Objectives: To learn about how to build consensus as a group:To build a team. Materials: An open area, in a room or outside if you'd like.

Activity

1. Talk about consensus, and come up with a definition as a group (i.e. coming up with a decision together as a group, where everyone's opinion is listened to, where all concerns are dealt with, etc.). Talk about ways of making decisions as a group.
2. Break the larger group into smaller groups. There should be at least 3, but preferably 4 or more groups total, and each group should have a minimum of 2 people in it.
3. Each group will go off on their own and come up with a motion and sound that go together. These could be of someone driving a car, or mimicking an animal, or anything they like.
4. The group will come back together and each small group will show their sound and motion, going around twice so that everyone can remember all of the other groups' motions and sounds.
5. Explain to the group that they are going to have to come to consensus as a big group as to which sound and motion they are going to do. To do this they have to break into their small groups and decide which one they are going to do, and then come back and on the count of three see if they all chose the same one. If they didn't, then they have to break into their small groups again and decide once again which sound and motion they want to do and come back together as a group and try it again until they are all doing the same one. Groups cannot communicate with each other about which sound and motion they are going to do.
6. Do this until they all come to consensus. Then reflect on the exercise: Was it easy to come to consensus? Does everyone feel like they were listened to? Did you ever have to give up on a sound and motion that you really wanted to do, either in your small group or in the big one? What was that like? What are some disadvantages/advantages to coming to consensus? How does this relate to how we make group decisions?

AND WHICH ONE WOULD YOU CHOOSE!

"Get into my belly"

"One, Two Three, Mark"

"He,He,He like a monkey"

"And the wheels go round and round, round and round, round and round."