Spatial Requirements: Regular classroom setup: little or no space required
Activity Type: Object lesson
Grades: 1-12
Group Size: 2 or more
Time: 5-10 minutes

Introduction: Sometimes what feels like a burden or restriction can help give you a better life if you “lift the weight.” This activity shows that positive results follow when we take the “harder but worth it” track and lift the weight of laws and rules.

Materials:

• 2 non-clear gallon jugs, one filled with water or sand, the other empty. (You can also use one dumbbell weight and two balloons on the end of a stick.  However, the activity will lose the element of surprise if you choose to use these.)
  
  

Activity:

Ask the group, “Who is the strongest person in the class?” Invite the “strongest” individual to come forward as a volunteer.  Invite one more volunteer to come forward. 

Option 1:

Let them know that they will be doing a bicep curl, and demonstrate this for the class. Give the “strong” volunteer the jug filled with water and the other the jug filled with air. Ask them to keep up with the cadence you will be calling out.  Start with “up…down” at a slow cadence and increase the speed until the person with the water in the jug starts to lag behind.  Continue for 10 or 15 more seconds and stop the activity.  

Option 2:

Instead of a bicep curl, have the participants hold the jug out to the side of their body at shoulder height for as long as possible.  Even a strong person will find it very difficult to hold the weight for longer than a minute.

Finally, switch jugs. The two participants will realize why the other person had a hard or easy time doing the activity. Invite the two participants to share with the group their findings.  

Processing the Experience:

• Who will receive the greatest benefit by lifting the weights?  Why?
• Why do you need resistance to become stronger?
• What laws or rules do you need to “lift”?
• What benefit will you receive by “lifting” (obeying) laws and rules?
• Why do we have laws and rules?
• What are some of the rules that parents want you to follow?
• What are some of the rules that society and school expect you to follow?
• Do you ever give yourself laws or rules to live by?  What are they?