Order It
Life skill related:
Flexibility
Methodology:
Cooperative learning
Subject:
History
Age/Grade:
11 - 14 years old
Timing:
30 min
Materials/suggestions
This Exercise can be done after an explanation about the elements you choose and to use kinesthetics to make a link to the content, making easier (even funnier) to memorize facts or data.
Beware, give the rules to the participants and be sure that they have understand how to play, you can make a round example if you prefer.
Try to not interrupt the participants when they goes wrong, just be patience and respect the time of the exercise. Don’t be judgmental, try just to note the fact, don’t use word such right or wrong, bad, and so on. Try to focus the participants on the results, say them to don’t take it too personal, but just for the sake to understand how can be improve the life skill related or the learning of the subject.
Take note of the word and action used by participants, divide it in category as:
Words/actions that valorize other member of the group
Words/actions that make lighter the task
Aggressive Words/actions
Words/action of retirement
Every group you form need an Observer, you can pick a participants as an assistant. Try to form balanced groups.
Material needed: a list of elements (dates, events or continents name) that have a right order or disposition. The number of elements need to be at least 7 to 10. Choose the numbers of elements on the numbers of participants and the groups you can form (suggest at least 2).
This activity can be adapted to the content of different subjects.
Description of the activity:
Decide the elements like several events date in history and define the task to participants that they need to put them in the right order.
Divide the class in 2 groups or more if needed by the number of elements you choose and the number of participants.
Write a single element in a closed sheet, one for every participant in a group (you can prepare this material before this game, maybe together with the participants itself). Repeat the same for every group of participants. Give in a random order the closed sheet, one for every participant.
Beware the participant that after the first match they can not speak anymore with each other, or they loose a point. Sign them on the board.
At your start, the participants must read the content of their sheet and choose the right order (decide, in the case of historical date, if the order need to be from the closest to the farest or vice versa). Give them 2 minutes. After time passed, they will be frozen. Don’t give them the solution! Just say how many right answers they have given. If all elements are in the right position they won.
For the second match and after they cannot speak when you decide to start again the match. Give them 2 minutes and stop again. Declare how many right answers have make the single group and start over again until the fourth match or a group find all the right answers.
At the end the group that answers right have points than the elements minus one point for every time they break the rules, other group have one point for every right answer they give in the last match.
At the end make a follow up on the life skill flexibility in the aspect of how they respond to the challenge, if they are stressed, if they have some violence reaction and so on(follow the note described on the suggestion section) and the importance of rules and why and when they can be element of stress or comfort.
The activity can be repeated at the end of each chapter.