Materials:
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"We're going to play a quick game called 'Group Counting.' This game has pretty simple rules, so I will go over them pretty quickly and just get to playing."

(next slide)

"So our goal, as a class, is to count in order (starting at 1) as high as we can.

But it wouldn't be much of a game if we were just counting out '1-2-3, etc.' so for this game, only one person can count at a time. For example, if I say "1", then somebody else says "2", etc., If two people say "2" at the same time, we have to start over, with somebody new saying "1".

On top of that, everybody must be silent unless they are counting - if anybody says something other than a number, we start over.

We have to sit still the whole time, and keep our arms at our sides without gesturing. It would be way too easy to just point at people when you wanted them to count - and what's the point of that? - so if somebody gestures during the game - we start over.

We also cannot "pattern-count" - meaning, we can't just count in order of how we're sitting - because that's too easy. Also, when we start over, we can't just have the same people say the same numbers each time, because that's also too easy.

And finally, once you count a number, you cannot count again until 10 other people have counted. Otherwise, we start over."

"Are there any questions about the rules?"

(when no more questons)

"Okay - so let's start. Everybody silent with arms at your sides . . . GO."

(game begins - make sure to be super-strict and just say 'start over' whenever anybody breaks a rule; don't argue, just say 'start over' - sometimes with a 'no gesturing' if they need further clarity)

(just keep going for about 5 minutes and see how high they can get; if they are using their eyes or heads to gesture, challenge them to close their eyes . . . )

(after five minutes of playing, next slide)

"So we got up to (blank number). What do you think we could have done to do better?"

(get ideas, ask "what does that look like?", etc.)

"Okay - so that's how we could do better in this game - that involves working together and communicating as a group when we can't necessarily talk to everybody . . . What about in class when we're all trying to help each other learn?"

"Now we're going to set some Class Agreements, so that we can do our best at an even more important 'game' - getting ourselves to college."

(transition to Agreement Setting)