Floating Stick: Lower It Together

The group supports a stick using only their index fingers and must lower it to the floor without anyone losing contact. It looks easy, but the stick tends to rise, forcing the group to coordinate pace and talk.

How to play

1. Groups of 6 to 8 in two facing lines. The stick rests on extended index fingers at chest height. First free attempt to lower it to the floor (3 min).
2. Analysis: why does the stick rise? Each group names a cause and a fix (2 min).
3. Second attempt with the chosen strategy: count out loud, one leader sets the pace... (3 min).
4. Floating hoop: same challenge with a flat hoop resting on everyone's index fingers (4 min).
5. Final challenge: lower the stick while walking 5 meters without losing contact (3 min).

Rules

• Fingers stay under the stick at all times; no hooking or pinching.
• If anyone loses contact, the stick goes back up to chest height.
• No blaming: the system failed, not a person.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility or wheelchair users: the stick starts at their seated chest height and the goal is lowering it to their knees.
• Visual impairment: the partner across calls "down," "wait"; may touch the stick with two fingers.
• Hand injury: use the other hand or the back of the wrist.

Learning goals

• Coordinate a fine movement as a group.
• Analyze a group failure without blaming.
• Test and compare strategies.

Equipment for a class of 25

• pe sticks: 5
• hoops: 5

Teacher tip

Light plastic sticks work better than wooden ones. The usual mistake is blaming the person at one end: explain that everyone's upward pressure is what makes it rise.

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