Participatory Methods

Shelling Corn

Shelling Corn is a participatory activity that symbolizes collaboration and collective learning. Participants work together on a seemingly simple task: shelling dried corn cobs. Through this activity, they reflect on the importance of individual contributions, group interdependence, and cultural values related to teamwork and nature’s cycles.

Preparation

  1. Define the purpose:
    • Encourage collaborative work and reflect on group interdependence.
    • Explore cultural values related to corn or community work.
    • Promote a hands-on and meaningful learning experience.
  2. Prepare the materials:
    • Enough dried corn cobs for all participants.
    • Containers to collect the corn kernels.
    • Optional: blankets or tables for comfortable seating.
  3. Set up the space:
    • Choose a spacious and comfortable area where participants can sit and work together.
    • Arrange the space in small groups or a circle, depending on the group size.
  4. To conduct the activity virtually:
    • Use a collaborative board where participants can add images, icons, or notes representing the corn-shelling process.
    • Set clear prompts that invite reflection and contribution, such as describing a collective learning experience or representing a cultural value related to corn.
    • Encourage the use of communication tools to share real-time reflections.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. Introduction to the purpose
    • Explain that the activity has practical, cultural, and reflective purposes.
    • Mention that working with corn can symbolize cycles of learning, collaboration, and collective effort.
  2. Distribution of materials
    • Give each group one or two dried corn cobs and a container.
  3. Carrying out the activity
    • Participants must shell the corn, collecting the kernels in the container.
    • Encourage them to take turns, share strategies, and collaborate to speed up the process.
    • Observe and take notes on the dynamics that emerge during the activity.
  4. Group reflection
    • Guide a discussion with the group:
      • How did you feel working together?
      • What did you learn about collaboration through this activity?
      • What does corn symbolize for you, in relation to your experiences or culture?
  5. Symbolic closing
    • If possible, use the collected kernels for a collective purpose, such as planting them or donating them.

References: Activity inspired by Proyecto Jalda. Manual of Participatory Techniques (Series of Guides and Manuals, Document 10). Japan Green Resources Agency, Prefecture of the Department of Chuquisaca, Sucre, Bolivia.

Recommendations
  • Introduce the activity by connecting it to a relevant cultural or historical theme.
  • Encourage participants to share anecdotes or memories related to corn.
  • Add a challenge, such as shelling a specific quantity within a set time.
  • Reflect on how corn represents interdependence in traditional communities.
  • If possible, document the activity with photos or a visual record.
  • Relate the activity to sustainability or agroecology concepts.
  • Introduce a variation where participants symbolically represent an agricultural cycle (planting, nurturing, harvesting).
  • Use the collected kernels for an additional activity, such as creating a collective artwork (e.g., grain-based art).
  • Assign roles such as “leader,” “organizer,” or “helper” to explore group dynamics.
  • Reflect on how collaborative work improves efficiency and strengthens relationships.
Inspiration

Ideas for Making the Shelling Corn Activity More Meaningful:

  • Introduce a prompt: “What does corn represent in your life or community?”
  • Connect the activity to local stories or traditions related to corn.
  • Reflect on how small actions contribute to larger goals.
  • Use the metaphor of corn to explore themes of diversity and inclusion: each kernel is unique but part of a whole.
  • Create a collaborative mural with participants’ experiences and insights.
  • Relate the activity to recycling or the reuse of natural resources.
  • Organize a brief talk about the cultural impact of corn in different regions of the world.
  • Reflect on how manual labor connects people to their roots and traditions.
  • Link the activity to leadership concepts and how leadership emerges in collaborative tasks.
  • Design a closing activity where participants share how they will apply what they learned in their own environments.
  • Explore how this activity can inspire larger community initiatives.
  • Incorporate gamification elements, such as tracking the amount of corn shelled by each group.
  • Reflect on how corn symbolizes both self-sufficiency and mutual dependence.
  • Use the collected kernels as a symbolic representation of achieved goals.
  • Introduce additional dynamics, such as telling group stories while shelling the corn.
Materials
  • Dried corn cobs.
  • Containers for the kernels.
  • Blankets or tables for working.
Online platforms
Purpose
The purpose of Shelling Corn is to foster collaboration and hands-on learning through a symbolic and meaningful activity. The dynamic highlights the value of individual contributions within a group, the importance of teamwork in achieving common goals, and the connection between human effort and natural cycles. It also invites reflection on cultural aspects associated with corn and how it represents sustenance, community, and tradition.
Type of activity
Participatory DesignParticipatory EvaluationParticipatory InteractionParticipatory Learning
Level of participation
Collaboration, Collective implementation, Knowledge generation, Exchange of perspectives
Target audience
Students, Community leaders, NGOs and social collectives, Business teams, Creative designers
Fields of application
Education and training, Community development, Art, culture, and creativity, Sustainability and environment, Citizen and social participation
Estimated duration
30-45 minutes.
Ideal number of participants
5-30 participants.
Topics related to this activity
Active CollaborationCollective ConstructionCollective ReflectionCommunity and SustainabilityCreative CommunicationCreative Problem SolvingCreative ReflectionExperiential LearningKnowledge GenerationMeaningful LearningPersonal DevelopmentStrategic ReflectionTeam CreativityTeamwork
Other activities that might interest you
Share this activity