Learning objectives: To meet and work with new people in a safe and fun way. To collaborate quickly. To use the body in a creative way.
Description of the method/nr. of persons of the group for which the method is suitable: In pairs. A group of up to 20 people. Facilitator calls out things that come in pairs and the partners become these things with their bodies on the count of 10 seconds. E.g. Hammer and nail/knife and fork/shoe and foot/musician and their instrument/cup and saucer.
This is a fast exercise. As Dinos Aristidou, one of the best English drama specialists, puts it, the brain shouldn’t be given time to consider a feeling of shame or embarrassment. The facilitator should keep changing the pairs so that young people get a chance to work with a variety of people. Because it is fast it encourages immediate collaboration. It is also a fun introduction to use of the body. This can be developed into larger objects working in groups of 3 or 4. Every time there is a change of partner make sure the young people introduce themselves and shake hands. After the exercise the young people should thank their partner. This formalizes the introduction as well as helping students to remember each other’s names. Working into groups of 3 or 4 or more should require new partners in every object, which is called to be formed. For example, the first thing to be created in pairs could be a knife and fork, the second – in groups of 3 – could be the witches house, in groups of 4 – the giant’s bedroom, in groups of 5 or 6 – a family photograph. The idea behind this being building confidence in forming new bonds with new people for the implementation of fast tasks together.
Materials: None
Time: 5-10 mins
Questions for discussion: How many different people did you work with? How did you work? Minutes and reporting of the evaluation.
Source: VISION Erasmus+ project