Category: Activities

Solve For (with Cups)

11/11/2023

I was planning for a teacher training program recently where I was tasked to include some community-building activities that could tie in with academic subjects. On my list were a few Cup activities – one being Line Um Up (from Cup It Up). It was an easy step to adapt this one into a mathematical challenge. After trying it out for the first time with this group of teachers, here’s what we have so far:

Solve For

Needs & Numbers:

26 numbered cups (see above) – numbered 1 to 26, for every group of three to five participants.
One game spot (or something similar).
One ‘Cup Station’ for each group: a taped rectangle on the floor, a hula-hoop, a small rope circle, or a table.
One large sheet of paper (e.g., flip chart paper) and a marker.
One or two index cards and a pen for each Cup Station.
One timing device.

Note: I’m suggesting Cups because I already have multiple sets of numbered cups ready for other Cup It Up activities. If you’re not a cupper yet with the resources ready, you can make number sets with index cards or small paper plates. I use the numbers 1 to 26 because Cup activities also use lettered sets, A to Z (26 cups here). So it's a good correlation.

On another note, the 'other colored' Solo Cups are usually around the stores during the Fall and Winter Holidays. (I'm also guessing you can get the colors online all-year-round?)

Set-Up: Check out the diagram below (the diagram below shows cups in play - before play, all cups will be at the Cup Stations). Prior to the activity, you’ll want to set up the Cup Stations you’ll need (one for every three to five players) – arrange the stations like the numbers on a traditional clock face. Then put your game spot (or something similar) in the center of the ‘clock.’ I like the spacing to be about 15 feet – from the game spot to the Cup Stations. Then, set one stack of 26 cups at each Cup Station. If the Cup Station surface is flat enough, stand up the cup stack open end up. If the stack won’t stand, simply lay it on its side in the cup station.

Process:

Create groups of three to five participants. Have each group pick and stand by one of the Cup Stations. Tell them not to touch the cups until instructed to do so.
Let everyone know they will be doing some math during the activity. (You might decide to discuss the physiological and psychological reactions to math at this time if it's noticeable.)
Show all the groups the first set of four numbers listed on the large piece of paper (see header picture for an example).
The objective, for each Cup Station team, is to solve for each number on the list using the numbered cups at their station. A formula – using more than one cup – must be created to solve for each number.
Any mathematical symbols can be used along with the numbers to reach the sum needed – the numbers on the list. (The symbols are invisible, or assumed.)
Formulas must be made in the order of the numbers on the list. So, (using the second list of numbers in the header picture, for example), solve for 15 first. The first cup of the formula for 15 must be placed on the game spot, and then the next cup or cups follow in line from the game spot towards the team's Cup Station (see the diagram above).
Write down your formula for each number on an index card so the formulas can be verified at the end of each round.
After the first formula of cups is placed down, the group can work on solving for the next number. When this next formula is ready it can be placed down in the line – leaving a noticeable space between formulas.
When all teams are ready – after answering questions – you can call "GO!" and start the timer. Team members can then touch their cups.
Only the cups of a formula can be out in the playing area (in line). All other cups must stay on/in the Cup Station during the solving phase of the formulas.
Once all teams have placed down a formula for each number on the list, the time stops. This is an important distinction – the time does not stop until all teams have 'Solved For' all numbers in the Round.
Someone (or more than one) from each team will then verbally share the formulas for each number on the list – use the index card if needed. If a formula is incorrect ask the group what they will need to do to fix it – then have them fix it. (There is no penalty/consequence.)
Once all the formulas have been verified (and fixed if needed), share the overall time with the group. (The first time recorded with three teams in play was 2 min., 37 seconds, using the first list of numbers in the header picture above.)
This 'overall time' (as I'm suggesting for now), is the baseline for the remaining Rounds. (Same expectation for more work. Fair?)
Round one is four numbers. Round two is five numbers. Round three is six numbers, and round four is seven numbers. Each Round starts the same way as Round one. NOTE: So far there is not an 'ideal' set of four lists of numbers – will a particular list of seven numbers be impossible to solve for? (See the Variation below to provide more resources to work with.)

Why I Like This Activity?

When we use an 'all group' time, there is a better chance for collaboration to take place in order to meet the time expectation.
Using math 'problems' to solve can bring up some good discussions about skills, abilities, and mindsets, as well as roles and responsibilities. If someone is 'not good' at math, what role do they play during each Round?
Using the overall baseline time as the benchmark for each Round will, most likely, force collaboration in order to meet the expectation. And what compromises will be made (e.g., skill acquisitions) for the sake of the expectation? I'm thinking, because we have to meet a 'standard' the participants who excel at math will do the work – others will not get the practice or the encouragement to practice.
I'm curious to find out if some groups will not care about the expectations and focus on the 'process' of including everyone along the way – everyone feels they contributed to the results.

Variations:

Use index cards for the number list they will solve for during each Round (instead of writing the numbers on one sheet of paper). Give each group the same list of numbers, but don't inform them they are the same – if the groups share this information, it's okay. And maybe will lead to some collaboration?
What if you put all the 'math-smart' participants in one (or two) teams? How long will it take, without collaborating, to solve for all the numbers? (Q: What are some of the advantages of diversity?)
Allow teams to use the last number in one formula to be the first number in the next formula. This 'resource' is useful for longer lists of numbers (e.g., 6 to 8 numbers).

If you give this one a try. Let us know what else can be done. Leave a Comment.

All the best,

Chris Cavert, Ed.D.

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Top It Off 2 - Building Lesson Part 2

10/28/2023

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In the Top It Off (from Karen W.) Building Lesson Part 1, I shared a new activity from Karen just the way she sent it to us. The challenge I ended with was to take the activity and adjust it (build it out) in a way to reach a particular goal or outcome that came to your mind. Then I promised to share my build in this week's post.

