Category:

And So It Goes (Tabletop Tangram Teambuilding)

2/2/2024

Tangrams are my favorite brain-break (my wooden set is right behind me). Recently I was spicing up a tangrams activity and came up with this tabletop teambuilding experience for three to seven people around a table (of course you can have lots of tables in play at the same time). Let me know what you think about it – additions, variations, or other stories we could tell?

And So It Goes

Needs & Numbers: You'll need one traditional seven-piece tangram puzzle (seen above) for every three to seven players. You'll also need something to create the Frame for each group like a short rope (e.g., 5 feet) or some masking tape. Finally, you'll need one Story Sheet for each group (at right). You'll find this PDF download below.

Time: 15 to 20 minutes.

Set-Up:

This activity is designed to be played on a floor, table, or desktop.
Create a frame for the characters in the story using a short rope (shown above) or masking tape. The frame can be a square or a circle that has a diameter of about 18 inches.
Scatter the seven puzzle pieces around on the inside of the frame.
Your group(s) will be sitting around the frame close enough to reach in and move the pieces.

Directions:

Have the group(s) help set the Frame. Provide them with the materials (rope or tape) and the seven pieces of a Tangram puzzle.
Tell them the parameters of the frame (see Set-Up) and what to do with the pieces of the puzzle when the frame is complete – scatter them around inside the frame.
Hand them a copy of the story ‘And So It Goes’ (PDF Download below). Once it’s time to begin, each group, working independently, will read the story. When they come across a BOLD word, they are required to use all seven pieces of the puzzle, staying inside the frame, to build the character on the page the word is referring to.
Building: To build each character as it shows up in the story, participants take turns reaching into the frame to move one piece on their turn. Only one hand is allowed inside the frame at a time. When a participant is satisfied with how they have situated their piece, they remove their hand from the frame and may not reach in again until it’s their turn – everyone taking a first turn before anyone takes a second turn. Everyone takes a second turn before taking a third turn, and so on.
Once a character is complete, the story continues until the next character needs to be built. Participants take turns reading the story lines.
Participants are free to talk to each other as they see fit until they arrive at the horse and rider (Together) and the sleeping (laid to rest) characters – these two characters are built without talking. These characters are marked ‘Build Silently’ on the story sheet as a reminder.
If you need to, set a time limit (e.g., 15 minutes) to get as far into the story as they can. Or let the group(s) take as long as needed to get through the whole story. If more than one group is in play, you can limit the time by stopping everyone after one group finishes the story. (If you would like every group to finish their story, have a bunch of extra tangram puzzle cards to distribute that a group can work on while others are finishing – tell them about the 'Free for All' method described below to solve the puzzles.)
When you've answered all the group's questions that you can, let them get started.

Here's the Story:

andsoitgoes_tangrams_strorysheet_cavert.pdf
File Size:	322 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

Possible Reflection Questions:

When you found out what we were going to be doing, solving puzzles, what was your first reaction? Where do you think you acquired this response?
When it was your turn to move a piece, what do you remember thinking about?
How were you influenced by others when it was your turn to move a piece?
What part of the story resonated with you the most, and why?
Think about this for a moment before responding…what did it take from your group to solve the character puzzles? What did you do and say to be successful?
Think about the idea of diversity. How did your diversity play a part in this activity?
Was there any point during the story and building that diversity might have been a problem? What did you do about it? Is there something you want to do about it right now?

Ultimately, you’ll be solving a lot of puzzles in your life. What do you want to remember from this experience that might help you solve these everyday puzzles?
Let's take a moment to read the story again [read the story]. What does this story mean to you in relation to everyday life?

Variations:

Free for All Build: Use this with the story build (this version usually does not take as long) or use this after the story build when groups are working on additional tangram puzzle cards. When a group gets to the part in the story where there is a character to build, each person in the group can have one hand inside the frame at any time. So, together, they can be moving pieces around simultaneously until the character comes to life. This dynamic can lead to a wide-ranging discussion about the behaviors that took place. Some groups can be calm and end up taking turns. Other groups simply love the energy and chaos of all the hands building together.

