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Don't Catch the Cold!

Did you know that computers can get viruses, just like people? Learn about how viruses can move around quickly – from person to person or computer to computer!

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Plan

  • What is a virus? How does a virus move around in humans? 
  • What is a computer virus? How does it move from computer to computer? 
  • What clapping game (or pattern) will you do for this activity? 
  • Who will pick who will be the virus? 

Do

  • Everyone should sit in a circle and close their eyes. 
  • A Scouter (or White Tail/Howler) will select one person in the circle to be the virus by gently tapping them on the head. 
  • Once the virus has been selected, everyone can open their eyes. 
  • Start by playing a clapping game together (like Stella Ella Ola) or clapping together in a pattern.  
  • The virus should try to break the pattern – but don’t be too obvious about it! 
  • Play for a short amount of time and then try to guess who the virus is!  

Review

  • Was it easy or hard to be the virus? Why? 
  • How did you know who the virus was? 
  • How are computer viruses different from viruses in our bodies? How might they be similar?
  • Remember to submit your activities on our Scouts for Sustainability Take Action Map

     

Keep it Simple

Some people might find it challenging to follow a pattern and might break it accidentally. Select a slower or simpler pattern to start out, then build to something more complicated. 

Take it Further

Have everyone close their eyes, then select one person to lead the pattern and one person to be the virus. Keep your eyes closed throughout the game. The leader should lead the patterns and everyone else should follow. The virus should try to break the pattern! After a few minutes, have everyone open their eyes and guess who the leader and virus were based on where they heard sound coming from.