If you haven't yet, you might like to read (and build if you have the time) the initial post (Part 1) before diving into my tweaks. Again, Karen's activity is good to go just the way it is. My intention is to reveal a little bit about my approach/thinking when it comes to adapting activities to meet specific learning opportunities.

Top It Off 2
(Increasing opportunities for problem-solving and group development.)

Time: (Chris) 30 to 40 minutes. With additional ‘problems’ to solve, Top It Off 2 might need more time to get in three or four (or five) rounds to see significant improvement.

Group Size: (Chris) 10 to 16 participants.

Supplies: (Chris) 26 Numbered (or Lettered) PVC Tubes (clean toilet paper rolls work well), and 26 Numbered (or Lettered) safe tossable items (see the picture in Part 1). You will also need two activity ropes – one approximately 25 feet long, the other 50 feet long.

Basically, the same supplies. However, Circle B will be larger than the original Top It Off, so you’ll need a longer rope (~50 feet) for a 15-foot diameter.

Layout (Original): One rope circle with randomly placed items marked with numbers 1 to 26 (Circle A), and one rope circle with randomly placed tubes (Circle B) marked with numbers 1 to 26. Rope circles are about six feet in diameter. Rope circles are about 10ft. apart.

Layout (Chris): Here’s where we can make adjustments to meet different challenge levels. First, I would adjust the original distance between Circles A & B to match the (assumed) throwing and catching skills and abilities of my group.

For older elementary ages I’d keep the original spacing of 10 feet apart. Middle school ages I’d go 12 to 15 feet apart. And high school ages and older 15 to 20 feet apart. One other layout adjustment I’ll make is to increase the diameter of Circle B to 15 feet and set down the marked tubes as shown in the diagram above with a noticeable open area in the center of the circle (we’ll get to why in just a moment). Circle A is set up as in the original version.

Basic Description (Original): The challenge is to get all the numbered items from Circle A to Circle B balanced on top of the matching tube. The goal is to do it as quickly as possible with the least number of penalties.

Basic Description (Chris): The adjustment I’ll make here is to separate the description into the ‘Challenge’ and the ‘Goal.’ Just a slight tweak so I can emphasize the different outcomes.

After a timed attempt I can ask, “Did you complete the challenge?” A “Yes” confirms success (and celebration). Then I can follow up with, “Did you meet your goals?” (Referring back to the product-oriented goals they set before the attempt – a time goal and a penalties goal. And if you bring in the concept of ‘process-oriented’ goals, did they achieve these?)

The Challenge: Get all the numbered items from Circle A to Circle B and balance them on their matching numbered tubes.

The Goals: Balance all items on their tubes as quickly as possible and with the fewest number of penalties.

Before each attempt, I will have the group choose a time goal – how fast can they get all the items atop the tubes – and a penalty goal – the number of penalties they need to complete the challenge.

Multiple rounds (e.g., two or three) are played each with a 2-minute planning period (Original).

The latter first. When it’s important for my groups to practice planning behaviors, I might require a mandatory minimum time to plan so I know we’ll have something to talk about.

The former. I’m a fan of improvement-oriented activities. And I like to allow time for three or four (even more) attempts (see my ‘long-form’ activity argument). There are certainly programming benefits to moving on after two attempts when the second was better than the first. The group has success, has shown they can be successful together. These feelings can carry over into the next activity and (possibly) motivate performance. But what if?

Additional attempts with the same task inevitably provide more for me to work with. Here are several possibilities:

More ‘problems’ can be identified and solved (problem identification is, I believe, an essential human development skill).
More time to practice the skills (physical and cognitive) that the group finds helpful in the task’s context. As we know about ‘transferring’ skills to the future, why not stay in the present to get better at them instead of changing the context, which requires time to process new information about a different task?
More opportunity for participants to challenge each other during the planning and implementation of the task (in other words, get them to ‘storm’ a little to get to the norming behaviors they want). It takes time for some people to build the courage to speak up. When we’re constantly switching activities, new information gets in the way of that ‘ordinary courage’ (Brene’ Brown speaks of) to share our thoughts and feelings.
More failure and time to learn about the benefits of that failure. Getting better at something, as we know, takes practice and a lot of setbacks. To really see what the group can do (or not do because of certain behaviors), we’ve got to stick with one thing to mine out the gold. Two attempts scratch the surface, and five attempts get down to the roots! I believe that’s where the real work is.

Here are the original Rules (Bold) and the Tweaks I'll make:

Items must be thrown from one circle to the next. The item cannot touch the ground.
(Chris) Numbered items must be thrown from Circle A to Circle B (to clarify the throwing direction and only 'numbered' items are thrown – "What is an item?"). The numbered items cannot touch the ground.

Items must be placed on the tube with the same number in numerical order.
(Chris) Numbered items must be placed on the tube with the same number in numerical order – 1 to 26. (Again, specific to what an 'item' is, and the expectation is starting with number one.)

You can only touch the items while in the circle.
(Chris) You can only touch the numbered items while inside a rope circle. (A slight clarification of expectations – a bit clearer about being inside either circle. Consider this: What if someone encircled someone else with their arms? The original Rule would allow for this – and that’s okay! Clever actually.)

Only one person in each circle at a time.
(Chris) I will not use/share this Rule. Taking out this limit will create additional problems to solve and provide more opportunities for action. SAFETY NOTE: Without the original Rule the risk level does increase. This is why you want to provide ‘safe’ tossable items. If we see an unsafe level of chaos, we will stop the activity and process what is going on. Then make plans to move forward in a safer manner. (A quote from Karl Rohnke, “If we take out all the risk, it’s no longer an adventure.”)

I increased the size of Circle B to entice more group members to be inside this circle at a time. The more people in either circle, the more problems to solve – some problems will be solved beforehand, and others will need to be solved later (maybe they decide to only have one person in a circle at time). Having the tubes closer to the rope (in Circle B) will also create more problems to solve.

