 32. What is something soft? 33. What is something sharp? 34. What is something smooth? 35. What is something sour? 36. What is something sweet? 37. What is something cold? 38. What is something cool? 39. What is something warm? 40. What is something hot? 41. If I were an animal, I would be... 42. If I were a building, I would be a... 43. When I grow up, I want to... 44. When I grow up, I want to be... 45. When I daydream, I think about... 46. Someday I want to... 47. Friends are... 48. Put downs make me feel... 49. I am most hopeful for... 50. What is a question that means a lot to you... |
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Appreciating Others
Is there a common language when we show appreciation? How important is it for us to say the things we appreciate out loud? What effect does it have on those around us?
1. Fold an A4 paper into four equal parts
2. At the top of each section write the words, SELF, BEST FRIEND, MOM/DAD, CLASSMATE, like in the table below.
3. Fill in each box with positive statements, at least one for each of the boxes. You can use the prompts below to help you.
Is there a common language when we show appreciation? How important is it for us to say the things we appreciate out loud? What effect does it have on those around us?
1. Fold an A4 paper into four equal parts
2. At the top of each section write the words, SELF, BEST FRIEND, MOM/DAD, CLASSMATE, like in the table below.
3. Fill in each box with positive statements, at least one for each of the boxes. You can use the prompts below to help you.
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___________________, I like it when you...
___________________, I appreciate it when... ___________________, I'm glad you... ___________________, I want to give you a warm fuzzy for... ___________________, thanks for... 4. Meet in your small groups and share the positive statements you wrote. 5. One person records all of the core ideas that are included on the sheets onto an A3 sheet of paper. 6. Share the summary with the community. |
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Boasters
There is a big difference between speaking highly of ourselves and having confidence, verses bragging about ourselves and trying to one up others. How do we differentiate between the two? How can we say nice things about ourselves and others without bragging? |
1. Prepare a silhouette of ourselves like the ones to the left. Cut them out and flip them over, so that the white side of the paper is face up.
2. Meet in our small groups.
3. Write your name in big, large, colourful letters on the head area of your cutout.
4. Pass the silhouette around in our group so that each person car write a positive statement on the cutout.
5. Talk with your group about the difference between complimenting yourself and bragging.
6. Write a positive statement about yourself on your own card to go along with the positive statements that others have written about you.
2. Meet in our small groups.
3. Write your name in big, large, colourful letters on the head area of your cutout.
4. Pass the silhouette around in our group so that each person car write a positive statement on the cutout.
5. Talk with your group about the difference between complimenting yourself and bragging.
6. Write a positive statement about yourself on your own card to go along with the positive statements that others have written about you.
Brainstorming
Brainstorming happens a lot during the year when we are thinking about new ideas and coming up with creative solutions to problems. It is important for us to practice how to brainstorm, and for us to think about the proper way to brainstorm when we are with a group.
1. Get into your small groups and bring some A3 sheets of paper and some colourful pens, markers and pencil crayons to record your ideas with.
2. Remember to follow the DOVE principles when brainstorming together as a group.
D defer judgement
O off beat, original
V vast number
E expand, elaborate
3. With your group, you will have 5 minutes to call out and write down as many ideas as possible about a given subject. Some examples of subjects we might write about:
How could we design a better mousetrap? A better bicycle? Bedroom? Classroom? Cafeteria? School?
4. After five minutes, share your ideas with the whole group.
Brainstorming happens a lot during the year when we are thinking about new ideas and coming up with creative solutions to problems. It is important for us to practice how to brainstorm, and for us to think about the proper way to brainstorm when we are with a group.
1. Get into your small groups and bring some A3 sheets of paper and some colourful pens, markers and pencil crayons to record your ideas with.
2. Remember to follow the DOVE principles when brainstorming together as a group.
D defer judgement
O off beat, original
V vast number
E expand, elaborate
3. With your group, you will have 5 minutes to call out and write down as many ideas as possible about a given subject. Some examples of subjects we might write about:
How could we design a better mousetrap? A better bicycle? Bedroom? Classroom? Cafeteria? School?
