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| − | [[Image:Helium Stick Concentration.JPG|center|thumb|400px|right|The object is to lower the Helium Stick to the ground]]
| + | No more s***. All posts of this qatuliy from now on |
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| − | ===Objectives===
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| − | <!-- please delete whichever categories are not appropriate or add any new ones you see fit-->
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| − | [[Category:Icebreakers/Warmups]] [[:Category:Icebreakers/Warmups| Icebreakers/Warmups]] |
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| − | [[Category:Communication]] [[:Category:Communication| Communication]] |
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| − | [[Category:Collaboration]] [[:Category:Collaboration| Collaboration]] |
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| − | [[Category:Team Strategy]] [[:Category:Team Strategy| Team Strategy]]
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| − | This has made my day. I wish all potnsigs were this good.
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| − | ===Materials===
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| − | * Tent Pole (or similar Long, Thin, Light Rod) | + | |
| − | * PVC pipe, available at your local hardware store | + | |
| − | * Purchase a Helium Stick at the [http://www.wilderdom.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=77&products_id=8&zenid=ced7b4b680abc1ba1d5142e6abedd40a Wilderdom.com Store] | + | |
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| − | ===Set Up===
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| − | [[Image:Helium Stick Setup.JPG|thumb|200px|right|Setting up for the Helium Stick Activity]]
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| − | None
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| − | ===Directions===
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| − | Line up team in two rows which face each other. Introduce the Helium Stick - a long, thin,
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| − | light rod. Ask participants to point their index fingers and hold their arms out. Lay the Helium
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| − | Stick down on their fingers. Before you let go, get the group to adjust their finger heights until the Helium Stick is
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| − | horizontal and everyone's index fingers are touching the stick.
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| − | Explain that the challenge is to lower the Helium Stick to the ground.
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| − | The catch: Each person's fingers must be in contact with the Helium Stick at all times. Pinching or grabbing the
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| − | pole in not allowed - it must rest on top of fingers.
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| − | Reiterate to the group that if anyone's finger is caught not touching the Helium Stick, the task will be restarted.
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| − | Let the task begin....
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| − | Warning: Particularly in the early stages, the Helium Stick has a habit of mysteriously floating up
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| − | rather than coming down, causing much laughter. A bit of clever humoring can help - e.g.,
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| − | act surprised and ask what are they doing raising the Helium Stick instead of lowering it!
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| − | [[Image:Helium Stick Rising.JPG|thumb|200px|right|Often times the Helium Stick rises first]]
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| − | For added drama, jump up and pull it down! Participants may be confused initially about the
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| − | paradoxical behavior of the Helium Stick. The secret (keep it to yourself) is that the collective
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| − | upwards pressure tends to be greater than the weight of the stick. Often the more a group
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| − | tries, the more it floats. Some groups or individuals (most often larger size groups) after 5 to
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| − | 10 minutes of trying may be inclined to give up, believing it not to be possible or that it is too
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| − | hard. The facilitator can offer direct suggestions or suggest the group stops the task,
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| − | discusses their strategy, and then has another go.
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| − | Less often, a group may appear to be succeeding too fast. In response, be particularly
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| − | vigilant about fingers not touching the pole. Also make sure participants lower the pole all
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| − | the way onto the ground. You can add further difficulty by adding a large washer to each
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| − | end of the stick and explain that the washers should not fall off during the exercise, otherwise
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| − | its a restart. Eventually the group needs to calm down, concentrate, and very slowly,
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| − | patiently lower the Helium Stick - easier said than done.
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| − | ===Variations===
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| − | Use Hula-hoop instead of stick
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| − | ===Debrief Questions===
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| − | * What was challenging about this activity?
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| − | * What led to the eventual success?
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| − | [[Image:Helium Stick Success.JPG|thumb|300px|center|Success!!!]]
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| − | ==External links==
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| − | This description is based on [http://wilderdom.com/games/descriptions/HeliumStick.html Helium Stick: Description of a team building exercise] (Wilderdom)
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No more s***. All posts of this qatuliy from now on