Tangram puzzles can be pretty tricky. I love using them with groups to bring up the concept of perseverance. On that note, I'll give you a few answers. Your challenge is to figure out the other three. Get good at solving the tangrams you're presenting. Eventually, you get the knack of 'seeing' how the pieces work together.

Here's a traditional tangram puzzle template. Print it on card stock for a bit more durability – cut along all the black lines.

tangramstemplate_traditional.pdf
File Size:	262 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

Have FUN out there. Keep me posted!

Chris Cavert, Ed.D.

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Story Cards

12/22/2023

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An upcoming training for teachers includes preparing them with activities they can use to get to know their students on a "deeper" level. I thought about my go-to, Name Card Exchange, but I didn't think it was deep enough. So, here's the idea I came up with to take name cards a little deeper. (And I can still do some team building using the names.)

The above image is my Story Card example I'll be using (for the first time) at the training. To save a little time during the training, I plan to prepare the index cards ahead of time adding the letters N, C, P, and E to the corners of each card. I'm going to make an equal amount of five different colored cards – most colored 4- by 6-inch index card packs have four colors. I'll add in the plain white index cards for a fifth color. I'm doing this so I can quickly form five working groups of like colors during the training.

As I like to do, most often with playing cards or index cards, I hand out one to each person as they arrive at my trainings (or programs). This gives me a chance to make a connection with everyone at least once. Yes, it takes some time to do this, especially with large groups, but I'm doing this before the 'official' start time, so I'm usually done by then (besides the few stragglers I catch up with once things get going).

Before the training, I will also prepare a large flip chart poster of the image above providing an example of a Name Card (which we're turning into a Story Card), and place this up near the two tables where I'll have lots of 'poster' markers ready for use.

TIME TO PLAY
When it's time to begin the training, I'll invite everyone to bring their card up to the marker tables and add their first name similar to the example on the flip chart poster – "First name, nice and big." I'll also invite them to spice their card up a bit, if they want, with some marker decoration – without covering any of the letters at the corners. After they've completed the task they are instructed to join me in the open area we're using for the training activities.

When everyone is ready we'll first learn about the letters at the corners of their cards. Yes, this will involve memorization – maybe we'll share some strategies about how we memorize things? (I'm guessing some memorization feelings will bubble up for teachers, just like for students. Something to talk about if needed.) All the letters stand for a 'Significant' something...

N - Significant Numbers
C - Significant Characteristics
P - Significant People
E - Significant Events

I know I'll be doing some call-and-response to anchor in the letters, maybe even sing the C-and-R – wouldn't that be fun!! (I'm sure some of the teachers will think so.)

As you have already guessed, this will be a pair-and-share get-to-know-you activity. Here's the gist of what I'll say:

Now that you know what the letters on your card stand for, let's go out and tell some stories. In a moment, but not yet, I'll ask you to partner up with someone in the group. When you're ready to share your story, raise up a hand, look for someone else doing the same thing, and get together with this person. Keep in mind, that a partner might not be available to you right away. Be patient. Keep an eye on the group. Someone will eventually be available.

With this first partner, I'd like everyone to tell the story OF your name or a story ABOUT your name. We all have this kind of story. Where is your name from or what silly or interesting fact have you experienced related to your name. Each person in your pair shares a name story and then you bid farewell to each other and think about the next story you'd like to share.

The next stories will be from the Significant Corners of your card. Let's review – N is for...Significant Numbers. What stories do you have about things numberd in your life? For example, you are one of three siblings and you all like to play basketball together whenever you can. Or on your 14th birthday, you spent it at Six Flags where you rode your favorite roller coaster eight times. The idea is to share your significant corners telling stories about them.

Okay, how about the C – it stands for...significant characteristic. Tell a story about a characteristic you have that has served you well. For example, you once took on the leadership role of a class project with a group that struggled with the assignment. You had some previous knowledge of the topic so you helped plan the tasks that needed to be done and helped everyone work through their part. Together you ended up with an 'A' because everyone was willing to follow your lead.

What does the P stand for... a significant person. Tell a story about someone in your life who inspires you or has helped you in some way. Remember, wrap your answer in a story, make it meaningful to share and interesting to listen to.