4. After five minutes, share your ideas with the whole group.
Campaign Manager
If you're ever running for political office, it is important to have a campaign manager - someone to say nice things about you, and to help with promotions and keeping you organized. It is with this in mind that we nominate you for "Wonderful Person of the Year."
1. Get into your small groups.
2. Randomly select a name from a hat, ensuring that you do not select your own name.
3. The person you selected has been nominated for the "Wonderful Person of the Year" award, and you have been hired to be their campaign manager.
4. As campaign manager, you will be tasked with designing their campaign button, and listing three positive campaign statements on a cue card about your nominee. You may interview your candidate to find out more about them in order to find out more information about their special qualities.
5. You will then need to make a campaign speech for your nominee using your cue cards, and then present them with their campaign buttons.
If you're ever running for political office, it is important to have a campaign manager - someone to say nice things about you, and to help with promotions and keeping you organized. It is with this in mind that we nominate you for "Wonderful Person of the Year."
1. Get into your small groups.
2. Randomly select a name from a hat, ensuring that you do not select your own name.
3. The person you selected has been nominated for the "Wonderful Person of the Year" award, and you have been hired to be their campaign manager.
4. As campaign manager, you will be tasked with designing their campaign button, and listing three positive campaign statements on a cue card about your nominee. You may interview your candidate to find out more about them in order to find out more information about their special qualities.
5. You will then need to make a campaign speech for your nominee using your cue cards, and then present them with their campaign buttons.
CREATIVITY
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Building the Tallest Structure
There are many different versions of this team building challenge, but the main goal is always the same - which team can cooperate to build the tallest structure? In this challenge, you will be given 10 cue cards and 10 cm of scotch tape. With these tools, you must build the tallest tower possible. The tower must stand on it's own and can not be taped to the table or to anything else. A fun variation is to have the same challenge, but your tower must be able to hold a golf ball at it's peak for no less than 5 seconds. You can also make towers with shoes, popsicle sticks, newspaper, you name it... 5 Minutes to Plan... 25 Minutes to Build... |
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Building the Strongest Bridge
Building strong bridges is very important. Engineers study for many years to make sure the bridges we cross are safe. In this team building challenge, we will become engineers, and build the strongest bridge we can. The rules for this challenge are as follows:
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You will be given 150 popsicle sticks to complete the challenge, and you may only use standard white glue to hold your bridge together. The sticks can be cut or altered if needed.
For a fun variation on this challenge, try and build a bridge that spans even farther.
For a fun variation on this challenge, try and build a bridge that spans even farther.
.Whacky Bridge
Sometimes we don't have the best materials and it takes some creativity just to make our bridges span the distance we need them to. In this team building challenge, we will try to make a bridge using some... well... odd choices in materials.
For this challenge, you must build a bridge using ALL of the materials below to sit atop 10 soda cans that are 10cm apart from each other in a long row.
Sometimes we don't have the best materials and it takes some creativity just to make our bridges span the distance we need them to. In this team building challenge, we will try to make a bridge using some... well... odd choices in materials.
For this challenge, you must build a bridge using ALL of the materials below to sit atop 10 soda cans that are 10cm apart from each other in a long row.
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Materials:
30cm of scotch tape 5cm of string 10 straws 5 tooth picks 5 paper clips 5 rubber bands |
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Egg Drop
Remember Humpty Dumpty? He might never have broken into a million pieces if he had been sustainably packaged. Your challenge is to create a package that is strong enough to keep your own personal Humpty Dumpty in one piece while not adding over-packaging to poor Humpty’s environment. The materials that we have on hand may change, so you will have to get creative and work with what you are provided. This team building challenge also has different rules depending what the class decides. Is the winner the smallest package to keep the egg secure? Is it the lightest? Is it the package that protects the eggs the best from the greatest height? We will have to negotiate to find out the rules that suit us best |
Lost at Sea
You and five friends are crewing a small yacht on a sailing holiday. Following an accident in the galley, the boat catches fire and you have to abandon ship. You all quickly don life jackets and try to send out an SOS message, giving your position about 150 miles off the west coast of France. Unfortunately, you are not sure if the message will get through as fire has already reached some of the equipment. The weather is fine and clear with an easterly wind blowing at about 10 knots. The fire spreads quickly and you launch a small, open dinghy big enough to take the crew. There is little time to deliberate on what to take – but you all grab the items nearest to you. Here is a list of the items:
You and five friends are crewing a small yacht on a sailing holiday. Following an accident in the galley, the boat catches fire and you have to abandon ship. You all quickly don life jackets and try to send out an SOS message, giving your position about 150 miles off the west coast of France. Unfortunately, you are not sure if the message will get through as fire has already reached some of the equipment. The weather is fine and clear with an easterly wind blowing at about 10 knots. The fire spreads quickly and you launch a small, open dinghy big enough to take the crew. There is little time to deliberate on what to take – but you all grab the items nearest to you. Here is a list of the items:
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• Fishing Tackle (line and hook)
• Oars for the Dinghy • Plastic Sheeting (large) • Plastic Bucket • Gallon of Water • Knife • Chart & Compass• Rope • Radio/Cassette Player • First Aid Kit • Bottle of Brandy • Tinned Food • Camera with Flash • Blanket |
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Your task is to choose ten key items and rank them in what you consider to be the correct order of importance, starting with the most important (the ranking sheet is attached below). Once you have selected your top choices, you will debate as a team and reorder what you think is most important. Can you explain your choices?