Everyone must throw at least once.
(No Change) This Rule does force some participation – so, we can talk about, "life is about participating."

Everyone must catch at least once.
(No Change) Forced participation again – always good to talk about.

You cannot catch or throw 2 times in a row.
(Chris) I will not use this Rule. With ‘no-limit’ to the number of participants in a circle, this Rule is obsolete.

Ropes cannot be moved.
(No Change)

Tubes cannot be moved.
(No Change)

If a tube gets knocked over after it has an item on it, there is a 5-second penalty and the item must be reset on top of the tube.
(Chris) If a tube and item are knocked over, the two must be set up right before the next item (in numerical order) can be placed on top of its tube. A penalty is enforced for the item touching the ground.

If an item is not caught, it is returned to the throwing circle and they can try again. (No penalty unless an item and tube are knocked over.)
If an item is not caught, it must be returned to Circle A. A penalty is enforced for the item touching the ground. And remember, items must be placed on the tubes in numerical order.

All penalties will add 5 seconds to the end time.
(Chris) Any Rule violation will result in a 5-second penalty – five seconds will be added to the timed attempt.

A 2-minute planning period is required before each round.
The timer starts at the end of the 2 minutes.
(Chris) When I enforce a 2-minute planning period, I’ll combine these two Rules.

Original Reflection Questions:

Did your team use the planning time effectively?
Who was responsible for the success or failure of the activity?
What roles and responsibilities did your process include?
Did any of the roles and responsibilities change after you started your process? Why did this happen?

(Chris) Expanded Reflection Questions:

What problems did you anticipate and solve before you even got started?
What problems showed up that you did not anticipate? What did you do about them during the activity? What did you do about the problems after the activity?
Describe the planning that took place before a timed attempt? What did it look like? What did it sound like? What could have made your planning times better?
Recall what happened within the group when a penalty occurred? What did it look like? What did it sound like? What could have been better about the reactions after a penalty?
What specific behaviors led to your success? What specific behaviors lead to some of your failures?
What do we want to remember about failures? How do we want to treat each other after there is a failure? Why is this important?

There's a lot mashed up in the build I went through above. I hope you can see the tweaks I made to Karen's original Top It Off and why I made them. For some clarity I've written up a sample script for Top It Off 2 - what I would say to a group.

top_it_off_2_script_1.0.pdf
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We would love to find out about your build. How did you Tweak Top It Off? Leave us some notes in the Comments.

All the best,

Chris Cavert, Ed.D.

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Top It Off (A Share from Karen) Building Lesson Part 1

10/15/2023

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Our FUNdoing friend Karen W. sent another gem for us. I was going to simply share it, but I got this idea for 'Building Lessons' that I want to try with you (it could be the start of a new FUNdoing series like What? and Why? over at OnTeamBuilding). I know Karen is open to the idea.

I'm going to present the activity to you the way Karen sent it to me - which is straight-up playable, and ready to go as is. It can address all sorts of learning opportunities (see Karen's Reflection Questions for her intended takeaways).

Professional Development Opportunity. My challenge for you is to take what Karen gave us and tweak it to meet some other learning opportunities. In other words, how might you add to or change this activity in a way that aligns with your preferences or group objectives? (And I'd love to read what you come up with!)

In the next FUNdoing Blog post, I will share some of my tweaks to diversify Top It Off (giving you a glimpse of how I look at and tweak activities). As Karen tells us, she's just started using this activity to explore how it works. I'm guessing she already has some tweaks of her own in mind. Here's Karen...

Good Morning Chris,

Thought I would share my new activity with you. So, this summer I made a Tube Switch set out of PVC and then I kind of stumbled onto a fun new activity. I call it Top It Off. It is still pretty new so let me know if you have any thoughts or ideas to improve it. Thus far I've had good responses to it.

Note: You will see in the picture that I used all different random items. My favorite is this cheap boomerang I found at the Dollar Store- so unpredictable! Of course, you can use whatever you can find in your bag of tricks!

Top It Off

Time: 30 Minutes

Supplies: 26 Numbered tubes, 26 Numbered (or Lettered) Items (see pictures above), and 2 ropes [and a timing device].

Layout: One rope circle with randomly placed items marked with numbers 1 to 26 (Circle A), and one rope circle with randomly placed tubes (Circle B) marked with numbers 1 to 26. Rope circles are about six feet in diameter. Rope circles are about 10 ft. apart.

Basic Description: The challenge is to get all the numbered items from Circle A to Circle B balanced on top of the matching tube. The goal is to do it as quickly as possible with the least number of penalties.

Multiple rounds (e.g., two or three) are played, each with a 2-minute planning period.

Rules:

Items must be thrown from one circle to the next. The item cannot touch the ground.
Items must be placed on the tube with the same number in numerical order.
You can only touch the items while in the circle.
Only one person in each circle at a time.
Everyone must throw at least once.
Everyone must catch at least once.
You cannot catch or throw 2 times in a row.
Ropes cannot be moved.
Tubes cannot be moved.
If a tube gets knocked over after it has an item on it, there is a 5-second penalty and the item must be reset on top of the tube.
If an item is not caught, it is returned to the throwing circle and they can try again. (No penalty unless an item and tube are knocked over.)
All penalties will add 5 seconds to the end time.
A 2-minute planning period is required before each round.
The timer starts at the end of the 2 minutes.

Reflection Questions:

Did your team use the planning time effectively?
Who was responsible for the success or failure of the activity?
What roles and responsibilities did your process include?
Did any of the roles and responsibilities change after you started your process? Why did this happen?

Learning Opportunity: As you were reading, what tweaks came to mind? What would you change, add, or subtract to meet other specific outcomes? We'd love to hear about them in the Comments.

