Ball of Yarn
Perspective Web can be used as a metaphor for the idea of connectedness or community. This closing ritual offers a simple, visual way to share responses to one or two reflective prompts to synthesize individual and collective understanding.
Invite the group to form a large seated or standing circle. Offer an opening reflective prompt to the group. For example: One thing I learned in our process was ____ or Something I appreciated about our work together was___. Give a minute for participants to consider how they would complete the statement. I’ll know you are ready with a response when your eyes are back on me. Repeat the statement and answer it as a model. Then, unravel a few feet off the ball of yarn, keeping hold of the end, make eye contact with someone else in the circle, and gently toss or roll the yarn ball to another player across the circle. Be sure to hold on to one point on the yarn to keep the prior connection. The new player answers the prompt and, then, gently tosses the yarn to another player who is ready to receive it while holding on to the yarn end. Continue passing the ball until everyone has received the yarn and shared a reflection point. The yarn then returns to the facilitator. Result? A web! End the activity with a final statement about the community and connections made through the activity and/or the larger experience that is being referenced through the reflection; the newly constructed web often provides a dynamic visual metaphor to support larger meaning making and discovery.
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What did you notice about yourself or the group in this activity?
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What kinds of things did our group learn/appreciate the most?
- If we had to title our perspective web based on all of our responses, what would you call it?
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It’s fine if you share the same thing someone else said. It’s interesting for us to note where our feelings are similar and different.
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Make sure you have enough slack on the yarn to throw it. Keep ahold of your end as well.
- Raise your hand if you still need the yarn to come to you because you haven’t had it yet.
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Reverse the process with another question prompt – Something I’m still wondering about is___ (and wind the ball of yarn back up as students throw back to the person who threw to them).
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Reverse the process with another question prompt – Something I’m still wondering about is___ (and wind the ball of yarn back up as students throw back to the person who threw to them).
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Lay the web that is formed on the ground in the middle of the circle to engage in further literal and figurative connections and intersections that have been made by the group.
- Invite students to cut and keep a piece of the web as a symbol of their experience and to remind them of what they learned, a connection they made or a hope for the future.
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