Strength in Numbers Activity

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Strength in Numbers Activity

• Georgia CTAE Resource Network
• Instructional Resource Office
• Written by Cate Buchanan Dr. Frank Flanders
• 2010

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The following activity will demonstrate that
there is strength in numbers

• When people ban together they can often
  accomplish more than as single individuals, or
  the sum of individual accomplishments.

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Student and professional organizations are
important in that they allow people to bond
together to accomplish common goals.
4
Groups can plan and carry out programs together
such as

• Educational programs
• Voting for a candidate
• Passing legislation
• Lobbying for a pay increase
• Carrying out military operations
• Etc.

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This activity will demonstrate strength in numbers

• Students should obtain a 6 or longer piece of
  twine and follow directions on the following
  slides. Yarn may be substituted.

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Try to break the twine with your hands

• Can you break it?
• If so, note the effort it took.

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If you were able to break the twine, obtain
another 6 piece.
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Unravel the twine and separate the individual
pieces.
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Try to break each piece

• Can you break it?
• Break all pieces of the string.
• If you can break it, how much effort did it take?
• Which was easier to break, the twine as one piece
  or each string individually?

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What did you learn from this activity?
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We learned

• There is strength in numbers.
• A group of people can accomplish more than single
  individuals.
• People organizations are important.
• Etc.

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What are some organizations in our society that
are important in helping groups accomplish common
goals?
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Example Groups

• Political Parties
• Teacher Associations
• Volunteer Firefighter Organization
• Jaycees
• Historical Society
• CTAE Organizations including
• HOSA
• FFA
• FCCLA
• DECA
• Skills USA
• FBLA
• TSA

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What are some benefits of being a member of
student organizations?
See the next slide for the important benefits.
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Some of the most important benefits of being
involved in a student organization are

• Sharing ideas/resources
• Professional development
• Learning to work cooperatively
• Develop skills
• Opportunity to be of service to others
• Learning skills in preparation for participation
  in professional career organizations and becoming
  a contributing member of society.

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Note to the teacher

• See the next slides on the use of yarn if twine
  is not available.

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Instead of Twine use Yarn

• Note yarn is much weaker than twine!
• If you wish for your students not to break the
  yarn give them two or more 6 inch pieces to be
  doubled for more strength.

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Yarn

• Follow the procedure outlined for the twine
  activity.

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Lean on Me

• Additional Activity

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Lean on Me

• In effective organizations people help each
  other.
• This means each person brings their individual
  strengths to the group.

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Lean on Me

• Acting as one group and using the strength of
  each, organizations can accomplish more.

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Lean on Me Activity

• Obtain 2 pieces of yarn 6-8 long

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Procedure

• 1. Tape one end of the yarn to the desk as
  shown, or have a friend hold one end.

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Procedure continued

• 2. Twist the twine tightly

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Procedure continued

• 3. Tape the ends so that the yarn does not
  unravel.

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Procedure continued

• 4. Break each piece as shown. Do not let the
  twisted piece of yarn unravel before breaking.
• Note the force used to break each piece.

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Analysis

• Which was most difficult to break?
• In most instances, the twisted twine will be most
  difficult to break.

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Analysis continued

• Why was the twisted piece of yarn more difficult
  to break?

?
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Analysis continued

• In the twisted yarn, the fibers form a tight
  bond, spreading the force among all the fibers
  more evenly.

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Analysis continued

• In the un-twisted yarn, the looser fibers are
  more likely to be stressed individually, when a
  weak fiber breaks they all begin to break.

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Summary

• Strands of rope and twine are twisted to make
  them stronger. Also, cotton fibers in blue
  jeans, etc.

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Summary continued

• So what does this have to do with CTSOs and
  other organizations?

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Summary continued

• The closer the members
• The more members work together
• The more members share the load
• The stronger and more successful the organization!