Finally, what does the E stands for... a significant event. Share a story about an event in your life that stands out for you. Something or someplace that changed your life or really helped you form into the person you are today.

With each partner you get together with, tell a story about one of the significant letters. It's perfectly okay to stay with a significant corner, but try to share a different story about the letter. Try to partner up with at least four, or even more, others in the group after your first story of or about your name.

What questions do you have about what we're going to be doing? [Pause to answer.] Okay. Partner up when you're ready to tell the story of or about your name.

Connecting and Going Deeper
At the initial level of getting to know their students, I'll recommend the teachers participate in this one. They can meet with five or more students in the 10 minutes I'll suggest staying with this activity. To get to a 'deeper' connection, we can have the students take some class time to write – writing is a good skill.

Students can take a seat and grab a pen. On the back of their Story Card, they can each write their teacher four two-sentence stories about each of the letters. The teacher can then collect and read the stories to learn more about each of their students. The students learned a little more about each other, and the teacher can learn even more.

Extension
The significant stories can go beyond a one-time use. This pair-and-share activity can be done several times over a school year. We all have a lot of stories to tell using the significant letters on the Story Cards. Spend a little pair-and-share time every once in a while making sure to pair up with different people every time. Or when pairing up with someone who's heard one of your stories, tell a different significant story.

I am seeing some good community-building in this process of storytelling. Let me know if you see anything we can add to make it even more meaningful. Leave us a Comment.

All the best,

Chris Cavert, Ed.D.

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Solve For (with Cups)

11/11/2023

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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
File Size:	117 kb
File Type:	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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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
File Size:	783 kb
File Type:	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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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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Alphabet Soup (with Crowd Words)

5/11/2023

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(About an 8-minute read.)

I learned this activity from Chris Ortiz & Jim Grout many years ago at a conference workshop and I recently found their handout buried in one of my files (I haven't seen this one turn up in any books so I thought I'd share it). And since adding Crowd Words (26 of the 140+ letter tiles shown above) to my favorite props, I've been pulling out all the 'Letter Tile' activities I know. (Here's another one with Crowd Words: 26 Word Builder)

(Those of you in the know - I've run across another activity with this name but I couldn't find it in any of my books. My memory tells me in involves those foam puzzle squares for kids where you can remove the letters, numbers and animals from the inside of the square. Ringing any bells? Is it a Project Adventure activity? Let me know if you know. Thanks.)

Alphabet Soup (from Chris & Jim's Handout with some slight editing)

The goal for each team of 3 to 5 players, is to spell as many words as possible in two minutes.

Words must be spelled out in their entirety on the ground using the letter tiles in order to count for points. (Chris Cavert: In other words, letter tiles must be moved into a line that spells out the word to be scored - you can't just shout out words without moving the tiles into place.)

Teams may brainstorm words for as long as they want before performing the task. (Chris Cavert: During the brainstorming session words may not be written down - it's a verbal storming only.)

Needs & Numbers: You'll need one Alphabet set (26 letters), one Rule Card (PDF download below), a few sheets of paper, (a clipboard if you have some), and a pen for each group of 3 to 5 players.

RULES:
1. Teams are challenged to spell out - using the letter tiles - as many different words as possible in two minutes.
2. Teams may only use one set of 26 letter tiles - A to Z.
3. Words may not be repeated and must be spelled out in their entirety to be counted. NOTE: Words can only be used once in their singular or plural form (e.g., Plate or Plates - both cannot be listed).
4. Words spelled out with the letter tiles must be written on paper to be counted in the end.

SCORING:
10 Points are earned for each word spelled (minimum of 5 letters).
20 Bonus Points are earned for each word longer than 8 letters.
30 Bonus Points are earned for each word longer than 10 letters.

Printable of the Rule Card

alphabetsoup_rulecard.pdf
File Size:	278 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

When I use Alphabet Soup, I create the small teams and then give each one a set of 26 letters (which you could make yourself, of course), pen and paper along with one Rules Card (PDF above) and then give them four minutes to plan before the first timed round. I tell them nothing can be written down during the planing phase. Then I start the four minute timer.

