Spatial Requirements: Regular classroom setup: little or no space required
Activity Type: Movement/group
Grades: 4-12
Group Size: 5 or more
Time: 20-30 minutes

Introduction: Through this activity, youth will understand the importance of making positive connections with people in their lives.  The objective of the activity is to create a three-dimensional soccer ball out of the shapes provided. 

Materials:

• Pen or pencil
• 4 rolls of tape 
• 12 five-sided pentagons (sample provided at the link above)
• 20 six-sided hexagons (sample provided at the link above)
• Picture of a soccer ball (sample provided at the link above)
• 7 sheets of cardstock 

Activity:

To set up, make copies of the pentagon on heavy cardstock so that you have a total of 12. Make copies of the hexagon on heavy cardstock so that you have a total of 20. (Use the templates provided at www.whytry.org/activities.) Cut out the shapes. Place the other materials between the pentagon pile and the hexagon pile on a table.  Divide the class into four equal groups.

Give each group three pentagons. On the pentagon template provided, note that the following words are written on each side:

Parent
Positive friend
Teacher/counselor
Mentor
Inspires or motivates

Give five hexagons to each group.  Have them write a response to each of the following questions on the hexagons:

1. Who are your parents?
2. Who are your positive friends?
3. What teachers or counselors have helped or inspired you?
4. Who is a positive mentor in your life?
5. What inspires or motivates you to do good? (This may include your passion, purpose, or interest, music, quotes, values, higher power, religious convictions or beliefs, books, sayings, etc. and write it on the hexagon.)

When finished, there should be four answers for each of the five questions.

Now ask the group to tape the five hexagons to the corresponding pentagon. Repeat this for all the pentagons.

Before continuing, ask the students what the object will look like when all of the pieces are put together? (Let them respond to see if they can figure it out.)

Show them a picture of a soccer ball and give them ten minutes to complete the soccer ball.

Processing the Experience:

• Why is it important to tie into as many support systems as we can?
• What is your most important support system?
• Do we need support systems in life?  Why?
• What does the soccer ball represent in your life?
• How important have your support systems been when you have had challenges in your life? Why?
• Is it OK to get help from others?  Why?
• What is the advantage to having many support systems in life?