Everybody Up!

Grades: 
9, 10, 11, 12
Subjects: 
Duration 
Print50 minutes
Objectives 

The Learner will

  • practice group cooperation.
  • have fun.
Teacher Preparation 

"Everybody Up" adapted with special permission from Silver Bullets by Karl Ronhke from Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company. Copyright 1984 by Project Adventure,Inc. See Bibliography to order.

Reflection 

Working together can solve problems. Everyone has to do  their part for the project to be a success.

Instructions

Print
  1. Ask 2 people of approximately the same size to sit on the ground (gym floor) facing one another so that the bottoms of their feet are opposed, knees bent, and hands tightly grasped. Ask the duo to try to pull themselves from this position into an upright standing position.

    After their success, have each pair seek another partner to try standing up with 3 people, then 4, etc., until the entire group eventually makes an attempt.

  2. Criteria for a successful attempt are:

    • hands grasped so that an "electrical current" could pass through the group;
    • foot contact with the same aim of electrical conductivity;
    • all derrieres off the ground at the same time.
  3. An expanding group will soon find that the seemingly logical circular configuration of bodies cannot be continued beyond 8 or so. A change of thinking (initiative) must be employed to come up with a solution that allows large numbers (50 or more) to complete the problem. 

  4. If the group is high from the experience and feels good about their effort and themselves, then they did it right. 

  5. This can also be done back-to-back. Do not allow interlocked arms for safety reasons (shoulder dislocation possibilities). 

  6. Discussion Questions

    • What did you learn about working together?
    • Was there a leader? A number of leaders?
    • Was the activity hard to do? Why?
    • Why did it work?