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Throughout Stage 1, students need to continue to reinforce their knowledge of classmates’ names, as well as the commonalities that they share. Koosh Ball Name Toss is an activity that reinforces both of these components while allowing the group to bond through setting and achieving goals.
SET UP:
A Koosh ball, a tennis ball, or any soft item that can be tossed from student to student
A large, open space
STEPS:
Have students stand and form a circle, asking them to put their hands out in front of them. Tell them that they will need to remember who tosses them the ball as well as to whom they toss it.
Start by giving the ball to one student.
Ask that student to say their name and one fact about themselves. Then, ask them to say another student’s name in the circle and toss the ball to that student. After they have tossed the ball, they should put their hands behind their back to indicate that they have already participated.
Ask the next student to repeat the previous step, saying the name of a student in the circle who still has their hands out and tossing the ball to that student.
Continue until all of the students have gone once. This establishes the tossing pattern for the circle.
Continue this same tossing pattern for two more rounds. During each new round, the students must say their own name and a new fact about themselves.
Close the activity with a debrief, either verbal or written, using a few of the questions from the Stage 1 Debrief Prompts.
EXTENSION:
To increase rigor:
Have students complete their tossing pattern backwards, with multiple balls, or by handing another ball clockwise around the circle.
Have students set a goal for how quickly they can complete the tossing pattern.
To increase scaffolding:
Have students only share names and do not require them to include the facts about themselves.
Split the class into smaller circles and have each group establish a tossing pattern, seeing who can complete it most quickly.
VIDEO:
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