Theatre Education: A Resource of Practical and Project-Based Warm-ups/Theatre Games for K-12

Sharks and Minnows

Where we learned it: Creative Drama at NU
Ages: 4th grade and up
Materials: An odd number of people, blindfolds (optional)

Process:

1. Ask for one volunteer and divide the rest of the class into pairs.
2. The volunteer will be the shark and one member of each pair will be a minnow.
3. Ask the non-minnows to stand in a circle.  The shark and the minnows will stand inside the circle.
4. On the count of three, the shark and all the minnows will close their eyes (or be blindfolded).
5. The purpose of the game is for the shark to tag the minnows and for the minnows to try to get away.  Each minnow’s partner on the outside of the circle will try to guide her minnow away from the shark using only vocal instructions.
6. Once a minnow is tagged by the shark, the minnow will join the circle.  The people in the circle, in addition to guiding their minnows, need to keep everyone inside the circle and from bumping into items.
7. Switch roles so that everyone gets a chance to be a minnow.

      

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