Energiser: Wake Them Up

Purpose

It is just after lunch and you are about to teach a new theory to your delegates. Ideally you should not cover this after lunch but you have had no choice. You notice that delegates are falling sleep. Energy is low, concentration is gone and people are getting bored. What do you do? You need to energise them. Other than opening up the windows or calling for a break you can also use the energiser described here to awake the mind and the body. This exercise is particularly useful for younger delegates. For more senior delegates, you will need to make a judgment to see if this is a suitable activity.

Objective

Follow the instructions given precisely and in order.

What You Need

• A copy of the “The Instruction Sheet” provided below for each delegate. You can also download the instruction sheet here.
• A prize. This should be something funny and light-hearted so when you give it to the winner, it would create laughter. The aim is to wake people up, and laughter is a great way to do that.

Setup

• Explain to delegates that it is time for them to go through an exercise.
• Explain that you will give them an exercise sheet shortly and that the exercise is very simple. They should simply follow the instructions one by one, answer precisely and go through the instructions as quickly as they can. All instructions must be followed and none should be skipped. Their performance will be measured at the end. The winner is the person who finishes first, having gone through all instructions.
• Now, ask them to get ready with a pen in hand.
• Distribute the instruction sheets face down.
• On your mark start the exercise.
• Make sure the delegates follow the instructions all the way. It will be loud and there can be chaos and confusion. That’s all part of the exercise. Let it roll and only intervene if necessary.
• Don’t stop the exercise as soon as somebody finished. Everyone must go through the entire set of instructions.
• Ask each person to compare their instructions sheets and the answers they have given. They should match. Get them to compare the two signatures on each page as well. It is likely that the signatures are done so quickly that they are not done properly. Get them to highlight worst signatures; another excuse for more laughter and a discussion on the legitimacy of the winner. This is all an excuse to brighten up the scene and change the mood of the class from boredom to excitement.
• Give the prize to the legitimate winner ceremonially.

Timing

Explaining the Exercise: 2 minutes

Activity: 5 minutes

Group Feedback: 0 minutes

Discussion

N/A

Instruction Sheet

Follow these instructions precisely, as quickly as possible while making sure you do not skip any.

1. Write your full name at the top of this page.
2. Write the start time from your watch in hours and minutes here: ___:___
3. Write the name of the person who is sitting next to you here: ___________
4. Sign your signature above instruction 1.
5. On the back of the page, write, “Fortune comes to the prepared mind.”
6. Add 5 + 17 + 26 + 43 and write the result here: __________
7. Stand up and sit down.
8. Draw a square box at the bottom-right of this page.
9. Cross out the instruction numbered one above.
10. Count the number of people in the room including yourself and write it at the bottom of the page.
11. Stand up, say aloud, “I am at 10,” and sit down.
12. Write the time from your watch in hours and minutes here: ___:___
13. Draw a circle at the bottom-left of this page.
14. What is the capital of Finland? Write it here: _______
15. Write the answer to 119 divided by 17 here: _______
16. Draw a cube on the back of the page.
17. Add the answers of question 6 and 15 and write it at the top of the page.
18. Draw a circle around this instruction.
19. Write the time from your watch in hours and minutes here: ___:___
20. Stand up and hold the paper above your head.