SCULPTORS

(TOPIC: INTRODUCTIONS / ICEBREAKERS)

Instructions

SPLIT THE GROUP IN 2. ONE HALF FORMS A CIRCLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROOM, FACING OUTWARDS. THE OTHER HALF POSITIONS THEMSELVES, EACH STUDENT IN FRONT OF ONE OF THE STUDENTS IN THE MIDDLE CIRCLE. IF ODD NUMBERS, TEACHER JOINS IN AROUND OUTSIDE CIRCLE.
THE MIDDLE STUDENTS ARE CLAY, OR STONE, AND THE OUTSIDERS ARE SCULPTORS.
LET EACH SCULPTOR CREATE A WORK OF ART WITH HIS LUMP OF CLAY (20 SECONDS).
THEN MAKE THE SCULPTORS ROTATE CLOCKWISE BY A FEW PLACES. EVERYONE NOW STANDS IN FRONT OF SOMEONE ELSE’S BLOCK OF STONE OR LUMP OF CLAY. HAVE THEM WORK SOME MORE ON THE SCULPTURE AND ROTATE AGAIN.
REPEAT unTIL EVERY STUDENT IS IN FRONT OF THEIR ORIGINAL PIECE OF STONE AGAIN (ALTHOUGH IT WILL LOOK VERY DIFFERENT).
THEN ASK THE SCULPTORS TO INTRODUCE THEIR WORK, AND GIVE IT A NAME (THEY may need to think differently than when they created it).
MAY LIKE TO SWAP SO THAT ALL STUDENTS HAVE A TURN AS SCULPTOR AND CLAY.

VARIATIONS

EACH STATUE OR SCULPTURE HAS A BUILT IN VOICE CHIP THAT CAN UTTER EXACTLY ONE SENTENCE. LET THE SCULPTORS SWITCH ON THE VOICE CHIP AT THE END OF THEIR EXPLANATION.

TEACHER NOTES

EXCELLENT EXERCISE TO TRY WITH A NEW GROUP THAT MIGHT TELL TEACHERS QUITE A BIT ABOUT SOME STUDENTS! STUDENTS THAT KEEP PLACING THE SCULPTURES IN POSITIONS THAT ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN OR PHYSICALLY PAINFUL CAN EASILY BE SPOTTED WITH THIS EXERCISE.
OTHER THING TO WATCH FOR IS WHICH STUDENTS UNDO THE WORK THE PREVIOUS ARTISTS MADE. THE IDEA IS TO BUILD ART TOGETHER, NOT TO DESTROY PREVIOUSLY DONE WORK IN ORDER TO PUSH YOUR OWN IDEAS. MAKE THIS CLEAR BY ASKING THE SCULPTORS, WHEN THEY’RE IN FRONT OF THEIR ORIGINAL WORK AGAIN, TO WHAT EXTENT THE WORKS STILL LOOKS ANYTHING LIKE WHAT THEY STARTED WITH.

DEBRIEF: TALK ABOUT BUILDING ON THE IDEAS OF OTHERS IN GROUPS RATHER THAN TAKING OVER. EMBRACING THE IDEAS OF OTHERS AND BUILDING ON THEM, RATHER THAN REJECTING THEM OR PUSHING THEIR OWN IDEAS. INTRODUCE STUDENTS TO THE IDEA OF “YES-AND”ING- ACCEPT IDEAS SAID AND/OR DONE AND DO SOMETHING WITH IT.

ACTIVITIES FOR PASTORAL CARE & WELLBEING CLASSES

All activities have been adapted by Unleashing Personal Potential from www.improvencyclopedia.org, www.reachout.com, www.playmeo.com, www.tom.edu.au, and through years of practice in education. Thanks to the many educators who have contributed to this list of tried and tested activities.

For more activities like this (and much more), check out THRIVE Online Lesson Modules for Pastoral Care and Wellbeing.

SCULPTORS

(TOPIC: INTRODUCTIONS / ICEBREAKERS)

Instructions

SPLIT THE GROUP IN 2. ONE HALF FORMS A CIRCLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROOM, FACING OUTWARDS. THE OTHER HALF POSITIONS THEMSELVES, EACH STUDENT IN FRONT OF ONE OF THE STUDENTS IN THE MIDDLE CIRCLE. IF ODD NUMBERS, TEACHER JOINS IN AROUND OUTSIDE CIRCLE.

THE MIDDLE STUDENTS ARE CLAY, OR STONE, AND THE OUTSIDERS ARE SCULPTORS.

LET EACH SCULPTOR CREATE A WORK OF ART WITH HIS LUMP OF CLAY (20 SECONDS).

THEN MAKE THE SCULPTORS ROTATE CLOCKWISE BY A FEW PLACES. EVERYONE NOW STANDS IN FRONT OF SOMEONE ELSE’S BLOCK OF STONE OR LUMP OF CLAY. HAVE THEM WORK SOME MORE ON THE SCULPTURE AND ROTATE AGAIN.

REPEAT unTIL EVERY STUDENT IS IN FRONT OF THEIR ORIGINAL PIECE OF STONE AGAIN (ALTHOUGH IT WILL LOOK VERY DIFFERENT).

THEN ASK THE SCULPTORS TO INTRODUCE THEIR WORK, AND GIVE IT A NAME (THEY may need to think differently than when they created it).

MAY LIKE TO SWAP SO THAT ALL STUDENTS HAVE A TURN AS SCULPTOR AND CLAY.

VARIATIONS

EACH STATUE OR SCULPTURE HAS A BUILT IN VOICE CHIP THAT CAN UTTER EXACTLY ONE SENTENCE. LET THE SCULPTORS SWITCH ON THE VOICE CHIP AT THE END OF THEIR EXPLANATION.

TEACHER NOTES

EXCELLENT EXERCISE TO TRY WITH A NEW GROUP THAT MIGHT TELL TEACHERS QUITE A BIT ABOUT SOME STUDENTS! STUDENTS THAT KEEP PLACING THE SCULPTURES IN POSITIONS THAT ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN OR PHYSICALLY PAINFUL CAN EASILY BE SPOTTED WITH THIS EXERCISE.