Spatial Requirements: Classroom with moderate space required
Activity Type: Movement/group
Grades: 4-12
Group Size: 5 or more
Time: 40-50 minutes
Introduction: This activity sends the message that when we learn the rules and follow them, we will be more successful in life.
Materials:
- 30 small multi-colored balloons for each group of 5
- 30 pieces of string for each group of 5
- 1 paper grocery bag for each group of 5, marked with the group number.
- 1 pin
- 1 marking pen
Activity:
Distribute the materials, and place the bags in numerical order surrounding you. (You may want to recruit additional leaders: one leader per three small groups works best.)
Tell the group that the team with the most balloons in the bag after 25-35 minutes (or until the balloons run out) is the winner. Tell the participants that they must figure out the rules as they go. Tell them you will only accept balloons that meet a certain criteria, and the only way they can learn this criteria is by giving the balloons to you to find out if they are accepted. If a balloon does not meet the criteria, you will reject it by popping it with your pin. If it is accepted, it will go into that group’s bag. The rules are as follows:
1. Balloons must be at least half full of air.
2. A string must be tied to each balloon.
3. Do not accept consecutive balloons of the same color.
4. If the group accidentally pops a balloon, you will remove a balloon from that group’s bag and pop it.
If you want to make this more of a challenge, some additional rules may include:
1. Balloons must be passed to you with the left hand.
2. The person passing you the balloon is not allowed to talk when they hand it to you.
3. The balloon must be held by the string when it is passed to you.
4. The person passing you the balloon must smile at you as they hand you the balloon.
Remember that if any of these criteria are not met when the balloon is handed to you, you must pop the balloon.
Processing the Experience:
- What did you have to do for your balloon to be accepted?
- What are some of the rules that you discovered?
- How did the winning team get the most balloons into the bag?
- What frustrated you most about this activity?
- What are the benefits of following the rules?
- How does following the rules make us more successful in life?