1. Divide into teams containing an equal number of members, if possible.

2. Ask each of the teams to sit in a circle, so that sheets of paper can be easily passed from one person to the next.

3. Provide each team member with a sheet of paper for recording their ideas.

4. Assign a particular task to all teams eg develop a list of proposals for beautifying the school grounds.

5. Each team member then records as many ideas as possible in a set time eg two minutes.

6. On the appointed signal eg a ringing bell, they pass their sheet to the next person.

7. That person then reads the ideas in front of them, and proceeds to add some more ideas to that sheet, again within two minutes.

This process of passing the ‘Hot Potato’ continues until each team member ends up with their original sheet. All students should be reminded that once an idea has been recorded, or an idea has been read on another sheet, it cannot be written down a second time. No repeats are allowed. Although groups of four or five students tend to work best, this structure is capable of working with virtually any group size.

a. Appoint a recorder for each team, who is responsible for writing down all of the ideas given by their team.

b. Each team can then brainstorm ideas on a particular topic eg how to get Frisbees down from the roof. This can be undertaken in a set period of time, perhaps three minutes.

c. At the end of this time, each team rotates their ideas onto the next team. After reading out the ideas on that sheet, the team then attempts to add some further ideas.