I'll share my thoughts in the next post.

All the best,

Chris Cavert, Ed.D.

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Twizzling Again (A Warm Up & Energizer)

9/29/2023

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(Note: All my books are boxed up right now, so my references are limited. I’ll be back to edit connections as soon as I can. Thanks to Michelle Cummings for letting me borrow her copy of Rohnke’s Quicksilver.)

A few summers back, before a long Spring Training (ropes) schedule, I picked up a copy of Tinker: Building Purposeful Experiences from Classic Adventure Activities from some of the amazing people at High 5. That Spring I ended up working/playing through most of the activities in the book with my trainees – SO FUN! (Thanks ‘amazing people’!)

One of those activities is forever etched in my mind because I learned it from Chris Ortiz (a High 5er some days back), it’s easy to remember (catchy name), and I can use it as a fun no-prop opener or program energizer with about 12 to 40 players – Clap, Jump, Spin, Run (I’ve also seen it as Jump, Clap, Spin, Run.) NOTE: I like starting with a Clap since it’s a nice auditory way to start the chain reactions. Here’s a quick description from Chris (from his 2015 handout 2015):

What does this have to do with Twizzling Chris? Well, you know me, I love the history!

Jump back (pun intended) to over 25 years ago, somewhere in Massachusetts at a Project Adventure workshop I learned Twizzle. After my recent re-learning of Clap, Jump, Spin, Run I also started re-using Twizzle. It’s the same general idea, moving around within a circle formation, but in Twizzle everyone is in play at the same time….until they're not!

In the classic pre-21st century adventure game style, a player can be called ‘out’ of Twizzle to become a ‘referee’ Whose job is to oust others who break the freeze rule. (For inclusion purposes, I’ve added a way to get back into 21st Century Twizzling.)

If you have Rohnke and Butler’s book Quicksilver you can find Twizzle on pages 135 and 136. They credit the fun to Tom Fuchs – thanks, Tom!! Here is my abbreviated version of the directions – basically, how I'm Twizzling again:

Circle up (12 to 40) participants – face them clockwise NOT holding hands. (This circle of people will be moving in a clockwise direction from time to time, looking at the back of the person in front of them.)

Teach and practice the following Action Terminology – as participants learn the Actions, mix in the old with the new during practice:

“GO – Walk in the direction you are facing.” [Practice for 20 seconds.]
“STOP – Stop moving and FREEZE.” [Practice] Let players know that ANY movement after the stop and freeze, is NOT freezing.
“TURN – Make a half turn, 180 degrees, and FREEZE.” [Practice] Again, any movement after the freeze is not freezing.
“JUMP – Jump, making a half turn, 180 degrees, and FREEZE.” [Practice]
“TWIZZLE – Jump, making a full turn, 360 degrees, and FREEZE.” [Practice]

After a couple of minutes of practice, all players are deemed official ‘Twizzlers’ and are now ready for Competition Twizzle.

Before the game begins, I ask for volunteers to be the first referees – we need one ref for every four players. For example, if there are 12 players there will be three referees, and 20 players will have five refs. I ask all the volunteer referees to step into the middle of the circle. Their job, as with all referees, is to watch for and call fouls. When they call a foul, they get to return to the circle of Twizzlers and the player who fouled becomes a referee in the center of the circle.

The Objective of the Competitive Twizzle Be a part of the Twizzler circle at the end of a three-minute game.

You, the facilitator, will start the time and then call out the Actions. The referees will watch for the following fouls:

A player does not ‘FREEZE’ after an action is made – other than the ‘GO’ action.
A player un-freezes before the next Action is called.

A player does not stop in the correct position of a turn – 180 degrees and 360 degrees. (This means under- or over-rotating.)

When there is a general understanding of play, I like to start with a one-minute practice round to clear up any unknowns. Then, I start the first official three-minute game and play on. Initially, we get in at least two or three games. Then we can Twizzle as an energizer throughout a program day.

Okay. Now that you know how to play. Let me tell you about some of the discussions I’ve been able to open with Twizzle:

What are your views regarding competition? What are some of the negative aspects of competition? What are some of the positive aspects? How can we be better competitors?
Describe how you played the game. Were you competitive? Were you focused? How much did you care about your performance? Were you respectful – in what ways? How did you view the referees? Were you respectful to them? In what ways?
If you were a referee, how did you do at your job? Did you like the job? Explain. Were you respectful? In what ways? If a referee overlooked a foul and did not call the foul, why do you think this happened? What are some ‘fouls’ you see in your everyday lives? What fouls do you ‘call’ and which ones do you not call? Why does this happen for you? What will it take from us to call the fouls we see? Why will this be important to our future?

The ’foul’ conversations have been the most impactful for my groups. We all know we need to call more fouls, but it’s not an easy task. What we discover is that together we can support each other, call the fouls, and make changes that help our communities and us. Twizzling Again can get us thinking and get us doing!

Keep me posted!

Chris Cavert, Ed.D.

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Rope Shape Challenges

9/15/2023

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Identify Quick Challenge: 1 Pentagram, 2 Heptagrams, 1 Octagram, and 1 Nonagram.

I participated (and learned) Blind Polygon in 1991 at a Project Adventure training. We all donned blindfolds before our facilitator dropped a big pile of rope (tied at the ends) somewhere in the field of play. Our first task together was to find the rope (I don't remember out strategy). Once we found it the facilitator called out (two-dimensional) geometric shapes we were challenged to form - still blindfolded (e.g., rectangle, square, equilateral triangle). To this day I remember how focused I was at listening for someone to tell me what to do. It was, and still is, a great experience to open conversations about detailed communication, listening and leadership. (NOTE: A new preference to 'unsight' participants is to simply ask them to close their eyes. This adds to conversations about integrity, trust, and choice.)

