Spatial Requirements: Regular classroom setup: little or no space required
Activity Type: Movement/group
Grades: K-12
Group Size: 2 or more
Time: 5-10 minutes
Introduction: This activity will help students see how they respond in pressure situations. It will encourage them to ask, “What are the pressure situations in my own life that I need to change and respond to in a positive way?”
Materials:
- None
Activity:
Ask the participants to pair up. One member of the pair will be the pointer and the other will tangle his/her fingers (Let them select who will do what). Instruct the person that tangles his/her fingers to do the following:
Place your hands to your side (by your waist).
Cross your arms with your palms facing each other (by your waist).
Clasp your hands together by interlocking your fingers.
Twist your arms and hands and bring them up by your chin. (Demonstrate.)
Keep your fingers clasped tightly for the rest of the activity.
Ask the other team member to point to one of the partner’s fingers without touching it. The “tangled” team member must try to move that finger up and down. Repeat the process with other fingers. Some will be able to do it, but most will struggle to move any fingers.
Reverse the process by having the partners change roles.
Processing the Experience:
- Was it difficult to move the correct finger?
- Would this have been easier if your hands were laid out flat in front of you? Why was it more awkward when your fingers were tangled?
- How did you feel when you struggled to move the correct finger?
- Did you get better as time went on? With practice, would you continue to improve?
- Tangling your fingers made it more confusing and difficult to control your fingers. Sometimes in life, pressure situations confuse us and make it difficult to control our actions. Are there pressure situations in life that are difficult to respond to in a positive way? What are some examples?
- How can we improve how we respond to these situations?