Clap a hero – Hoi Tong Ma
This game is about teaching children different types of superpower and how they can utilise their superpower to help others.
Target group and Time
This type of game could be played by children between 4th grade and 6th grade. The number of children could range from 4-15 children. The exercise could be played between 15-20minutes.
Learning objectives
Instructions to set up the activity
First the students are asked to create a "move" for their own superpowers. For example: ”invisible” could be represented by a gesture of crossing their hands in front of their chest.
After that the students will together do a series of actions with the teacher: A clap on the laps - a clap with the hands - a student shouting out his own name and do his own move - a clap on the laps - a clap with the hands - the student shouting a name of another student while doing the move of their counterparts’ superpowers. This should be repeated.
If the game is working the teacher can slowly speed up the game to make it more challenging.
Since the students are now familiar with all the moves and superpowers, the teacher can then create different scenes and ask the students to utilize their superpower in these scenes. For example, the forest is on fire, how can the students use their superpowers to put out the fire, save the animals and plant the trees again?
If the children are advanced, one could allow them to create their own scenes. If the children are confused about the language, the teacher can let other students help with the explanation.
A Tragic Death – Patrice von Garnier
This task is supposed to teach students how to use their bodies to act a scene and it can be perfectly used as an ice-breaker for the beginning of the session
Target group and Time
This task is for students from grade five and older. It also works well with young adults. It’s about 5-10 Minutes long.
Learning objectives
At first glance, this task might seem a little violent. However, it has never led to any violent acts by the students. On the contrary, they usually have more energy after the task than before, and they get aware of how they can use their body to show actions on stage.
Instructions to set up the activity
Before starting the game the teacher could do a short warm-up with the students. After that the students are supposed to come up with an individual superpower they know from a movie or something similar.
As a next step, they should make a short movement that symbolizes their superpower (it is important to say the name of the superpower while they act it out.)
Now the student form two lines facing each other so that every student has a partner in front of him/her.
Finally, by using their movements, the students are supposed to ‘kill’ each other. Thestudent opposite to the one who used his/her superpower will perform an emotional and tragic death that ends with him/her lying on the floor (This is not supposed to look real; it is more about exaggerating and getting rid of fear and feeling embarrassed).
Repeat this task a few times and let the students switch their partners
Rock, paper, scissiors (Heroes Edition) –
This task is a game to play at the end of a session. It requires concentration but is also fun because it involves a competition.
Target group and Time
This task is for students from grade five and older. It’s about 10-15 Minutes long.
Learning objectives
It is helpful to play some test-rounds to make the students understand the rules perfectly. As soon as they understood it, they will have a lot of fun.
Instructions to set up the activity
First, the students are supposed to come up with three superpowers they know from a movie or something similar. As a next step, they should make a short movement that symbolizes each superpower, for examples: breathing fire, super strength, shooting laser. After that the teacher should split the group into two. The two groups play an alternative version of rock-paper-scissors against each other. Then discuss the rules with the students. Each superpower represents either rock, paper or scissors, for example: fire beats super strength, super strength beats laser, laser beats fire. Before each round, the groups discuss which superpower they will use in the upcoming round. Then on the count of three the two groups walk towards each other in the middle of the pitch and show their superpower with the fitting movement. The losing team has to react quickly and run towards their own baseline. The winning team has to catch the losing team. Every player that got caught is eliminated.
Slowing down the time and becoming one with nature – Maliha Jamil
This game is about teaching meditation, self-awareness, and how the mind can “slow down” time.
Target group and Time
This exercise needs one instructor and can be done with any age group from grade 2 to 12. It is highly recommended to do it outside, preferably in a park or forest. It takes up to 12 minutes.
Learning objectives
The learners should feel connected to themselves and to their surroundings. Self-awareness is becoming more and more important in this fast world. For younger children, this is a good way to learn how different body parts are called and how to express their experiences.
Instructions to set up the activity
First everyone should sit down and leave a little space for the next person. Than everybody should close their eyes and should slowly breath in, breath out for 10 seconds, counting down from 10 to 1 and concentrate on their breath. Now the students should take their index finger and place it on their forehead and run it down their face, nose, lips, chin, neck, left shoulder, left elbow, and the palm of their hand, run their index finger over all their left fingers. (The teacher can add more body parts like legs and feet or the right side as well, depending on how much time is left. Now the students can slowly come back to their neck. Than take both of their index fingers and place them on their ears. They should feel their ears about 5 seconds. Than listen to what their surrounding has to offer; wind, birds, cars, people? Then the students can imagine they are melting into their surroundings. (Let the learners listen quietly for 2 to 3 minutes) After that they can slowly come back and open their eyes.Now the learners can speak about their experience. For many, it might be the first time having done a meditation.If there is time, the learners can now go explore their surroundings and observe the things they could hear.
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Moving like your Heroes – Helene Kähler
This task should teach students awareness of your surroundings and the people around you.
Target group and Time
This exercise works best with a larger group of students preferably 10 to 20. It can be done inside and outside in a preset area. It makes for a good warm up, taking 10 to 12 minutes.
Learning objectives
The students should become aware of their surroundings and other students while moving around trying not to bump into each other while expressing themselves physically. Ideally this is a way of teaching them about self-awareness and the way we have to look out for one another even while being mainly focused on our own thoughts.
Instructions to set up the activity
The teachers should tell the students to think about their favourite superhero or a superpower they want to have. After that they shoudl think about a pose and a way that superhero moves around. Now the teacher can ask the students to move through the room like your superhero would, try to use all the space. When the teacher says STOPthe atudenst are asked to strike the pose of their superhero and try not to bump into each other. Before adding the new factor let them try this first a few times. Then the teacher can add different speeds to the little exercise, where 10 is really, really fast and one is veeeery slow. Now the instructor can ask the learners to move around in the speed he/her is calling out in addition to the tasks we had before. At the end they move in different speeds the way their superhero would. Other factors like calling out the names of the heroes can be added as well depending on how much time there is.