In the mid-90s I participated in a workshop lead by Sam Sikes, author of Feeding the Zircon Gorilla and Other Team Building Activities (Sam and I have since written books together). At that workshop I learned 5-Pointed Star (pentagram). Groups of five to eight players are given a long activity rope (e.g., 50 feet) tied at the ends. The group starts in a circle formation holding the ropes in both hands - the circle of rope opened as large as possible. The task (challenge) is to form two-dimensional 5-pointed star (see diagram) without anyone completely letting go of the rope - a participant's hand(s) can slide along the rope.

It's a great cognitive challenge, bringing to the forefront participants who live more in their logical brain. (Over the years I added 'Shooting Start' after a group solved the puzzle - "How fast can you make the 5-pointed star?" Increased risk, clear roles and responsibilities, and competitive (lower the time). NOTE: To date I've clocked groups at under five seconds.

All that being said (and you know I love diving into "all that"), I'm now playing with other gram-shapes. The first new one I tried was this heptagram (at right). It has a wonderfully simple solution, just like the pentagram: From a (rope) circle the group moves to a figure eight, then folds over the figure eight and pulls the five points (pentagram). Look at the diagram of the heptagram and discover how you can 'unfold' the lines into a figure eight. (Pull down the top point or vertex.) The main difference will be the need for seven vertex's. So, play with a group of seven to nine participants.

The only other one I've tried is another version of a heptagram. This one took longer to solve and with all the crossing intersections our 50-foot rope shape got pretty small (tighter fit between players). When I try this one again, I'm going to go with a 100-foot rope (two 50-footers tied together). I'm guessing it will change the communication dynamics a bit?

While researching geometric shape names I came across a couple more I want to try. How about this octagram (right)? Again, with more vertex's, I'll use a longer rope (e.g., 75 to 100 feet). Thinking through - we'll need at least eight, no more than 10 participants. NOTE: When there are more people than vertex's the 'non-point' players find a place along a line to hold the rope. They need to understand their role and responsibility just like everyone else.

And then there's one I found I'm really excited to try - specifically when I have three groups working on the challenge. The Nonagram (I'm thinking of calling this the "No-Way-Nagram"). Each group has a 50-foot rope with nine to 12 participants. After giving the challenge (and a diagram of the nonagram), I'll let them work on it. Then, maybe 10 to 15 minutes in, I might drop some suggestions about collaborating with other groups. How they interpret collaboration is up to them.

Before reading on, can you see a super-easy solution (and maybe the only one), for the three groups to create the nonagram? (Pause for dramatic suspense....) Each group creates one triangle and then the three groups overlap the triangles. No-Way-Nagram!

Let me know what you think and tell me how it goes when you try these challenges! (I'm now working on the idea of three-dimensional rope shapes??)

All the best,

Chris Cavert, Ed.D

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Number Cards (Print-N-Play)

9/2/2023

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I use playing cards a lot, from forming groups to engaging team building experiences. When I use them during trainings with team builders I always say, "If you don't want to, or can't, use playing cards, make a set of number cards." It was about time for me to support the cause - of saving time for busy educators.

So, here are some Number Cards (Set 1), ready to print and use with a group of up to 48 people. (My plan is to add more sets to use with larger groups.) I printed my first set (above) on card stock paper so it's not easy to see through the back (unless we hold cards up to the light). A paper cutter makes quick work of chopping out the numbers.

numbercards_set1.pdf
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Below are a handful of activities here at the FUNdoing Blog suitable for using Number Cards:

Flip and Find (with Video)
Quad-Team Flip & Find
Pressure Play Too
Box Cards

Have FUN out there my friend!

Chris Cavert, Ed.D.

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Quad-Team Flip & Find (with Playing Cards)

8/19/2023

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Back in 2019 I posted Flip and Find (with a video) - a fast-action playing card activity for a single group or multiple teams. It can be played competitively (against other teams) or each group/team works independently to improve their own process for success. The activity promotes group engagement even when someone is not physically flipping cards - one person is active while others are paying attention to the cards in order to be more successful together.

Recently an idea to macro-size Flip & Find came to mind and I just had the opportunity to try it out. Here's what I'm going to run with at this point:

Needs & Numbers: One activity rope (about 50 feet long) and a deck of playing cards for every four 'teams' you create. I believe it will play well with eight to 16 participants - divided into teams. Multiple groups/card circles (of four small teams) can be in play at the same time.

Set Up: Make a big circle with the activity rope and scatter out all 52 cards, face down, inside the circle (like the diagram above). NOTE: Be sure you have a complete set of 52 playing cards. (You can set this one up with some cards missing, but it should be done with a programmable purpose in mind - and then be ready to process the dynamics.)

Process: (for one card circle) Divide the group (participants) into four teams - it's okay if the teams are not equal (e.g., with 15 participants, there will be three teams of four and one team of three). Each team is assigned a different suit from the deck - the group can self-assign or the facilitator can assign suits.

Objective: Turn over all suits in ascending order by rank - Ace to King.

When the group (the four teams) is ready to begin, they can each send one person from their team into the circle of cards (Rule 1: Up to four people can be in the circle at one time). Each person that enters the circle can flip over one and only one card (Rule 2). If the card they flipped IS the next card in their sequence it is kept rank-side up. If the card IS NOT the next in the sequence it is turn back down - or rank-side down (Rule 3: Cards may not be moved to a different spot in the circle.) In either case, after the card is set the person exits the circle. The next person from the suit team can enter the circle.

When any of the Rules are broken, the activity is reset - cards are shuffled and re-scattered in the circle - for another attempt.

