Education Standards
Teamwork!
Overview
This unit is for elementary students grades 3-6. Activities build on cooperation, encouraging communication, team building skills, and participation. The unit includes 4 lessons with a reflection worksheet at the end. These can be used in classroom settings, group counseling, lunch bunch groups or guidance lessons
Team Building Activity
Teamwork!
3rd-6th grades
Lesson/Unit Topic: TEAMWORK!
Subject: Elementary Guidance, School Counseling Lessons
Target Grade: 3rd-6th grades
Author: Loyce Ellingrod
Lesson Description: This unit is for elementary students grades 3-6. Activities build on cooperation, encouraging communication, team building skills, and participation. The unit includes 4 lessons with a reflection worksheet at the end. These can be used in classroom settings, group counseling, lunch bunch groups or guidance lessons.
Learning goals/outcomes:
Students will define team building skills and what teamwork is.
Students will participate in a variety of team building activities.
Students will demonstrate using encouraging words with their team members.
Students will demonstrate personal safety when participating in activities.
Students will determine why listening skills are needed for effective teamwork.
Wyoming Standards:
Career-Vocational Standards:
CV5.2.1 Students identify and practice compromise and conflict resolutions skills
CV5.2.3 Students identify and participate in group roles and responstiblities while demosntrating respect and awareness of diverstiy.
ASCA Behavior Standards:
B-SS 6: Use effective collaboration and cooperation skills.
Teacher Planning:
- Equipment/materials needed: computer, TV or Smartboard; whiteboard, markers, supplies for variety of games (check each day’s activity)
colored pencils, 8x11 white paper, worksheet
- Time required for lesson: 4-5 days--30 minute sessions
Technology Use: __X____Yes ______No
Instructional Plan:
Introduction: With elbow partners or assigned partners, have students list any “teams” they know. As a group they will share their lists. How do they know these are “teams”? On board, list 5 characteristics of a team (example: more than 1 person, common goal, work together to win a game, help each other etc.)
- Real-World Connection: We see teams around us everywhere. We need to know how to be a successful member of a team in sports, school and in future jobs and family life.
- Activities:
Day 1:
Watch video: T.E.A.M work TED Youth talk as a group. When finished dicuss the main points from his talk. Put the letters “T.E.A.M.” down the side of the board. Write the words that he mentioned for each letter. Discuss what each means.
Play the Balloon Toss Game:
Give directions:
- As a whole group (may divide into 2 groups depending on the size of class-12-15 members per circle) make a circle standing around the floor. (Move all desks/chairs away from the circle’s area. Large groups may need to move to another space such as a corner of the gym or playground.)
- Have a balloon ready for each circle. Explain that they have to work to keep the balloon in the air (not touch the floor, walls, chairs etc.) When they start they need to gently tap the balloon in the air to another person in their circle. They need to stay planted in their area of the circle (can’t move around). They tap the ball and count each tap. The group’s highest number of taps without stopping is the winner. If there is only one group they work to get over 100 or more taps. No jumping, running or pushing others. The teacher can remove any students who can’t follow the rules. If the balloon touches the floor etc. they start their counting the taps over. The teacher can stop the activity at any time to talk about working together, staying in the area, correct ways to tap etc.
- Record the highest number of taps for each group or attempts when done. *If there is more than one section of groups doing this activity, they can challenge themselves to beat another group’s total.
Have the group return to their original seats. Review TEAM words. Teacher provides each student with a sheet of white paper. Draw these words on a white paper (copy from the board) with colored pencils. Draw a picture of a team. Put names on paper. Hand into the teacher.
Day 2:
Review TEAM words from the previous lesson.
As a group: Brainstorm “encouraging” words we can use when we are working with others. List these on the board. (examples: good job!; keep trying; keep going; nice try etc.)
Play the Monkey game (use Barrel of Monkeys sets-1 per set for 4-6 students).
Each group of students form a circle sitting on the floor. Remind them to stay in their area and to use encouraging words.
Give Directions:
- As a group they are to build a chain of monkeys. The only person who can touch the monkeys is the teacher. The group can decide who starts in each group. That person will pick up a monkey and hook it to another monkey, and then pass the chain to the next team member beside them. It continues around the circle until all the monkeys are picked up. (No doubles.) If they fall off, then that member passes it on and the next member picks up one monkey to start over. They can talk during this activitiy-give suggestions, advice and encouraging words. Some students struggle with this because they are shaky or nervous. It’s okay to try and then pass it on if it gets too frustrating. They will usually try again when it is their turn.
