Rear View Mirror
Games That Boost Performance. Copyright © 2005 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Reproduced by permission of Pfeiffer, an Imprint of Wiley. www.pfeiffer.com
Sandwiches
• PURPOSE
• To show how brainstorming can be used to expand the range of possible solutions.
• To warm up a group prior to problem solving.
• GAME OBJECTIVE
To score the most team points.
• PLAYERS
Nine to thirty.
• TIME
Twenty to sixty minutes.
• SUPPLIES
• Paper and pens or pencils for each team.
• Flip chart and set of felt-tipped markers.
• An overhead projector (if using transparencies).
• Masking tape (optional).
• Stopwatch or timing device.
• GAME PLAY
1. Divide the group into teams of three to five players.
2. Have each team sit at its own table.
3. Distribute paper and pens or pencils to each team.
4. Have each team select a team name.
5. Explain that you will provide each team with a mini-word and that the teams will then have 5 minutes to create as many word “sandwiches”—words using the mini-word as a prefix, suffix, or sandwiched in the word—as possible.
6. Say that to qualify, all “sandwich” words must be found in a standard dictionary.
7. Present the following example: Using the mini-word “out” . . . Prefix ⫽outward, outrageous
Suffix ⫽lockout, about
Sandwich⫽southern, couture
8. Ask all teams to write their team names on their papers.
Round 1
1. Post the new mini-word on a flip chart or overhead transparency.
2. Inform the teams that they have 5 minutes to write as many “sandwiches” as they can on the pieces of paper.
3. Call time after 5 minutes.
4. Collect the pieces of paper from each team.
5. Award 2 points for each word created by the team. Award a 5-point bonus for an “orphan” word, any word NOT listed on any other team’s sheet.
6. All rounds are played the same. Post a new mini-word and have teams create as many “sandwiches” as they can in 5 minutes.
7. Make sure each team has a blank sheet of paper on which to write for each round.
8. Declare the team with the most points the winner.
• SAMPLE PLAY
1. Class is divided into two teams, Team A and Team B.
2. Each team is given paper and pens or pencils.
3. Each team selects and writes its name on the paper.
Round 1
1. The mini-word “ant” is written on the newsprint easel.
2. Give teams 5 minutes to list as many “ants” as possible.
3. After 5 minutes, the facilitator calls time and collects a list from each team.
Review of the Word Lists
1. Team A created twenty-one words:
Prefix—anteater, antelope, antenna, antic, anticipation, antifreeze, antipasto, antiseptic, antisubmarine, antlers, anthrax
Suffix—buoyant, giant, instant, pant, vibrant, want Sandwiches—frantic, mantle, panther, wanton 2. Team B created twenty-two words:
Prefix—antacid, Antarctica, antenna, anterior, anthem, antichrist, anticipation, antifreeze, antipasto, antique, antiseptic, antlers, anthrax
Suffix—buoyant, giant, vibrant
Sandwiches—gigantic, mantle, panther, pants, unwanted, wanted
(Another way to check the list for words and orphans is to have each team create a list of its words on a piece of newsprint. A volunteer then reads his or her team’s word list and the other team marks through any duplicates on its list; when there are no duplicates, the word is identified as an “orphan,” and scored accordingly.)
Scoring
• Team A scoring:
21 words @ 2 points per word; total ⫽42 points
7 orphan words @ 5 points per word; total ⫽35 points (anteater, antelope, antic, antisubmarine, frantic, instant, wanton)
77 points
• Team B scoring:
22 words @ 2 points per word, total ⫽44 points
8 orphan words @ 5 points per word, total ⫽40 points (antacid, Antarctica, anterior, anthem, antichrist, antique, gigantic, unwanted)
84 points
• Team B wins the round.
• POST-GAME DEBRIEFING
Writing the “ant” creates an implied limit—that only a creature with feelers and six legs qualifies. In fact “ant” is contained in each of the sandwich words provided in sample play. It is generally the case that we begin problem solving with a strongly implied set of limits.
After Round One, ask each team:
• Which “ants” did you identify first?
• Who was the first to break free of the insect “ant”?
• Did you do any categorization of ideas once you generated them?
• What was the reaction of the team?
• Did one idea by one person lead to another idea by someone else?
• As you went through Round One, what assumptions did you find about what constituted a “right” answer?
After Round Two, ask each team:
• What was different in this round than the way you approached Round One?
• Did you attempt any division of labor (for example, a couple of people
thinking of words beginning with ant and some focusing on endings with ant), or did you continue with everyone simply contributing whatever words they thought of?
• Did you change anything about how you captured ideas?
• Did you change anything that enabled you to generate a larger volume of ideas?
• Did you reject any ideas?
• GENERAL COMMENTS
• Think of the word “sandwich” as fitting between the letter (regular sandwich) and going before or after the other letters (open-faced sandwich). This exercise underscores the different paths that participants take to solve problems.
• Creativity is not simply a matter of coming up with a new idea; it also involves thinking about old ideas in new applications. Sandwiches demonstrates the power of simply focusing on generating a volume of ideas before exercising judgment about which are acceptable, right, or wrong.
• The instructions place no constraints whatsoever on players. By listening to each other’s lists of “ants,” it quickly becomes obvious that there are many ways to approach this task and a wide range of completely acceptable answers.
The concept of Sandwiches fits our work philosophy of adapting and using the best available combinations of material and human resources.
For example:
• Players may categorize “ant” not only as a particular kind of insect (fire ant, army ant, red ant) but also in terms of:
Animals:elephant, antelope, panther
Geographic Place Names:Santa Barbara, Canterbury, Antipodes
Proper Names:Emanuel Kant, Antigone, Santa Claus, Cantinflas, Marie Antoinette
Nouns:cantaloupe, lieutenant, pantomime Adjectives:dilettante, antiquated, intolerant Medical Terms:antiseptic, anthrax, antibodies
Religious Terms:supplicant, communicant, celebrant, tantric
Foreign Words:tante (French for aunt), mantilla (Spanish for lace head scarf), cantina (Spanish for bar or pub)
• Players can think of “ant” in terms of the position where it appears in a word:
Prefix:antipasto, antic, antique
Suffix:operant, synchophant, militant
Sandwich:phantom, philanthropist, plantation