Quick Example: The first card every team is looking for is their Ace. A player can only leave a card rank-side up if it is their suit. When a team player finds their Ace, it is left 'Ace-up' and now the next player starts looking for the two of their suit. (NOTE: We don't explicitly say this - the hope is they figure this out - flipped cards can be seen by every team. So looking out for cards of their suit flipped over by other teams is an advantage.) Then, when a team's two is found, they're after the three and so on until their King is found and flipped. The ultimate question then applies: When you're done, are you done? (We hope they figure this out as well - when a team is done flipping, they can continue to play/flip in order to reveal cards needed by other teams. All Rules still apply after a team completes their suit.)

During play, team players can stand anywhere outside the circle before it is their turn to enter. Players have no restrictions on what they can communicate to other players (hopefully staying within positives lines of communication).

When all cards have been flipped up in order, the task is complete.

Observations/Questions:

Did any of you, at some point, believe you were competing with other teams to be the first to turn over all their cards? How did competing influence your behavior?
When you came to realize you were not competing, what behaviors changed or appeared? How did this influence your participation?
Identify the 'helping' behaviors that took place during the activity?
What is your opinion about 'helping?' What are some of the pros and cons of helping?
What were the successes you experienced as a group during the task?
What are some of the ways you contributed to the successful completion of the task?
What are some of the things you could have done as a 'group' to be even more successful?

Learnings from my initial attempt:

I like this version as a 'completion' activity versus a timed activity (and, it can be done as a timed, process improvement activity). I think taking away the pressure of time will increase cooperative interactions.
Forming teams and assigning suites is an easier way to present this one. During my first real attempt I did not form teams and it was very confusing for the group. Essentially, they were not at a stage in their development where they planned together. They pretty much just jumped right in without a plan. (If you are working with an outcome related to "prior planning prevents poor performance" then don't form teams or assign suits.)

Reasons I Like This One:

Collaborating for success is very apparent - either before the end of the task and even more so after the task.
It's another activity that can emphasize helping behaviors - exploring what 'helping' looks like within a group. This is especially true when teams realize they can help others after they are done.

What else do we want to integrate with Quad-Team Flip & Find? Leave us a Comment.

All the best,

Chris Cavert, Ed.D.

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Tarp Tossing (3 Challenges)

7/7/2023

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Tossing stuff with tarps, sheets and towels has been a fun team building activity for a long time. (My favorite memory: Karl Rohnke getting a group to tarp toss over 100 corks in the air - check out Raining Corks.)

I finally got some video of my go-to Tarp Tossing sequence. It's part of a 2-hour curriculum I wrote focusing on cooperation. (Cooperation processing ideas below.)

Needs & Numbers: I use 6 by 8-foot medium duty plastic tarps - a good price range and they hold up well. If you can afford it, get the heavy duty plastic tarps or canvas drop cloths. (SAFETY WARNING: Be careful around the metal grommets found on most plastic tarps - don't let fingers get into the holes. I like to roll/fold up the edges a couple times [2 rolls only] to cover the grommets - this also provides for a better grip on the tarp.)

You'll also need a safe tossable object. I use a slightly deflated playground-type ball (those dollar store inflatable ones work well). I deflate them enough so if the catch is missed the ball does not go (roll or bounce) very far from the group.

Tossing works well with 4 to 8 players per tarp, middle school ages and older. (NOTE: When I worked with elementary ages the parachute was my go-to prop for tossing stuff together.)

Challenges
Here are the three Phases/Challenges I like to present (and if you are near basketball hoops, there is another challenge):

Phase 1: Toss Up - Each group/tarp in play is challenged to toss up their object approximately ten feet into the air and then catch it in their tarp. You (the facilitator) can be the judge of height or hold each group accountable for 'height validation' - was it high enough or not? After some practice, try the 2-minute challenge: How many catches can each group get in the two minutes? (Maybe, each group sets a goal prior to the attempt. How about a second attempt to improve on the score?) BONUS Challenge: If you have a basketball court at your disposal, try to 'Toss Up' into the basket.

Phase 2: This challenge needs at least two tarp groups. Start out with one tossable for every two groups. After getting practice with 'Toss Up' (above), the two groups will toss back-and-forth to each other. The tossable must go at least 10-feet high, ultimately being caught by the tarp group that did not toss the tossable. After some problem solving and practice, try the 2-minute challenge: How many catches in two minutes? (Maybe a second round after some first-round problem solving to improve the score.) NOTE: If you need to form a group of three, position the tarp groups in a triangle formation. BONUS Challenge: Give each tarp group a tossable and challenge pairs (or a group of three) to toss and catch simultaneously.

Phase 3: When there is time (and still some Tarp Tossing energy), present this single group challenge. Tarp groups are tasked to 1) toss up their object, 2) turn their tarp over 180 degrees, and 3) catch their object in their tarp. This challenge takes a bit more time to work out the 'problems' that arise and get "on the same page." The 2-minute challenge for this one: How many catches 'in a row' can be made? That's, toss-turn-catch.

During this third Phase, I have the groups discuss, plan and practice for a while in order to build competencies. Then, we take some time for each group to share how they are approaching the challenge - one tarp group at a time shows everyone else. Then, groups get back to practicing. This part is brought up later in the processing session to see if groups had any influence on another group's process. What is the 'best' way? Is there a best way? What factors influence the best way? Who won?

After a bit more practice we move into the 2-minute challenge - catches in a row. Again, I always like to provide a process improvement opportunity after the first attempt.

Processing Tarp Tossing focusing on Cooperation

This is the first question I like to ask:

How do you all define cooperation?

We put everyone's ideas together to form the group's understanding of cooperation. (Basically, cooperating to define cooperation.)

As an example, I asked ChatGPT (AI) to provide "a short definition of cooperation."

Response:

Cooperation refers to the act of individuals, groups, or entities working together towards a common goal or objective. It involves collaboration, mutual assistance, and joint efforts to achieve outcomes that benefit all participants involved. Cooperation often entails sharing resources, information, skills, or responsibilities to maximize efficiency and effectiveness. It is characterized by the willingness to compromise, communicate, and coordinate actions for the greater good, fostering harmony and positive interdependence among participants.

