Knotty Games
All Knotted Up
This activity is for the entire class and is best done in an open space with no furniture.
All students stand in a circle with their eyes closed, holding their arms out in front of them. They begin walking forward. When they meet in the middle, each student grabs two available hands. The "knot" is now tied. Students open their eyes and try to untangle the knot. Legal operations are stepping over and under, in and out, and twisting. It is illegal to drop hands and break the chain. Can you untangle the knot?
Knot Dictation
This activity is for students working in pairs, each one with a piece of rope.
The pairs sit across from one another at a desk, with a standing book or other barrier blocking the work space from one another's view.
Student X ties a simple knot in his/her rope, then tells Student Y how to tie the same knot, without letting them see it. When Student Y is done, they compare knots.
Then they switch roles, with Student Y tying the original knot and instructing Student X how to tie the same one.