This activity can be found in Pretty et al, (1995) - University of ...

3 The group has succeeded when each individual has before her or him a perfectsquare of the same size as those in front of the other group members. There canbe no individual winners.Stop the task after 15 - 20 minutes whether or not the participants have completed thetask.FeedbackLooking at the diagram of the five squares, it seems very easy. But the participantsusually end up with three or four squares and odd bits that won’t fit together.Participants come to realise that their individual desire to produce ‘their square’ shouldcome secondary to the group task of completing five squares. Personal success doesnot always equal group success, and may actually be impeding the group goal. A goodsolution for one person may in fact obstruct a good one for the group as a whole.It is important to spend some time on feedback. The facilitator may elicit responses fromthe group by asking:♦ How did the group begin the task?♦ How did you feel during the activity?♦ What roles did different members of the group play?♦ What actions did the observers notice that hindered success?♦ How might the level of cooperation have been improved?Emphasize the role of the facilitator in helping groups move towards collaboration andco-ownership.54 Jamaica All Age Schools Project: Facilitator Training for School Based Resource Teachers