Card Quad Jam (with Video)

This is a new creation for me that I'm trying out (guess I was inspired by Neil from last week to come up with something new!!). As always, I'd love some feedback on it!

Needs & Numbers: You'll need a standard deck of playing cards and a game spot for each player in a group of 20 to 52 (so far my biggest group has been 29 players - with a group of more than 32 there might be too much "waiting" around for your taste. Let me know what you try.  

Set Up: Put down your game spots (e.g., poly spots, index cards or carpet squares) as shown in the diagram above. The diagram is a set up for up to 24 players. The gray spots in the diagram indicate the "head" of the each line - you don't need to have different colored spots for the head of the line in your set up, I just need these in the diagram for my explanation. When setting up your spots include the same number of spots in each line. 

Before you're ready to start you also need to organize your cards. Consider that smaller cards will make the activity a bit more challenging. Larger cards will be a bit easier. Put all like ranks of cards together starting with the four Aces on top of the deck (face down), then the twos, threes, fours, and so on. Okay, your ready. 

Process: Gather your group together off to the side of the spot configuration you've set up. Hand out a playing card to each person in the group starting with the top of the deck (Aces, then twos, then threes and so on). Ask the players not to look at their cards just yet. 

When everyone has a card ask them to do a "blind shuffle" - exchange cards with five different people and then stop moving. Again, ask your participants not to look at their cards just yet. 

Now ask everyone to stand on one of the spots you've set out on the ground/floor - lines of people should have equal numbers, or no more or less than one. For example, lets say I set out my 24 spots on the ground and I only have 22 players. There should be two lines of six players and two lines of five players standing on spots - you don't want three lines of six players and one line of four players.

Objective: Each line of players will end up with the same suit of cards running in sequential order starting with the Ace at the head of the line (where all the lines meet) and ending with the highest card of the suit at the tail of the line.  

When the lines are all set, you're ready to play. Here are the rules you can share: 

• This will be a timed activity. Time starts when "GO!" is called and stops when all the cards are in the right order. 
• When "GO!" is called you may look at the card you are holding. 
  
• All players must have one foot on their spot during play (when time is running). Spots may not be moved. 
• A player may not have more than two cards in their possession at any time - one card in each hand. Two cards may not be held in one hand and it's okay not to have any cards in your possession.
• A card can be passed to a player in front of you or behind you if they have a free hand to accept a card. You may not skip over a player to pass a card to someone else in your line. 
• The players at the head of each line can pass a card to anyone at the head of another line if they have a free hand to accept a card. 
• Only the head of each line can pass a card to someone in another line - again, only the person at the head of each line.  
• When each player in every line is holding one, and only one, card and the cards in each line are the same suit and in sequential order from Ace to the highest card in the suit, time stops. 

So far I've tried Card Quad Jam with three different groups. Each time I let them make three attempts at their "best time". This one is bringing up behaviors similar to TP Shuffle and the Windmill activity (if you know that one from Affordable Portables). There tends to be less action at the ends of the lines and more chaos in the area were the lines come together. I'm seeing lots of possibilities for learning - leadership, planning, roles & responsibilities.... So far  a good paradigm shift can be when the group decides to step off of their spots and plan "together" instead of staying in the "linear" communication model. When they are ready everyone simply goes back to their spot so they can make an attempt. 

Let me know what you think!! Leave me a comment below. 

Have FUN out there!

Chris Cavert,, Ed.D.