Ships & Sailors

This week we are beginning each day with an ice breaker activity.  This morning's activity was called Ships & Sailors.  This game created community in our classroom and made us immediately become comfortable with one another because no one wanted to have to exit the game.

I began by yelling the commands of, "Ships!" and "Sailors!"  Each time I said ships the students would run to the left and each time I said sailors they would run to the right.  While they were running back and forth I would yell other commands at them.

This command was Mess Table.  Mess table required 4 people to get together and pretend to be eating. You group had to have 4 members, no more and no less.  If you were not a part of a group then you were out.

 Another command was Sea Sick.  When I called sea sick each student individually began acting like they were sick.  They walked around "sick" until I yelled, "Pepto Bismal!"  If they followed any other commands that were given following the sea sick command, before they were cleared with the Pepto Bismal command, then they were out!

 4 Men Pointing North is another command.  This command, of course, required 4 members.  They gathered together in a circle and pointed up.

Man Overboard required 2 group members.  One member would get down on one knee while the other placed their hand on their partner's shoulder and began looking out over the seas to locate the man overboard.

 Crows Nest was a 3 person command.  Students would turn their backs to one another and link arms together.  Not in a group of three?  You're out!

Commands not pictured:  Hit the Deck!  3 Men Rowing!  and Captain's Coming!

When Hit the Deck is commanded students must immediately hit the ground!

3 Men Rowing, students get in groups of 3 and pretend to be rowing a boat.

Captain's Coming, students stand at attention until At Ease is called.  If they follow any commands prior to the at ease command then they are out!

They absolutely LOVED the game and did not care who their group members were as long as they got to continue playing!  They ran, sweated, and got plenty of exercise all while begging to play again and again!