Appreciation Circle: Debriefing Activity
Approximate Running Time: 10 minutes + (determined by the number of participants, the length of the program, the depth of appreciation comments, etc)
Minimum Group Size: 3 people
Maximum Group Size: 20 people
Age/ Level: Grade 3+
Space Required: Enough space for a group circle.
Materials:
“Speaking stick” or ball, anything to indicate whose turn it is to share
Set-up:
No set-up required
Objective:
The objective of this activity is for participants to have the opportunity to spend the time genuinely sharing appreciation for one another.
Facilitator Guidelines:
This is a simple debrief or end of program activity that can be run in many different ways. Here are some options:
- Participants may appreciate anyone popcorn style (meaning no specific order) for the time allotted (i.e. 1 minute per person)
- Participants may offer a more focused appreciation (1 person being appreciated at a time until people don’t have anything else to say)
- Participants may use a ball of focus. Anyone who wants to be appreciated will take a turn holding the ball and everyone who has an appreciation for that person can share their appreciation while they are in possession of the ball.
Notes:
It’s essential that the group is focused and showing respect to those who are speaking, and those who are being appreciated. If the group is unable to maintain focus and demonstrate respect, the facilitator may wish to end the activity and debrief why the activity had to end.
All participants should be included in this activity.
Game of Life
Approximate Running Time: 15-20 minutes (including debrief)
Minimum Group Size: 3 people
Maximum Group Size: 30 people (per group – if you are working with a large group you can split them up in the same space to run this activity)
Age/ Level:
Participants must be capable of reasoning and understanding the meaning behind the activity rather than just the simple objective. This activity is suitable for a mature Grade 4 class and older participants.
Space Required: This activity requires enough space for participants to run around freely, as well as enough space for participants to sit in a circle to debrief.
Materials:
– No materials required
Set-up:
No set-up required for standard activity. However, if the activity space is large facilitators may wish to create a “playing zone” by marking the floor with painters tape.
Objective:
The objective of this activity is for participants to consider how they work in groups, how they listen to each other, the choices they make as individuals, and how those choices affect others, etc etc.
Facilitator Guidelines:
- Ask all participants to stand inside the playing area (taped area, or space in room)
- Instruct participants to raise their right hand and point their index fingers to the sky. Tell them that this will be their “sword”.
- Ask participants to place their left hands behind their backs with the palm facing out. Tell them that this is their “heart”
- In the first round tell the participants: “The objective of the game is for you to stay in the game of life! Go” (allow them to start to play).
- After they have eliminated all but one player, start the second round.
- In the second round tell the participants: “The objective of the game is for you to stay in the game of life! Go!” (allow them to start to play)
- After they have eliminated all but one player, start the third round.
- In the third round tell the participants ” The objective of the game is for everyone to stay in the game of life! Go! (allow them to start to play)
- After they have eliminated all but one player, and if they have not “figured out the trick” to keep everyone alive yet, start the last round.
- In the last round tell the participants: “the objective is for everyone stay in the game of life! Go!”
- Participants must follow these rules:
- If you step out of the playing field you are out (either the taped area, or a designated area in a space).
- If you stab someone in the heart they are out.
- Hearts may not be purposely covered.
General Debrief Questions:
The debrief for this activity is largely determined by whether or not the participants were able to keep the entire group alive.
What happened?
How did you stay alive?
To those of you who managed to stay alive the longest, what was your strategy? Why did you feel you needed to kill others?
Do you feel that in order for you to be successful in life, others have to be unsuccessful?
How do others support you in your life?
How can you support others? (Classmates, colleagues, etc).
People Movers
Approximate Running Time: 10 minutes
Minimum Group Size: 4 people
Maximum Group Size: 100 + (as many people as you can provide place-markers for)
Age/ Level: Grade 4+
Space Required: Enough space for all participants to stand and move around in lines of 4-8 people
Materials:
– 1 place-marker per person. This may be: polydots, pieces of paper, foam, pylon, etc.
Set-up:
Participants will be divided into even-numbered groups of up to 8 participants each. Each group requires a number of place-markers, one per participant. The place-markers should be lined up in a straight line. If the group is large, the lines should be set up side by side.
Objective:
The objective for this activity is for the group to communicate and collaborate to determine a strategy and solve a physical/ mental puzzle using their bodies and a set of place-markers.
Facilitator Guidelines:
1. Begin by having the participants line up in their groups, next to a line of space-markers (which were previously set up).
2. Each group must split into two groups. There should be an even number of participants on each side of an empty place- marker. The groups will look like this, depending on the number of participants:
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
- The objective of the activity is for each half of the group to reach the opposite side of the line from their starting point, by switching places with the other half of their group (ones to twos and twos to ones, etc)
- In order for participants to complete the challenge they must follow these guidelines:– Participants must always look forward, towards the other half of their group (i.e. ones must look at twos, twos must look at ones)
– Participants may only move forward (towards the opposite side of their group)
– Participants may only move forward if there is an empty space in front of them, and if there is an empty space in front of the person in front of them.
– While participating in the activity participants must not step off of their space-markers.
– If anyone fails to follow the guidelines, everyone must restart the activity.
General Debrief Questions
How did your group solve the puzzle and complete the challenge?
What was the hardest part?
How did you feel you did personally?
How could you have been a better team mate?
How did you support your team mates?
How did your group communicate?
What did you learn from this activity
Colourblind
Approximate Time: 30 – 40 minutes
Minimum Group Size: 4 people per group
Maximum Group Size: 12 people per group
Level: any
Space Required: Ideally, each group should have a table/chairs to work at and be separated from hearing other groups
Materials: colourblind pieces (5 colours, 6 shapes, total 30 pieces), enough blindfold for each person
Set-up: one facilitator per group, each group around a table or in a space where they can work without too much/any distraction from other groups
Purpose and Intention:
- Acts as an ice breaker and leads to greater understanding between group members
- Focuses upon individuals’ understanding of their communication style and listening skills, and in particular develops the use of appropriate language
- Creates a territory in which the group must devise a strategy for progress
- Highlights the need for both effective team and individual skills
- Provides a fast route to powerful and transferable learning
- Versatile enough to meet a wide range of learning objectives
- Appropriate to any group with a shared language
- Enhances listening and questioning skills
- Develops participants feedback giving and receiving skills
Objective: The participants must collaborate and communicate to determine which pieces are missing from the colourblind activity set. (a set of foam or plastic pieces in a variety of designated shapes)
Methods of Support/ Guidelines:
Participants are blindfolded and the trainer then removes two of the coloured shapes from the bag and the remainder are given out to the blindfolded participants (1 – 3 per person depending on number in group). The objective of the exercise is for the group to establish the shape and colour of the missing pieces. Participants may not exchange or pass the pieces between group members. The question, “What color is this?” will be answered by the facilitator, correctly, as many times as it is asked. No other questions will be answered. Give the group 15 minutes to complete the activity and keep note of the time. If they complete the activity within 15 minutes, take note of their time so that they can attempt to better it next round.
After 15 minutes is up, give the group time (5 minutes) to strategise – what worked? what didn’t work? what will they do next time? The group then has another attempt with the facilitator removing two different pieces from the set. Can they complete the task this time or better their time from the first round?
Variations:
We would love to hear your creative variations! Please send them to: info@jumpfoundation.org
General Debrief Questions:
What worked well?
What didn’t work well?
What strategies did you use to help make your team more successful/efficient?
How did you deal with any conflict that may have arisen?
References:
Colourblind is a packaged game created and sold by RSVP Design. It can be purchased here: http://rsvpdesign.co.uk/shop/colourblind%C2%AE-p-13.html