Often people think that what happens to them in life is the result of luck. Because of this, they don’t take responsibility for what happens to them. Rather than having goals, these individuals merely react to the events that happen each day and make decisions based on daily circumstances. When we take responsibility for our lives and make decisions based on our goals, we realize that luck doesn’t control our lives, we do. Once we realize this, we will quit waiting for good luck to strike and start making our own luck.
The object of this activity is to help students realize that the way to succeed in life is by setting goals and then taking personal responsibility to reach your goals. This activity also ties in to “Lifting the Weight.”
- Spatial Requirements: Regular classroom setup: little or no space required
- Activity Type: Movement/group
- Grades: 2-12
- Group Size: 2 or more
- Time: 10 minutes
Materials:
- 1 piece of paper per student
- 1 pen or pencil per student
- 1 coin per student
Activity:
Give each student a coin, a paper, and a pencil. Have them number their paper 1 through 10. They will be flipping the coin ten times. Before each flip, they must guess whether the coin will land on heads or tails. Have them write down their guess before each flip, using “H” for heads and “T” for tails. After they flip the coin, they will write next to their guess whether or not they guessed correctly. After everyone has completed ten flips, have them report to the class how many times they guessed accurately.
Next, have students repeat this activity with a partner. This time, however, have them try to guess the results of two coins per flip. Have each team number their paper one through ten. Then have them draw two columns, one labeled “Me” and the other “Partner.” This time, to be right, they will have to correctly guess which way both coins will land. Once again, have each student record their guesses before the coins are flipped. Then have both partners flip their coins at the same time and record the results. Finally, after all pairs complete their ten coin flips, have each person report to the class how many times they guessed correctly.
Processing the Experience:
- Was it easier to guess with one coin or with two?
- What role did luck play in this activity?
- Would you want to rely on a coin toss (luck) to make a really important decision in your life? Why or why not?
- Can we depend on luck to help us succeed in reaching our goals?
- How can we improve the odds of achieving our goals?
- Is “luck” real?
- Whose responsibility is it to make our own luck?
- In reality, what is the best way to reach our goals?