Materials for the lesson

Phase 1. Pen and Paper for each student.

Layout of the classroom

Phase 1 and 3. The normal classroom settings.

Phase 2. The classroom setting is empty to move freely.

Phase 1

The teacher draws 9 dots on a flipchart and asks learners to connect all these 9 dots with 4 straight moves. Each student tries one after another on the paper and when they solve the problem they can share with others at the end.

Solution: https://www.artofplay.com/blogs/articles/history-of-the-nine-dot-problem

Tips to the teacher: In this activity, it is important to think “out of the box.” Therefore it is good to hear possible solutions from students and the teacher should let the students use the trial and error method.

Phase 2

The teacher divides the whole class into three groups. Each group stands in a circle close to each other. Everybody within the circle closes his/her eyes. Each person lifts up his/her hands. The students hold eachothers hands without seeing whose hand they are holding. Moreover, when the students are holding hands, the person should not hold the other students who are next to each other. When all students open their eyes they discover the big human knot. The students need to come back to a circle while they keep holding their hands.

The students should be ready to bend, twist, and move in any way that is required for untangling the knot. The students may find others need to duck under the hands of other players, step over a pair of hands, or do similar moves to untangle the knot.

It will be noticeable, as the knots become untangled, that a circle will start to form. When the each group finishes the activity the whole class can try to make human knot and solve it.

Tips to the teacher:  Since this activity requires some measure of flexibility, they may need to have stretching first. And while playing, the students should always try to be respectful of the boundaries of others. If they find themselves in an uncomfortable position with another student the teacher might ask if other students can help each other out by untangling a different part of the knot.

Phase 3

The teacher asks some reflection questions.

–       What are the differences and similarities between the first and the second activity?

–       Which strategies they used in order to solve the problems?

–       How did you collaborate and communicate within the group to solve the problem?