Human Machine: One Part, One Sound, One Move

Groups build a machine where each person is a part with a repeated move and a body sound. It warms the body up and practices locking into a shared rhythm.

How to play

1. Groups of six. One person starts a repeated move with a body sound to the teacher's beat (2 min).
2. The others join one at a time, touching or close to an active part, with a move and sound that fit in (3 min).
3. The teacher speeds up and slows down with claps: the whole machine adjusts without breaking down (2 min).
4. Each machine runs for 20 seconds in front of the class while the rest guess what it makes (3 min).

Rules

• Pick moves you can repeat nonstop; no spinning jumps.
• Gentle contact between parts, only if both people agree.
• Each part listens to the others before joining.
• Every machine gets applause, smooth or jammed.

Variations

Adaptations

• Wheelchair users: the central part of the machine, using arm and torso moves.
• Deaf or hard-of-hearing students: the teacher shows tempo changes with an arm signal as well as claps.
• Shy students can join last, copying another part's move.

Learning goals

• Fit an individual move to a shared beat.
• Create a simple group composition.
• Warm up through play.

Teacher tip

Build the first part yourself with a demo group and they get it right away. The usual problem is every part running at its own speed: stop and ask them to lock onto the beat, not onto the loudest classmate.

More activities like this

More warm-ups for Middle School