This activity involves dividing students into three teams and having them collect objects and place them in their team's hula hoop. The goal is for all teams to succeed, but defining success as only their own team winning makes it difficult. Through discussion, students realize they can redefine success as all teams placing objects in a hula hoop to succeed together. This activity addresses social emotional learning competencies like responsibility, attitude, self-monitoring, listening, and decision making. It can be integrated into core subjects through examining concepts like writing conventions, multiple solutions, scientific discoveries, and historical perspectives.

1. Three Ring Circus
This experiential activity was devised by Thom Stecher and
Associates (www.ThomStecher.com) as part of an SEL
Curriculum (www.SELToolkits.com). Depending upon how you
facilitate this activity, it can address all five competencies of
social emotional learning.
I created the integration grid showcasing how this activity can
be integrated into content areas.

2. Materials and Objective
Materials:
3 hula hoops
60 objects (like tennis balls)
Objective:
Students will find a way to either win, help another
team win, or discover a way for all teams to win.

3. ● Create a clear space for the game to be played.
● Place a hula hoop around the space – preferably in three corners of the space.
● In the fourth corner, place all the objects.
● Divide the class into three groups and assign each a hula hoop.
● Teams may not speak to other teams at this time.
● The direct instruction should be given that their goal is to get all of their objects into
their hula hoop.
● The hula hoops must never leave the ground.
● The game is over when all of the objects are at least in one hula hoop.
● Each person may only move one object at a time (this includes kicking or rolling the
object).
● No objects may be stolen from other team’s hula hoops until 3 minutes of play have
passed.
● There will be two rounds in this game. Each round will only last six minutes.
● Before the first time playing, offer the students two minutes to plan as a small group
on how they will succeed.
Directions

4. Note to Facilitator – DO NOT READ TO STUDENTS
Allow students to play the game and more than likely, no team will win.
● Following the six minutes, ask students to join their group in a small circle and
engage them in these questions:
o How did you define success for this activity?
o Why was it so hard to succeed with your current definition of success? Is it
possible to succeed with that as your definition?
o Is there a way for all groups to success within this activity?
● Offer students another opportunity to plan for four minutes, and this time, they
are permitted to speak with the other teams if they feel it could lead to success for
every team.
● Play the game again for six minutes (if needed).
Directions

5. SEL Competencies
I.D.9-10.c Demonstrates an ability to take responsibility for one’s choices
II.A.9-10.a Evaluates the role attitude plays in success (i.e. pessimism vs. optimism)
II.B.9-10.b
Analyzes whether self is behaving in an honest manner and adjusts
accordingly
II.C.9-10.a
Monitors progress toward achieving a goal, and makes adjustments to
one’s plan as needed
III.A.9-10.c Demonstrates ability to listen responsively to different opinions
III.B.9-10.b
Analyzes the impact of one’s involvement in an activity to improve one’s
school or community
IV.A.9-10.a Demonstrates collaboration strategies to move group efforts forward
V.C.9-10.a
Evaluates personal abilities to gather information, generate alternatives,
and anticipate the consequences of decisions

6. Processing an Experiential Activity
There are many different ways to process this activity
depending upon what SEL skills you want your students to
practice.
Processing involves three parts:
1 What? What did you just do? (literally)
2 So What? What SEL skills did you work on during this activity?
3 Now What?
How can you apply these skills in school, your community,
or at home?

7. Processing Questions for Advocacy
2
What actions did your team take that help your achieve success?
What actions did your team take that hindered your success?
3
How is success defined within this game to create success for all?
What times in school, and in life, do we need to redefine success?
How do we make that shift in our definition of success?
(There are at least two ways in which all three teams can “win.”)

8. Content Infused - Math
Many times when playing these activities, students
will want to show their ability for “teamwork,” so they
will assist another team in winning and see this as
success. This is a form of success, but in this activity,
there are two ways in which all students can achieve
success.
Though the hula hoops must be in contact with the ground at
all times, they can be rolled into one central location. Once the
hoops are stacked like a Venn diagram, all objects can be placed inside the hoops.
Another way for all teams to achieve success is if the students count the objects
and realize there are 60. Once they discover this, they divide up the objects
equally then place twenty objects in each hula hoop.

9. Integration Grid
English
Language Arts
What are the components of a successful pieces of
writing? What happens if one of those pieces is lacking
or missing? Examine the works of writers such as ee
cummings who resists traditional writing conventions.
Mathematics
Explore, with the students, the conceptual framework
for mathematics. Explicitly investigate the multiple
ways of arriving at the same conclusion. Relate this
concept to the multiple paths to achieving “success.”

10. Integration Grid
Science
Analyze the impact of scientific discoveries on today’s
world and thinking. Create a flow chart of how one
“successful” discovery or theory opened doors/paved the
way for another theory. For example, the discovery of DNA
on genetics and medical research, paternity, and
forensics.
Social
Studies
Draw parallels between the impact of decisions in the
activity and the multiple “lenses” through which history is
examined. Analyze how one event can have social,
political, and economic impacts. Futher, assess how those
impacts are different depending upon one’s point of view.