During the planning phase Teams can ask me questions, which I may or may not answer depending on the question - I avoid solving any 'problems' for them. When the four minutes expires I get their attention and ask for any final questions. Then I give them the "GO!" for the two-minute scoring round.

During the two-minute scoring round(s) I observe how they 'play the game' - are teams following the rules. I'm looking for things we can talk about after the timed round. When the two minute scoring round is over I ask each team to score themselves based on the point values listed on the Rules Card. Before asking some questions about the overall 'Planning & Playing' process I wait until everyone is done with their math (this could take a minute) and then I ask groups to share out their scores.

Here are some questions I tend to ask:

What strategies did you come up with during your planning session?
Which strategies worked for you during the timed round? Which strategies did not and why?
On a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being 100%, how well did you follow the Rules?
If you didn't score a 5, what rules were difficult to follow?
What is your opinion about rules? What if we didn't have any rules - what would that be like?
How was your score? Good? Not so good? Excellent? Could have been better?
How are you feeling about your score in comparison to other groups?
In what ways does it matter to you about the 'scores' of other groups? [We can go a lot deeper down this rabbit hole if it aligns with group objectives - lots to explore here.]

NOTE About SCORING - There is a little nuance to the scoring. If it doesn't come up (if no questions are asked about it - if someone does ask for clarification, I give it), I wait until after the last 'Planning & Playing' process to bring it up. The 20 & 30 'BONUS' points are added to the base score of 10 points for the minimum five-letter word. If groups did not catch this there can be some powerful emotions. 'Clarity' is the topic of discussion on this - "We can miss out on things if we're not clear." And when some groups get the scoring details and do/did not share the information, we can discuss this dynamic as well. (They might think other groups knew or they might not have shared because they want to win. More good things to talk about.)

After the first 'Planning & Playing' process (when there is time and energy for it), I give the groups three minutes to plan before going into another scoring round. After the second round I give them two minutes to plan before the third and final round. I also inform the groups that words may not be reused across scoring rounds.

There is A LOT to dive into with Alphabet Soup - "Simply Deep" I'm calling it. Do you have other Simply Deep activities. Let us know in the Comments!

All the best,

Chris Cavert, Ed.D.

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Up Stream (a.k.a., What's Missing?)

4/13/2023

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(About a 10-minute read. NOTE from Chris: Heads Up, this activity is in the FUNdoing Beta Testing stage. We're looking for feedback. Please let us know if this makes sense. If it doesn't, where are the confusing parts? Leave your thoughts in the comments.)

My friend Trevor and I presented together at the 2023 ACCT Conference (The Association for Challenge Course Technology). Our workshop? AHH...That Fresh Game Smell! (Thanks to our friend Matthew for the workshop title.) When we arrived in Portland, Trevor and I dropped into a local game store. One of the purchases was Happy Salmon (from Exploding Kittens). Long story short, we came up with a game to present at our workshop using some of the Happy cards. (A heart-felt apology to the FUN Followers out there who cannot get their hands on the game!) It's a variation of 'What's Missing?' using Qwirkle game pieces or Qwirkle Rummy cards.

In the box you'll find a whole bunch of cards with 'connection' words on them: High Five, Happy Salmon and Fish Bump. The picture above includes one 'set' of these connection cards - there are three of these sets in the box. (There are also a whole bunch of 'Switch It Up' cards - you won't need these for this activity - but you'll need them to play the actual Happy Salmon game which is loads of fun). Also, notice in the set of cards there are eight different shapes and eight different colors - the connection words, shapes and colors make up this one set. Now for some math!

Trevor and I prepared the cards for a large group. We didn't know how many people were going to attend our workshop, so we planned for splitting up the big group into smaller groups of eight to ten people in each. We laid out all three sets on our planning table like the one pictured above, then we picked up the first four rows (12 cards) - this was a sub-set of cards to be used by one small group. The last four rows (12 cards) was the second sub-set of cards for another group. We did the same with the other two (full) sets giving us six sub-sets of cards for six groups of eight to ten people. (So, we love a large groups, but we were hoping for less than 61 attendees.)

