The Challenge of Touch the Numbers
Touch the Numbers is a simple and fun challenge that helps build powerful metaphors around the meaning of the word team. This activity promotes collaboration and sharpens observation skills.
In advance, you need to write the numbers 1 to 60 randomly in any location on a single sheet of paper. Or, you can download the templet from here.
Distribute one Numbers Game sheet to each person. Invite each person to use a stopwatch to record how long it takes them to complete the task.
Challenge each person to touch every number printed on the page in order from 1 to 60 as fast as they can. Repeat the task two or more times with a view to continuous improvement.
Then, form small groups of 3 to 4 people and invite two people at a time to complete the task as quickly as possible. Permit up to three attempts to record the fastest possible time.
Now, allow every member of each small team to be actively be involved in solving the problem, ie any person can spot and/or touch a number.
Be sure to allow ample time to discuss the impact on performance, starting with individual attempts through to the small teams.
Moment of Reflection
- What did you notice as you endeavoured to spot every number in order?
- What strategies did you employ? Did they work?
- Over the course of several attempts, did your time improve? Why?
- What does this exercise teach us about learning new skills?
- What different strategies did you use (if any) when more people were involved? Did they work? Why or why not?
- Specifically, how did you specialise your group’s labour?
- What might our results say about teamwork?
- What differences exist between individual and group work? How do the results differ?
The topics of this publication: interactions, strategy, collaboration, teamwork, reflection, critical thinking, adaptability skills, observation skills