Many of the concepts I've bolded above are brought up by group members forming their definition. I then pick a few of the concepts to explore depending on the overall outcomes the group is working towards:

What did "working together" look and sound like for you in your group? What did you enjoy about working together with your group? How could you be better at working together?
What 'common goals' did you work on together during the challenges? What goals were imposted by someone else and which ones were generated by you? Which goals did you reach or exceed? How do you feel about your successes and your failures to achieve the goals? What is difficult about setting goals? How do goals help us?
Think back on how you 'communicated' with each other - what are your thoughts about the way your group communicated? What went well? What could be better? Share examples of the ways you would like others to communicate with you. What barriers prevent good communication? How can we eliminate these barriers?
What is the 'greater good' for you all right now? What does this mean to you? Why is it important to you?
What does 'positive interdependence' look like to you right now? What is important about this concept?

Tarp Tossing is easy to set up, fun to experience and rich with take-aways. The cooperation focus is simply one direction you can take the discussion.

Let us know where it takes you!

All the best,

Chris Cavert, Ed.D.

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Stepping Words (Stepping Stones Variation)

6/8/2023

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(About a 5-minute read and a 3-minute video.)

(Important Note from Chris: I really wanted to get this idea out into the wild so we can experiment and refine the rules - so lets develop it together. Please leave your ideas in the Comments. Thanks!)

Here's a little twist on the classic, Stepping Stones (Karl Rohnke, The Bottomless Bag 1991 and then in Quicksilver 1995). Below is the first (1991) write-up from Karl (exactly as written - only 1/3 of a page):

Divide your group into smaller groups of five. Each group is given 4 rubber (plastic) gym markers and asked to physically cross the width of a basketball court as quickly (timed) as possible. Allow 2-3 minutes of planning time before the start.

Rules (1991):

Only the markers can be stepped on.
No one may touch the gym spots with their heels - ball of the foot only.
If someone inadvertently touches the floor, he/she must also return to the start, and anyone touching them must also return.

Considerations:

Try to emphasize efficiency and group cooperation in your debriefing.
Try different combinations of gym sports and group sizes.

[A very physically demanding challenge when the floor cannot be touched by the heel.]

In 1995, Karl noted, "This seemingly simple activity is fast becoming one of my favorites." In this updated description of Stepping Stones he included some choices for "Stuff You'll Need" like 12-inch square "rug pads" [carpet squares], "rubber deck spots" (from the Project Adventure Store), or "(12) 18-inch lengths of 4-inch by 4-inch lumber." Here's a picture from Quicksilver using the 4 by 4s [today, some consider the 4 by 4s too risky - 'rolling' potential]:

Rules (1995):

Anyone touching the ground between the boundaries must return to the start.
Stepping stones must be touched at all times while in-between the boundaries - if a stepping stone is untouched "even for an instant" it is removed from play.
Stepping stones may only move in the forward direction [eliminating the "rescue" of players required to return to the beginning after a touch]. Or, use this Rule: Stepping stones can only completely cross the boundary area one time.
Boundaries: "Generally, it makes sense to set the boundaries far enough apart so that the group will need to recycle some of their props in order to cross the gap."

[There is a full page description in Quicksilver of Karl's "fun way" to frame Stepping Stones using intergalactic travel starting from planet "Lrak-Dna-Evets" (a little word play here you might recognize if you've followed Karl's work).]

Stepping Words

I used Stepping Stones a lot over the years. My go-to prop was 12-inch long 2-inch by 6-inch boards - starting out with one board per person. As boards were lost (untouched), the challenge for the group increased. It is a good, easy-to-lead challenge. [NOTE: We can put letters on these boards as well, but we might need some other Rules?]

Recently I was asked to make some larger Stepping Stones to make it a little easier for some of our camper groups to accomplish the task (the 4 by 4s we have can limit success). Once we cut the 16-inch by 16-inch by 1/2-inch particle board, I took some time to think about adding another (less physical) 'problem' to solve as a variation. The 'board tiles' got me to think 'word tiles' and Stepping Words emerged. Here is the original set of 12 board-tiles:

After some figuring, these 12 letters can get us 17 letters. The 'I' can be a lower case 'L'. The 'U' can be a 'C' and a lower case 'n'. The 'W' can be an 'M'. and the 'P' can be a lower case 'd' (when thinking 'out-of-the-box' as we like to encourage).

I stenciled the letters and then outlined them with a permanent marker to make them stand out a bit more. Then I had a colleague build us a tile-holder for easy storage.

So, let's Play!

Rules (2023):
I led Stepping Words during our recent camp staff training for the first time with two groups and here are the Rules we plan to use/try over the summer with our campers:

Boundary Area: 50-feet across from Start to Finish (we're using lengths of webbing as the banks of our Lava River).
Spell words to move across the 'Lava River' (we have a "Prehistoric" Theme at camp this year - hence the Lava).
Words can be 2 to 5 letters long. [We didn't limit length at first and it was too easy to cross using longer words - not enough interaction.]
Words must be placed alternating between "UP" and "CROSS" directions - UP words go towards the Finish line and CROSS words go parallel to the finish line.
As letters are placed, they must be stepped on to keep from floating away (being taken away). We will give our campers a '1-second' grace period to step on a board-tile.
If a player places a board-tile they are 'bound' to this tile. Example: If I place the 'W' tile, I am now responsible for the 'W' - I keep possession of this tile throughout the journey. [NOTE: I'm not sure how this Rule will play out - we're going to try it.]
Players can be bound to two tiles as long as they are touching them in some way.
Once a word is in place - fully spelled - and players are stepping on all letters, the word can be disassembled so letters can be used in other words during travel.
No jumping from tile to tile - one foot on a tile at all times between the boundary lines.
If a player touches the Lava (ground) they must return to the Starting shore for 'first aide' before beginning again. Remember: Returning players can only enter the boundary area onto a word of 2 to 5 letters.