One last thing we did with each sub-set of 12 cards. We took out two cards - each card had completely different characteristics. For example, one would have a 'Happy Salmon' that was a 'Blue' 'Circle' card, the other was a 'Fish Bump' that was a 'Green' 'Triangle.' These difference make the activity a bit more challenging (we think). The best thing to do (we discovered) is to then put these two 'missing' cards in a small envelop, then place the other 10 cards on top of the envelope and rubber band the cards and envelop together so you have a little pack for each group of eight to ten players.

Here's another way to prep the cards if you want to work with one group of up to 22 players (I'm imagining this would be super challenging). Let's say you have 11 to 13 players. Use the first five rows of a card set (like the ones to the right), take out two completely different cards (say the High Five Yellow Five-Pointed Star and the Light Blue Fish Bump Circle), stick them in an envelope - you're ready for 11 to 13 players.

Let's keep going. If you have 14 to 16 players, use six rows. 17 to 19 players, use seven rows. And finally, 20 to 22 players all eight rows. Of course, you've figure out, you could then have three groups of up to 22 players going at once.

How Do We Play Up Stream?

Once you've sorted out the cards you'll be using, get your group together. Here's a sample introduction:

"This envelope [show them the envelop] contains two cards from a set of cards. Here are the other cards from the set [hold up the small deck of cards that go with the envelope]. In a moment I'm going to deal out the cards you'll be working with. On the face of these cards you'll notice some fish performing some handshake-type connections - there are three of these connections. Each of you will receive one card, some of you will receive two. Once you get your card, or cards, you will not be allowed to show anyone what's on the face of your card - you can't show your fish. Once I start dealing out the cards, you will not be able to verbally communicate with each other or write anything down or take a picture of what's on the face of your card. If you are willing to work with two cards please raise your hand when I ask for volunteers. When you receive your card, or cards, you will notice there is a color around the border of the card and a small shape in two of the card's corners. Your challenge will be to determine the fish handshake-type connection, the color and the shape of each card in the envelope - again, without talking."

Ask for questions from the group. Be sure not to solve an of the problems they most likely will encounter. I also think it's fair to explain what a 'set' is. My usual examples: A deck of cards - it has equal patterns of suits and ranks. A chess set has two colors, each color has the same number and types of pieces - if you take two pieces from a chess set and looked at the remaining pieces, you will be able to determine what's missing. Same idea with the 'fish' cards.

Based on what the group knows, before you deal out the cards, give them some time to formulate some process ideas before switching off their voices. When ready, deal out the cards and turn them loose to work it out.

When your group (or a group, if you're working with more than one) believes they know what's on their 'missing' cards, they are allowed to speak and 'show-and-tell' you their answer. Then, hand the envelope to one of the players to open up and reveal.

Here's the interesting factor of this challenge (full transparency), Trevor and I did not notice until the day of our workshop that the 'color' of each card is shown on the back of each card. AND, we didn't notice this until after we played, the shape of each card is also on the back (see right). This was brought up after play by one of the groups, and some of the groups never discovered these facts. We thought the activity was a bust.

However, after experiencing the play and talking about this with the groups, there was a major lesson that surfaced. If you are not fully aware of the resources you possess, you may end up doing more work than you need to be doing.

Some of our initial groups really struggled with the task, taking twice as long as some of the other groups who discovered the colors and shapes on the back. (And one of the interesting discussions we had was about why those groups did not share this information, non-verbally, with other groups.) So, we think there is value in this fishy challenge. (And it's really super-fun and peaceful to watch all the pantomiming - a great video opportunity.)

If you take a dive into this one, please let us know how it goes! Leave us a Comment below.

All the best,

Chris Cavert, Ed.D.

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And So It Goes (Tabletop Tangram Teambuilding)

Story Cards

Solve For (with Cups)

Top It Off 2 - Building Lesson Part 2

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

Number Cards (Print-N-Play)

Tarp Tossing (3 Challenges)

Stepping Words (Stepping Stones Variation)

Alphabet Soup (with Crowd Words)

Up Stream (a.k.a., What's Missing?)

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