Classroom game: 'Cher Says

So here's the story. For the 2-day Freshman Orientation event a few weeks ago, I was asked to give an administration briefing to a lecture theatre of about 400 eager freshmen in the morning of the first day. The purpose of the briefing was mainly to inform the freshies about the agenda for the next two days. However, there was a concern that the programme that morning might be too short, so I casually mentioned that "at worst, I could run a game."

Next thing I knew, the official programme schedule says Administrative Briefing & Games, and I was committed to running a game for 400 people. Jaw. Drop.

The red ellipse represented the bloodbath that would occur if the game fell flat.

There aren't many games that can accommodate 400 people, and even fewer in a restricted environment like a lecture theatre. The students will be seated in rows with classmates that they have just met, clutching their goodie bags and wondering what exciting thing is going to happen next. I needed a game that could keep everyone involved (or at least interested) for maybe 10 minutes, which doesn't sound like much until you realize that we're dealing with a bunch of impatient, worldly and cynical 17-year-olds.

There was really only one choice. I was going to have to try a version of Simon Says.

'Nuff said.
(source: http://backseatcuddler.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/simoncowell.jpg)

If you've gone through kindergarten or been to one of those kiddie birthday parties with balloons and clowns, then chances are you know the rules of Simon Says. On the off chance that you've had a deprived childhood, the rules are as follows. One person plays the role of Simon, and he gives a series of instructions. If he gives an instruction preceded by "Simon says," then the players must follow the instruction without hesitation (e.g., "Simon Says, raise your right hand."). If the instruction is not preceded by "Simon says,", then the players must do nothing and maintain the previous position (e.g., "Raise your left hand."). Anyone not following these rules is out, and the last one remaining wins the game.

Sounds like a boring kids' game, right? Well, educators have recommended Simon Says as a good game to teach children how to follow instructions, improve their concentration, practice logical thinking and motor skills...oh, who am I kidding? I want to run Simon Says because it gives me the chance to be a troll (or, more accurately, it gives me a chance to trololol).

The success of a game of Simon Says depends completely on the instructions given by Simon. If the instructions are boring, the players get bored. If they are unfair, the players get resentful. The key is to design the instructions with misdirection in mind so that as the players drop out, they realize their error and are impressed by the deviousness of the instructions. Hopefully, they will continue to pay attention to the rest of the game in order to figure out what trollish trick I was going to play next.

The game I played is identical to Simon Says, except that I called it 'Cher Says because, well, my name is not Simon (it's 'Cher). Also, I stated that the game is active only when the Scumbag Steve cap is on the screen. After I explained the instructions, I started the game. 

Hat on screen - Game On!
(source: http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/masonry/000/160/673/ScumbagSteveHat.png?1313097115)

Here is a partial transcript of the instructions I gave. As an exercise, try to read each instruction one at a time and imagine how you would react.

1. OK, everybody stand up.
2. Simon says, stand up.
3. 'Cher says, stand up.
4. Sit down.
5. 'Cher says, everybody look to the left.
6. 'Cher says, everybody look to the right.
7. Can you feel that? We're paying with love tonight! It's not about the...I'll stop singing now.
8. OK, look front.
9. 'Cher says, look front.
10. Let's take this up a notch. 'Cher says, for the next 10 instructions, when I say "stand up" you must sit down, and when I say "sit down" you must stand up. These instructions will not be preceded by "'Cher Says." Ready?
11. Stand up.
12. Sit down.
13. Stand up.
14. Stand up.
15. Sit down.
16. Stand up. 
17. Sit. That was 7 instructions.
18. Stand up.
19. Stand up.
20. Sit down.
21. Stand up.

Would you have sat down on instruction 21? Well, you would have been out because that's the 11th instruction, and since I did not say "'Cher says" you had to do nothing. Only 4 students caught that trick, and they were all awarded prizes.

This game is largely limited only by your imagination, and a variety of tasks that test logic, dexterity or teamwork can be instructed to the players. I had a whole bunch of other tricks up my sleeve (e.g., "'Cher says, raise a prime number of hands." How many hands would you raise?), but didn't get to use them. In fact, I had prepared a slide with a number of random items on it (like a cake with 3 candles, a cat, etc.) and intended to show it to the players for 10 seconds. I would then give instructions based on the slide (e.g., "raise a number of fingers equal to the number of candles on the cake"). It is also possible to give instructions based on an audio clue, or get players to play little mini-games ("'Cher says, win a game of rock-paper-scissors with a person next to you." Note that the players can play more than one game!). Just make sure to phrase your instructions clearly and concisely so that there is no room for misinterpretation, and then let your inner troll run wild.

(source: http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/trollface-coolface-problem)

By the way, you know that instruction to raise a number of fingers equal to the number of candles on the cake? I didn't say "'Cher says." Did you catch that?