Materials
About 20 slips of paper, 2 pencils, sweets
Instructions
Divide the large groups into two smaller groups, and explain that an experiment is about to take place. Give the following instructions: Each group will have 9 chances to choose a color: either RED or BLACK.
Choices are rewarded according to the following guidelines:
* If both groups choose BLACK – both get 3 sweets
* If both groups choose RED – both lose 3 sweets
* If one group chooses RED and the other BLACK – the group that chose RED get 5 sweets; and the group that chose BLACK loses 5
Two Requirements: (these must be stated clearly at the start):
1. To get as many sweets as possible
2. To not hurt anybody
Activity
1. Send the groups to opposite sides of the room and have them decide on their first choice. To make a choice the group simply decides on a color and writes it on the piece of paper.
2. Then they present it to the facilitator. Rewards the groups according to the instructions.
3. After the 4th or 5th round, ask if the groups want to negotiate – if they do, have them choose a negotiator and give the two negotiators a minute to decide on their strategy for the future choices.
4. Then announce that the next round of choices will be worth three times as much.
5. Once again they make choices and award the participants based upon the results, but this round the reward or penalty is 3 times the norm.
6. Play several more normal rounds. Then have a round that is 10 times the norm. Once again give them an opportunity to negotiate. Will they betray each other out of selfishness and greed?
DEBRIEFING
* What was your group’s strategy? How did you decide what color to choose?
* How did you treat the “minority” voice in your group?
* Did your group fulfill the two requirements? How?
* Did you trust the other group?
* Why did/didn’t you want to negotiate with the other group?
* When did you decide to try and beat the other group?
* To beat the other group did you have to emphasis one requirement over the other?
Application
No mention was made of competition, beating or winning – this is our natural tendency! If both or one group became involved in competition even though no mention was made that the exercise was based on competition lines, suggest that this is our natural tendency to satisfy our ego through being superior to others, or for selfishness and greed. Ultimately this is the cause of poverty, war and oppression in the world. The Bible calls it sin! Actually the way to get as many sweets as possible is to not be selfish and allow everyone to win.
MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”
200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.