So far in my discussion about teaching economics to middle
school students (or anyone) in a camp (like State Farm Summer Business Camp),
workshop or classroom setting, I have discussed getting buy-in and rules. This
blog will talk about playing games to get the program started. Since this is
group work, the group will need to get to know each other. Here are some fun
games to get things started.
These are not random games chosen because they are fun (although
they are), but they are teaching opportunities. Some of these I borrowed from
Lions Quest. Some I borrowed from a former intern who used them when he was helping
to prepare American students to stay in Japan for the summer. I have to say I
do not remember the name of the group he was working with. Of course, I had to
modify!
Game #1: What I Like
The object of this game is to get participants to introduce
themselves to others in the camp. There needs to be a big open space in which
to play this.
I’m short, so I stand on a chair or a table to play this
game. I have all of the participants and adult helpers stand in a big group
facing me.
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Round 1: From my perch on the table I say “Everyone
who is a morning person please move to my left. Those who are most awake in the
middle of the day stand in front of me. Those who are night owls, please stand
to my right.” Make sure that each of the groups has space between them. Then tell each person within a group to meet
all of the other people in their group. There will be more “night owls” than
anything else if you have a bunch of kids.
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Round 2: “Everyone who likes English class most move to my left. Math class to the right. And Science in the middle.” Repeat the
process of having everyone introduce themselves to everyone else in their group.
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Round 3: “Everyone who likes to read for fun to
my left. Watch TV in the middle. Play on the internet or video games to the
right.” I think you get the idea.
This particular breakdown of questions will help you discover the different interests and strengths of the individual students. You should ask these questions on a written questionnaire at the orientation so
you, as the camp organizer, can use this skills information to break the kids down
into groups, but this game lets everyone in on skills information.
Game #2: Common Ground
For this game all participants get in a big circle with the
camp director in the middle. Each person takes off their shoes and put them
behind them to mark their spot. It is somewhat like musical chairs. There will
always be one set of shoes too few, as the person in the center at the
beginning has no shoes to start with.
The center person will say “I have common ground with people
who like to go shopping (for example).” Anyone in the circle who likes to shop
has to run in into the middle of the circle and then find a space that is free
in front of someone else’s shoes. They cannot just step to the right or left of
where there were. They have to go into the center of the circle. This gives the
person who was in the center a chance to run for an open spot. Whoever is left
is now “it” and will start over again with the statement “I have common ground
with...” adding their own end of the sentence.
It is a very popular game and I usually let it go on for a
little while to give the kids time to run off some energy, and to get to have
fun with each other.
Game #3: Idea Exchange
Based on a game for two people called “dialectics,” I throw
a bunch of random partial statements and quotes on strips of colored paper up
in the air in the middle of the circle of students. Starting with me, I go into
the middle of the circle, pick up a piece of paper and complete the sentence on that scrap.
Everyone gets to pick up one piece of paper. You go around the circle
clockwise.
Here are a few sample 'questions" to put on the paper scraps. You can create your
own. I try to make all of the questions related to what is being taught in some
way. Make sure that you have twice as many questions as you have participants.
Sample questions:
1.
I think that in business “return on investment”
means …
2.
If I was the CEO of a company I think my duties
would be …
3.
What do you think this means?
“Sales arecontingent upon the attitude of the salesman - not the attitude of the prospect.” W. Clement Stone
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