- Watch each group and record who makes the longest chain or finishes first with all of the monkeys.
Have the group return to their original seats. Review encouraging words list. Teacher provides each student with a sheet of white paper. Choose one word from the board to draw on a sheet of paper with colored pencils. Add colors and draw a picture of people using these words. Put the name on the paper. Hand into teacher when done.
Day 3:
Review encouraging words and TEAM words. Discuss WORK. What does this look like? What is a leader? Follower? Listener? Helper? Write the letters “W.O.R.K.” on the board down the side. Brainstorm and record words from the group for each letter (example: W-we win; O-only together etc.) Decide what words they prefer and use these for the class’s example.
Play build a Straw Boat to Float challenge.
Divide into groups of 4-5 students or partners, depending on the size of the class, for each boat. Have them sit together facing each other.
Give directions:
- Give each small group a certain number of drinking straws (dollar store straws work well for this)-usually 12-15 straws per group works best.
- Give masking tape strips to each group. This can be limited or not-teacher can decide how much will be used. Also scissors can be allowed if the teacher wants to have them.
- Set the time for the activity. Explain they are to build a boat using straws and masking tape. It will be tested to see if it will float in a pan of water. The boat will be tested by putting coins (pennies) one at a time on the boat. The boat that holds the most coins wins.
- Let the students design and make their boats together. Walk around and witness their designing, working together, encouraging words and frustrations.
- When done, have a pan (old cake pan works) ½ to ¾ full of water and a jar of coins ready. Put the boat into the water for the test. Count the number of coins it holds before it sinks. The team with the most wins!
Have the group return to their original seats. Review the WORK words on the board. Teacher provides each student with a sheet of white paper. Draw the words on a white paper with colored pencils. Draw a picture of people working together. Put names on papers. Hand into teacher when done.
Day 4:
Review TEAMWORK. Discuss how we have shown team building skills in our past lessons. Today’s focus is on communicating (using our listening and speaking skills). We will complete a challenge with talking and sharing ideas the first time and then try it again without talking.
Play the Cup Stacking Challenge (this is one variation for this challenge).
- Divide into partners. Give each set of partners a set of plastic drinking cups (15 works well).
- Partners need to face each with the cups randomly on the table/floor in front of them.
- They are going to stack the cups (5 on the bottom in a row, then 4 , 3 and so on to make a pyramid). They need to take turns putting the cups on the stack and then unstacking it. Only one cup at a time. They must wait until their partner puts a cup up before they do theirs. Each group decides who goes first. They can talk and listen to each other this round. The goal is to see how fast they can stack and unstack the cups without dropping them or knocking down the stack. The teacher can set a time limit for this. They keep stacking/unstacking until the teacher calls time. They can count the number of times they stacked & unstacked to give to the teacher.
- Second round: they do it again, but this time they can’t talk while they are doing it. Start with the other partner. Again it is timed and see how many times they can stack and unstack the cups.
- Following rounds: partners can be moved to new people and process repeated again.
*time allowed can be changed: be lengthened or shortened as the teacher prefers.
Discuss how many times they had; did they get faster with practice: why is talking and listening important when working with others?; How does it help? What is a barrier to good listening? What can we do to overcome the barriers?
- Closure and Check for understanding: Have students complete “My Teamwork Reflection” form about their experiences with team building during our lessons. Hand into teacher.
Supplemental Information:
- Modifications: Different games can be used. These are just ideas that have been used with this age group.
- Safety Precautions: Always remind the group/partners of safety rules before, during and after each activity. Students can sit out if they can’t follow the rules.
- Comments: These activites have been adapted for older students too. The specific requirements and follow up activities can be changed to meet the age and maturity.
- All the artwork from lessons can be put together to be displayed or put onto a bulletin board promoting Teamwork.
- Additional resources:
104 Activities that Build: Self-esteem, teamwork, communication, anger management, self-discovery, coping skills by Alanna Jones
Activites that Teach by Tom Jackson
Still More Activities that Teach by Tom Jackson