Quick Consensus: Giant Team Rock-Paper-Scissors

Two teams have ten seconds to agree on a giant full-body gesture; the winning side chases and the losing side sprints to its home zone. It works on fast agreement, hearing every voice and accepting the group's choice.

How to play

1. Teach the three full-body gestures: rock (crouch), paper (arms and legs wide) and scissors (arms crossed overhead) (2 min).
2. Setup: a center line and two home zones 12 m back; each team huddles on its side (2 min).
3. Round: a ten-second huddle to pick a gesture plus a backup; on the signal, teams face off at the line and show it; the winners chase the other team to its home zone (6 min).
4. New rule: each round a different spokesperson decides after hearing at least two ideas (6 min).
5. Reflection: how did you decide? Did everyone get heard? (4 min).

Rules

• Anyone tagged joins the other team; no one is out.
• If anyone shows a different gesture, the team loses the round, so you really have to agree.
• Tag on the back without pushing, and slow down before the wall.
• In the huddle, one person talks at a time.

Variations

Adaptations

• Wheelchair users: arm-only gestures and a closer home zone for their route.
• Students with visual impairments: a teammate describes the other team's gesture and runs with them holding hands or a guide rope.
• Very shy students: may whisper their idea to the spokesperson.

Learning goals

• Reach quick agreements by listening to several ideas.
• React quickly to chase or escape.
• Accept the group's decision even when it isn't yours.

Equipment for a class of 25

• cones: 12

Teacher tip

Teams get lopsided fast, so reshuffle every five rounds. Common issue: the same student always decides; the rotating spokesperson rule fixes it.

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