The leader will then let you know the ranking of each item, and why they are the value that they are.
The leader will then let you know the ranking of each item, and why they are the value that they are.
Lava Flow
Many of us have pretended that the carpet was "lava" when we were younger, as we jumped from couch to couch, across the living room, attempting not to touch the hot ground. This game takes that to another level, as we try to traverse a large gap with our entire team, without falling into the lava pit below.
There are several variations on this game and you can always adapt to suit your needs and tools. In one version, our team must cross a certain span of space using A4 sized "stepping stones" to get across. There are only a small amount of stones, so you must use them carefully. Also, the stones must always be in contact with at least one person's foot our hand, otherwise, they will be taken away. You and your team must use the stones to cross the span so that everyone makes it across safely. We also have, at our disposal, some very large tires and wooden planks. Using those tools, we can play a similar game, but in this game, only the tires may come into contact with the "lava" and the boards may be used to cross the space.
Many of us have pretended that the carpet was "lava" when we were younger, as we jumped from couch to couch, across the living room, attempting not to touch the hot ground. This game takes that to another level, as we try to traverse a large gap with our entire team, without falling into the lava pit below.
There are several variations on this game and you can always adapt to suit your needs and tools. In one version, our team must cross a certain span of space using A4 sized "stepping stones" to get across. There are only a small amount of stones, so you must use them carefully. Also, the stones must always be in contact with at least one person's foot our hand, otherwise, they will be taken away. You and your team must use the stones to cross the span so that everyone makes it across safely. We also have, at our disposal, some very large tires and wooden planks. Using those tools, we can play a similar game, but in this game, only the tires may come into contact with the "lava" and the boards may be used to cross the space.
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Minefield
This game, much like Lava Flow, involves getting the team from one point to another safely. In this game, you and your team, must cross an 8 by 8 grid (how many squares is that?) without stepping on any of the "landmines." Only the leader knows which steps on the grid are active mines and if any member of your team steps on them, you all have to start again. You can only move forward, backward, side to side, or diagonally, and only one step at a time, no jumping over multiple steps. |
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An additional challenge to this game, is that all of your team can not talk while completing the task - which adds an extra level of difficulty. Ask the leader to print out a few different routes for an additional challenge, or, create your own maps.
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Paper Rocket
The Paper Rocket, like the Paper Plane, involves using your creativity to come up with different challenges and competitions. The difference with the Paper Rocket though, is that you must also decide on what tool you will use to launch your design. It come be a simple launching mechanism, like blowing air through a straw, or it could be something more complicated - like using a bike pump, or jumping on a water bottle! There are lots of designs online, but I encourage you to try and come up with your own before checking out what others have done. |
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Paper Plane Challenge
The paper plane challenge is very simple - make a paper airplane, and fly it. Of course, there are so many variations that can be made wit this challenge - all you need is a little creativity. You could fly your planes for distance - or for cargo - or for accuracy. You could have certain stipulations that make it more challenging. Ultimately, it is up to you how you choose to hold the competition. Set your rules, make your planes, and may the best design win. |
Balloon Rocket
Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to fire a balloon through a small hole on the other side of the room. We have all blown up a balloon before. I'm sure we have also all let go of a balloon that has been blown up, only to see it fly around all over the room. So, how then, is it possible to make that balloon fly straight? How is it possible to make that balloon fly so straight, that it ends up going through a tiny hole on the other side of the room? Seems impossible, no?
