Why We Won or Lost: Attributions While We Stretch

After a game, the group stretches while placing the causes of the result in four corners that combine whether the cause is internal or external and whether it can be controlled. It helps students focus on what the team controls and avoid excuses or blame.

How to play

1. Mark four corners with cones and signs: internal and controllable, internal and uncontrollable, external and controllable, external and uncontrollable (1 min).
2. Easy walk to the center while each student thinks of one cause of the previous game's result (2 min).
3. The teacher reads common causes ('we defended badly', 'the field was slippery', 'they got lucky'); each student walks to the corner where they place it and stretches calves and quads there (3 min).
4. In teams, in the internal and controllable corner, students pick two causes to work on while stretching back and shoulders (2 min).
5. Final breathing, and each team states its commitment for the next game out loud (2 min).

Rules

• No classmate is named as the cause of the result.
• Walk, don't run, between corners.
• If people disagree about a cause, everyone may go to their own corner.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: stay in the center and point to the chosen corner with a colored card.
• Visual impairment: a classmate guides the student, and the signs in each corner are read aloud.
• Autism: share in advance which statements will be read, and allow written answers.

Learning goals

• Distinguish internal and external, controllable and uncontrollable causes.
• Steer the analysis of the result toward what the team can improve.
• Avoid blaming teammates after a loss.

Equipment for a class of 25

• cones: 4
• worksheets: 4

Teacher tip

Use real causes you heard during the game, without names. It works after wins as well as losses.

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