Ready? Go!

Let us know what you think. One of my goals for this version of Stepping Stone is to make it more interactive. Let's see how it works.

All the best,

Chris Cavert, Ed.D.

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Every Other Group Juggle

5/24/2023

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(About an 8-minute read.)

Problem Solving. It's one of the most common concepts we practice (experience) when team building. Typically, after the connection activities (e.g., Ice Breakers), we dive into Problem Solving activities. Then we dial in on how our groups problem solve together - which leads to concepts like Leadership, Communication, Trust, and Planning (among so many others).

Part of the problem solving process is actually recognizing problems. I often observe in wonder as groups continue bumping into the same problem (a problem I see) without resolution. Some would say they have not been able to 'name' it and then work to get through it (or around it). And this is often the essence of team building, to figure this stuff out together.

After some recent reflection about identifying problems (especially working with middle school ages) I came up with an idea to encourage some problem identification. Every Other Group Juggle has become one of my tools. It's easy to set up and most groups have the skills to experience some level of success to keep them motivated to continue getting better.

Every Other Group Juggle

Activity Objective: Complete three tossing rounds in a row without any drops.

Needs & Numbers: Plays well (so far) with 12 to 24 people, middle school ages and older. And an odd number of participants adds a little more challenge (so, you can jump in on an even group to make it odd). You'll need a safe tossable item for every two people, plus one extra (when numbers are odd). I like to use the 'stress' (squishy) tossables. Tennis balls work well too. (I found plastic 'pit ball' tossables don't travel well in the wind - another problem to solve if needed.)

Process: The set up for this one is like traditional Group Juggle (Rohnke, Silver Bullets - the link is to a video with the basic idea and a toss-n-run version I really like). Circle up your group. Use one tossable to create a tossing pattern (nice underhand tosses). Everyone catches and tosses one time. The last person tosses to the first person who started the pattern. And tosses cannot be made to someone to a person's immediate left or right. NOTE: If you are new to Group Juggle, setting up this tossing pattern can take a while. (If you want to learn a fast way to set up the pattern, for the sake of time, see Group Juggle Set Up)

Once the tossing pattern has been created and practiced several times (until everyone remembers who they toss to), give every other person a tossable. If you are working with an odd number of people, the last person will also receive a tossable - essentially, three people in a row will have a tossable. Then I inform group members that they must remain in this circle configuration - people may not rearrange themselves - for the duration of the challenge.

Here's where I introduce some 'anticipatory' problem solving. I tell my group every person with a tossable will be tossing to the same person they tossed to when creating the pattern. I will be calling, "1 ,2, 3, Toss. On the word toss, all tossables must be tossed. The goal is to catch all the tossables in play - that means zero drops. Ultimately, making three tosses in a row without any drops."

But before this happens, I ask everyone to point to the person they are tossing to. I ask if they see any potential problems ahead. (The one that is always foreseen: Some people will have to toss AND catch during the round.) Once they identify a potential problem (or problems), I ask them what they want to do about it. This is where some planning, and even some practice, can strengthen the odds of zero drops. (NOTE: It usually takes a few rounds to figure this out, but since they cannot rearrange themselves, for the best odds, tossable objects are moved to players who will not have to toss and then catch in the same round. If there is an odd number of people a group can get down to only two people who will need to toss and catch. So, who will be willing to take the risk?)

If the group determines that the 'odd' number of people is a problem, find out what they want to do about it. You could offer to step in, or step out of the group to make it even.

It is clear that I am encouraging some problem solving before problems occur - the anticipated problem may not even happen. But I see it as a skill set that could be used as a planning tool. It's a way to 'future forecast' so to speak. And I also challenge my groups to try out a plan sooner than later so they can collect some data on how it worked. They don't need to solve all the problems before they try something.

When the group is ready and willing to try out their plan, we go for it to see how it worked - was there any drops. If so, we focus on identifying one or two problems they can work on and make a plan that can lead to better results. Then try again. I encourage my groups to identify one, maybe two, problems. Work to solve them and then, when needed, identify the next problem to solve - continuing this process until they achieve the goal of the task.

When they do succeed - zero drops - they can make another tossing attempt towards their three no-drop rounds. If a drop occurs on the next attempt, I encourage them to identify the problem(s), plan a way to solve it/them and go again. The overall idea is to identify what problem they have and plan out a strategy to solve it - one problem at a time.

(If you would like to teach a clean step-by-step process to problem solving, there is the A, B, C, D, E method: A - agree on the problem you want to solve; B - brainstorm ideas to solve it; C - choose one of the ideas; D - do the idea, collect data; E - evaluate what was done, did the problem get solved. If not, choose another idea to try, do it and evaluate again. Go through this process until the problem is solved.)

Have FUN out there!

Chris Cavert, Ed.D.

Other Group Juggle Posts at FUNdoing
Group Juggle Set Up (2012)
Double Group Juggle (2014)
Zig Zag Group Juggle Variation (2015)
Group Juggle Variations (2020)

P.S. The header above is my first AI generated graphic. Prompt: 18 young people standing in a circle with every other person holding up a ball, standing in the grass with trees in the background.

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Solve For (with Cups)

Top It Off 2 - Building Lesson Part 2

Top It Off (A Share from Karen) Building Lesson Part 1

Twizzling Again (A Warm Up & Energizer)

Rope Shape Challenges

Number Cards (Print-N-Play)

Quad-Team Flip & Find (with Playing Cards)

Tarp Tossing (3 Challenges)

Stepping Words (Stepping Stones Variation)

Every Other Group Juggle

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