To help you with your task, you will also be given some scissors, some string, some tape, and ONE straw.
Can you make the impossible, possible?
Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to fire a balloon through a small hole on the other side of the room. We have all blown up a balloon before. I'm sure we have also all let go of a balloon that has been blown up, only to see it fly around all over the room. So, how then, is it possible to make that balloon fly straight? How is it possible to make that balloon fly so straight, that it ends up going through a tiny hole on the other side of the room? Seems impossible, no?
To help you with your task, you will also be given some scissors, some string, some tape, and ONE straw.
Can you make the impossible, possible?
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Spider Web
This game involves a little bit of preparation, but is a very fun game to play to encourage teamwork and creativity. In the playground, or between two trees, you will have to set up a "spider web" of sorts, using ropes. This spider web will have holes between the ropes that are of different sizes and at different heights. |
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As a team, your goal is to get from one side of the web to the other, without touching any of the "webbing." You can jump through, or carry each other through the holes in the web, but the catch is - you can only use each hole ONCE. So, that big hole that is low to the ground... well, you can't use that one every time. It is important, as a team, to sort out which whole you should use first, and to devise a strategy for getting your entire team through.
Traffic Jam
In this game, we work in teams of eight, to move from one side of the game board to another, the only problem is that we are getting in each others way. Teams of eight will be set up like this:
1 2 3 4 _ 5 6 7 8
The blank spot represents a FREE SPACE. When the game is done, your team must look like this:
5 6 7 8 _ 1 2 3 4
In this game, we work in teams of eight, to move from one side of the game board to another, the only problem is that we are getting in each others way. Teams of eight will be set up like this:
1 2 3 4 _ 5 6 7 8
The blank spot represents a FREE SPACE. When the game is done, your team must look like this:
5 6 7 8 _ 1 2 3 4
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The rules are as follows:
Can you make it through the traffic jam? |
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Back-to-Back
This game requires your best listening skills, as you work with a partner to create a replica drawing without being able to see what the other person has created. This game works well when we are learning to describe 2D shapes to each other, as you need to be very specific when describing your shape to your partner. The two participants sit back-to-back, and while one person describes a shape, or drawing to the other person (who can not see the shape or drawing), the other must attempt to recreate the drawing as close to the original as possible. |
Birthday Line Up
There are so many different "line-up" games. The Birthday Line Up is just one example. In this game, you must line up with your group in order of your birthdays, from the oldest to youngest. Your goal is to line up as fast as possible, but without using your voice to tell people what to do, or to inform them of when your birthday is.
There are many variations on this game, of course, such as, lining up by height, by size of feet, alphabetically, etc. Use your creativity to make the game more challenging and fun.
There are so many different "line-up" games. The Birthday Line Up is just one example. In this game, you must line up with your group in order of your birthdays, from the oldest to youngest. Your goal is to line up as fast as possible, but without using your voice to tell people what to do, or to inform them of when your birthday is.
There are many variations on this game, of course, such as, lining up by height, by size of feet, alphabetically, etc. Use your creativity to make the game more challenging and fun.
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Lights, Camera, Action
It takes many years to write, film and edit a feature film. In this game though, you will be tasked with creating a film in a very short period of time. Although the film will not be a feature length film (it may only be 30 seconds in length), you and your team must work within a very confined amount of time to create your masterpiece. This game is a lot of fun, as you can be the writer, director, actor and editor of your own story! Who knows, maybe the ideas that you generate can be made into a longer movie! |
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Radio Play
Radio Play, much like Lights, Camera, Action, is a game where we are tasked with creating something that would normally take a very long period of time, but we are asked to create within a short time frame. Even though we only have a short period of time, this is a great game for learning to use the equipment we have to create something funny, or dramatic, thought-provoking or silly. The ideas that we generate from these short time projects may result in bigger and better ideas for the future. |
