Would You Rather?

Would You Rather...? is a game in which the teacher poses a question that presents two options, and the students must choose one. The act of stepping to the side of the line that represents the selected choice gives a visual description of the similarities and differences between community members. Teachers should begin with light and silly questions before eventually progressing to more serious questions.

SET UP:

Tape, to create a long line down the middle of the classroom

STEPS:

Have all students stand on the line. Read one of the “Would you rather...?” questions and inform students of the side of the line that they should move to based on their choices.
Have students move back to the line and repeat with the next question.
Sample “Would you rather...?” questions are included below:
1. - 1. 1. ...eat broccoli or carrots?
        ...watch television or listen to music?
        ...own a lizard or a snake?
        ...have a beach vacation or a mountain vacation?
        ...be an apple or a banana?
        ...be invisible or able to read minds?
        ...make headlines for saving somebody’s life or for winning the Nobel Prize?
        ...go without television or without fast food for the rest of your life?
        ...always be cold or always be hot?
        ...eliminate hunger and disease or be able to bring lasting world peace?
        ...see the future or change the past?
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 one student from each side justify, in a sentence or two, why they chose that side. This can be a great introduction to a Philosophical Chairs activity.
Near the end of the activity, have students pose “Would you rather...?” questions, possibly related to either the content of the class or college. This will allow them to begin feeling ownership of the activity.

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