Rule of 1

Object of the Game 

The object of this activity is for the group to run through the turned rope as many times as possible without missing a turn or hitting the rope. 

Possible Goal and Debrief/Reflection Questions

1. Focus Area/Goal: Supporting Teammates and Responding to Failure

Debrief

1. Describe how you or a teammate offered guidance or assistance to another teammate who was struggling. 

2. What did your team do to ensure that everyone was as successful as possible? 

3. In what other situations or activities can you see the way your group worked together and supported one another being beneficial? 

4. How did you personally handle instances of failure within the team? 

5. How did you or your team maintain morale and motivation after a failed attempt? 

2.    Focus Area/Goal: Team Communication 

Debrief

1. How would you describe the clarity of the communication between your teammate during the cooperative challenge? 

2. How comfortable were you sharing your ideas and suggestions with the team? What factors influenced your willingness to share? 

3. How did your team encourage all members to participate in the discussion? 

Instructions

1. Identify 2 people from the group to be turners.  Everyone else starts in a line facing the long rope to be turned.  

2. Teacher/Facilitator explains that the object of the activity is to get as high a number count as possible.  Explain that they have to figure out the solution/ pattern, and you will provide feedback by calling out the numbers as they successfully go through the rope.  So if you say zero, then something they did was not correct.  

3. Once someone goes through the rope, they need to get back in line, the order of the line needs to stay relatively the same so that everyone is attempting to go through the rope the same number of times.  No one should be allowed to skip their turn.  

4. The solution is when 1 person rules through the rope on every single turn of the rope. If two people run through, or the rope turns without anyone running through, you start the count over. 

5. Once they have successfully figured out the solution, getting to a high number can still be very challenging. So then the focus really becomes how they support each other to be successful.  

***Facilitator tip - turners are essential to the success or failure of the group.  They can turn faster or slower to help their group mates be successful. 

Differentiation Options:

• Modify the rules to allow others to join hands and run with anyone in the group who is struggling with timing or is intimidated by the rope. 

• Modify the rule so that is means 1 person, jumps 1 time inside the rope, and then runs through, or that the rope has to turn 1 time between people running through or jumping. 

• Have some people go through with their eyes closed or wearing blindfolds.

Materials & Resources

1. Jump rope - preferably a long rope

Credits: I got this Terri Drain, H-PEC Founder and past SHAPE America President. Originator unknown.