Spatial Requirements: Classroom with moderate space required
Activity Type: Object lesson
Grades: 4-12
Group Size: 5 or more
Time: 10-15 minutes

Introduction: Anything is possible when we put our time, energy, and a positive attitude toward a challenge or goal.  This activity helps students understand that the mind can be the “strongest muscle,” both in the positive self-talk we give ourselves and in the self-discipline necessary to embrace laws and rules.

Materials:

• 1 chair

Activity:

Choose a person of large stature to sit in the chair.  Select three people to help lift and one to help spot for safety. As the instructor, you will help lift with three other people. Place one of the students behind the person in the chair to help spot or steady the person when they rise above the chair.  Lifters will interlock their own fingers together except for their thumbs and the pointing fingers. The thumbs should be side by side pointing up. Pointing fingers should be together pointing forward (as shown in the illustration below).  The lifters will lift with their pointing fingers. 

Assign two students to lift under the knee joint. You and the other student will place your fingers under the armpit, then say, “OK, let’s lift,” and have everyone try to lift the student out of the chair. Usually the person being lifted will come out of the chair no more than two or three inches. Now ask the whole class to envision the person coming high out of the chair. Help them create positive self-talk regarding the person in the chair and the lifters. (This is an important step to keep them from distracting the lifters.) Tell the lifters to think positive thoughts and focus on having positive energy. The person in the chair will place their hands on their knees.  At the same time all four lifters will breathe in as they lift their arms and hands above their heads. In unison they will breathe out as they lower their hands in front of them. As the instructor, you will verbally walk them through the steps of breathing and the raising and lowering of the arms. Tell them that after the fourth breath, all lifters in unison will place their fingers under the knees and arms and lift together.  When this happens, the person will usually come out of the chair two or three feet.

Processing the Experience:

• If you were a lifter, what was the difference between the first and second lift?  Did you put more effort in during the second lift?
• How did it feel when you were able to lift the person in the chair so high during the second lift?
• Why was the lift more successful the second time compared to the first time? 
• Why does positive self-talk and a positive attitude make a difference?
• Why does your mind need to be your strongest muscle?
• Why are laws and rules important in your life?

Safety Concerns:

There is only one way to do this activity.  You, as the facilitator, lead the participants through the activity.  

1. The Lift
One member of the group is lifted off the chair by four other group members. A spotter behind the chair and in back of the person is there as a safety measure.  

Safety issue
The person standing behind the chair is to assist if the person being lifted falls back toward the chair.  Do not touch the person being lifted unless there is a need to.  Let the lifters do the work, but make sure to guide them back into the chair as the person is being set back down.