COVID-Friendly Initiative for the School Yard: EarthWinds
/Once small grouplet activities in the classroom have gone well with your participants, it makes sense to go outside and do some initiatives with a larger group. Choosing zoned activities with lots of simultaneous action opportunities is a great way to get problem-solving happening and create joy – most folks have been excited to discover how much is possible while adhering to public heath guidance.
Earth Winds Sequence
This initiative plays well with 6 to 30 people. For added challenge, a group of 12 -15 (or fewer) can do it while standing on a Bermuda Triangle and maintain physical distancing.
The variation that makes this initiative do-able is the use of buddy ropes. Buddy ropes are those short chunks of “I don’t want to hold your hand” rope that can be used for activities such as Tangle (aka Human Knot). If you make them 2.5 - 3 m long, use different colours/patterns so that they are identifiable, and tie different knots 10 – 15 cm from each end ( or spray paint different colours) for an identifiable “handle” and many activities that required hand holding are now back in play. Folks can be physically connected without touching. Keeping the ropes tight provides a visual of when you are 2 m apart – if the rope is loose, simply move away to tighten it. Wash the ropes with dish soap and water at the end of the day or spray clean the handles as often as necessary. Additionally, you can issue folks “gloves” – medical gloves of course but also oven mitts, fuzzy winter mitts, gardening gloves, reduce contact while adding to the fun. My sunflower oven mitts are very popular!
Equipment
- One (1) buddy rope or long pool noodle per person
- 8 hula hoops
- 4 of the same colour
- Ideally 4 of different colours – at least 2 different colours
Task Description
Arrange your group in a physically distanced circle. Hand out buddy ropes or long pool noodles and have folks “grasp hands”. Insert a single hula hoop onto a rope. Without breaking hand contact pass the hula hoop around the circle. Try this as a potential sequence:
- One hula hoop going in one direction as fast as possible. If you have a large group, I recommend breaking up in to smaller grouplets of 6-ish. It’s beyond boring to stand around waiting your turn.
- Two hula hoops going in opposite directions – which one gets back to the start first?
- Four different coloured hula hoop going in various directions back to their original starting points
- 12 o-clock goes clockwise
- 3 o’clock goes counter clockwise
- 6 o’clock goes clockwise
- 9 o’clock goes counter clockwise
Four plus four - use four hula hoops of the same colour that is different than the four previous colours. Place the one additional hoop between each existing pair. The original hula hoops travel as previous but the new hula hoops must remain in place.
Framing
The spinning of the Earth creates a Coriolis Effect that affects atmospheric circulation, ocean currents, and the flight path of everything from birds to airplanes. Unbeknownst to most people, this effect is actually the result of a ring of giants moving their arms and bodies in sequence. The dream of all giants is to join this elite group. Without breaking hand contact, here is the series of challenges you will need to complete:
- One wind (hula hoop) blowing in one direction as fast as possible – several time trials may be warranted
- Two winds blowing in opposite directions – which one gets back to the start first?
- Four winds (use different coloured hula hoops) blowing in various directions back to their original starting points
- North goes clockwise
- East goes counter clockwise
- South goes clockwise
- West goes counter clockwise
- Eight winds (use four hula hoops of the same colour that is different than the four NSEW colours). The winds travel as previous but the NE, SE, SW, & NW winds stay put due to the Coriolis effect