Human Chain Moving Crew

The whole class forms a chain to move a pile of equipment from one house to another by passing it hand to hand only; since the new house is far away, the chain must travel while it works. Students work on cooperation, organization and locomotor skills.

How to play

1. Set up the 'old house' with 6 hoops, 10 foam balls, 10 cones and 6 poles at one end of the blacktop, and mark the 'new house' with cones 35 yards away (2 min).
2. The class lines up starting at the old house, one step apart. Objects only move by being handed along: no one walks with an object (1 min).
3. To reach the new house, whoever runs out of things to pass at the back runs to the front, closer to the new house. The teacher times the whole move (4 min).
4. Before the next round, the group takes 1 minute to decide the order of objects and who calls each run to the front (1 min).
5. Second move back with new rules: hoops go over heads and balls go between legs. The goal is to beat the time (5 min).
6. Wrap-up: the class compares both times and discusses what saved the most seconds (2 min).

Rules

• No object moves forward in the hands of someone who is walking or running.
• If an object drops, the student who dropped it picks it up and carries on from there.
• Pass poles upright with a warning: 'Pole coming!'.
• Safety: run to the front along the side of the chain, never between classmates.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the student holds a fixed spot in the chain, and classmates reorganize around them so they don't have to run.
• Visual impairment: the classmate passing the object says the student's name and places it in their hands.
• Fitness level: the fastest students can be relay runners who move up two spots on each run.

Learning goals

• Organize a group task where everyone has a role.
• Pass and receive different objects safely.
• Improve a group result after planning.

Equipment for a class of 25

• hoops: 6
• foam balls: 10
• cones: 14
• poles: 6
• stopwatch: 1

Teacher tip

The chain usually jams when nobody runs to the front, so name a 'caller' who tells the free student 'Move up!'. Use light plastic poles.

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