Last year the cup stack was one of my FAVORITE team building activities (see post here). So, naturally, I wanted to give it another shot! The Cup Stack is a fun, yet challenging activity that promotes team work. The supplies are basic: cups, string, rubber bands. I go ahead and tie the string to the rubber bands so it is ready to go. I make a few for groups of 4 and a few for groups of 5, this way no matter what the numbers are in the classroom I can make it work. I start by asking students what teamwork is. What does it look like? sound like? feel like? We brainstorm a list of ideas that I hang in the classroom for students to refer to. Each class comes up with a variety of ideas, but they all center around the same theme. Then I introduce their challenge. I start off my admitting that this will be a frustrating activity. We discuss ways to handle our stress and feelings that arise when others make a mistake or don't do what we want them to do. I model that they will each be given 6 cups and a rubberband with strings attached to it. Their job is to stack the cups into a design by only holding onto their individual string. I demonstrate that when everyone pulls on their string the rubberband opens wider, and vice versa. I also show them the challenges of picking up a cup that has tipped on its side or fallen on the floor. No matter what happens, they must follow the one rule: YOU CAN ONLY TOUCH YOUR STRING. No touching the rubber band, no touching the cup, and no touching other group member's strings. I reinforce how communication is so important in order to reach the goal. Then I set them off. Here are some videos and pics. After about 10-15 minutes, we pause and reflect on our experiences. I ask them to rate their group on how well they worked together using the ideas we wrote at the beginning of the lesson. I ask them what went well for their group. I also ask them what didn't go well for their group. We talk about different strategies and ways we an handle ourselves when things don't go the way we want them to. Throughout the activity I walk around and facilitate positive communication, so I usually have a few examples to help springboard the discussion.
I stumbled across this idea on Pinterest and thought it would be perfect for my third and fourth graders! I often hear complaints from students that although others "allow" them to play games at recess, they often do not "include" them in the game. For example, in football they are on the team but the ball is never passed to them. I used this as a springboard for discussion on what teamwork really looks like. The Cup Stack is a great activity to facilitate teamwork. Some groups are able to complete the task very quickly while other groups must keep trying and trying to complete the task successfully. It's hard not to give up when things get frustrating, and this is a valuable lesson for children to learn in a safe environment. All you need is cups, rubberbands, and string. I decided to put my students into groups of 6, so I tied 6 equally spaced strings (about 1-2 feet long) around a single rubberband. Each group was given this device and 6 cups. The challenge is for the group to build a pyramid out of the paper cups (3 on the bottom, 2 in the middle, 1 on the top - can be adjusted for more cups). Group members cannot touch the cups with their hands or any other part of their bodies, even if a cup falls over or on the floor. Each person holds onto one of the strings that are attached to the rubber band and they use this device to pick up the cups and place them on top of each other (by pulling the rubber band apart and then bringing it back together over the cups). Some groups took 2 minutes to accomplish their goal, some 10 minutes, and some never successfully built their tower. I had groups that finished early watch the remaining groups to add a little "pressure." Afterwards we debriefed with the following discussion questions: Was anyone frustrated at all during the activity? If so how was it handled? What did you learn about yourself or others? Why was teamwork so important for this activity? What is so hard about teamwork? What did you do today to contribute to the teamwork on your team? What are some skills needed to be good at teamwork? Are you every in a situation where you must use teamwork? Is this always easy for you? Why or why not? How can we use what we learned through this experience in situations outside the game? Check out Teamwork: Cup Stack Take 2!
WHY IS ETHO INVADING MCC AGAIN!!!!!!!!! he is very welcome
In these early weeks of school, it's so important to enforce the idea of teamwork among your classroom. I feel that if you have a classroom that functions as a community, everything runs more smoothly. My teacher and I discussed the importance of team-building exercises among the students this week. She told me that she loves to incorporate them into the classroom and that they usually produce wonderful results! I was more than excited to see it with my own eyes. For our team-building exercise, we "saved Sam". ( idea found on Pinterest) You will need: Gummy worms (Sam) Life-saver Gummies (Life vests) Clear plastic cup (Boat) Cocktail stirrers (Oar) Paper clips Poor Sam is a worm that has found himself in a rather unfortunate situation. His boat has capsized and his life jacket is trapper underneath it! Poor Sam can't swim! His oar, his only means of movement, has fallen into the rocky waters as well! He now sits perched on top of his capsized boat and he needs our help! It is the students job to SAVE SAM! they will be responsible for flipping Sam's boat over and getting him back inside. He needs his life jacket ON him this time, and his oar laying horizontally across the top of his boat. Here's the catch: You can't touch Sam with your hands. You may only use the two paperclips supplied. Keep in mind we wouldn't want to hurt poor sam by stabbing him or popping his life jacket by stabbing it! Also, we cant let him touch the water (the floor or desk) because he can't swim! It was so enjoyable to watch the students problem solve! Our little engineers were hard at work. It was interesting to see how they utilized the materials given. Some bent the paperclips into tweezers, while others snapped them in half to create more tools. This fun exercise really got our students excited to work together. I loved seeing their wheels turn as they asked "are you sure this is possible?". I loved seeing the proud looks on their face when they figured it out!
Paper Bag Dramatics: A fun activity for Team Building and Developing Community. Here's an idea that can be used just about anywhere at any time. It encourages groups to solve problems, think creatively, and work as a team.
Team-Building in a Student-Led Classroom
Students can get to know one-another virtually!
The Best 37 Team Building Activities.
Ignore how scuffed this is #philzafanart #sbifanart
Hermitcraft antics
Having a "toolbox" of coping strategies is critical for a child or young adult to deal with challenging emotions. Sometimes the emotions are due to anxiety, depression, anger, stress or other strong feelings. Regardless of the reason, it's important to teach, practice, and choose coping strategies t
Another fabulous STEM challenge set with the same supplies and two tasks! Students will work in to design two different devices and then join with a partner group! This rescue mission is to use items on hand with those gathered from "nature" to build a device to retrieve a fallen teammate.
I know...I know...you have heard me say this a million times. It is important to have groups in science and to have individual jobs while ...
Looking for a 16-team bracket template for your upcoming tournament? Our sixteen team brackets have been created for 16 teams (obviously), single-elimination with four rounds of games that will ultimately crown the tournament champion. Our blank tournament brackets are fillable […]
“Epilogue pt.2 2/2 #philzafanart #ranbooart #dreamsmp #sbifanart”
Make a working catapult with elastic bands and lollysticks to demonstrate the concept of elasticity. What is elasticity?
Virtual Icebreakers and Connection Activities I will admit that Virtual Team Building activities stretch me. I really want to be intentional with the time I have with a group, and I don’t want to fill it with anything that is hokey or just a time filler. In a virtual world keeping people connected is critical […]
The Best 37 Team Building Activities.
Teach your child to recognize and read consonant digraphs /th/, /sh/, and /ch/ with a digraph garden!
I facilitated a lesson with 4th graders that involved spaghetti, marshmallows, and cooperation! I divided the class into groups of three or ...
Virtual Icebreakers and Connection Activities I will admit that Virtual Team Building activities stretch me. I really want to be intentional with the time I have with a group, and I don’t want to fill it with anything that is hokey or just a time filler. In a virtual world keeping people connected is critical […]
Over a hundred printable Taboo Game cards with template for beginner and intermediate students. The objective of the game is for a player to have hisher partner(s) guess the word on hisher c
Need ideas for an individual behavior modification plan and printable contracts? No matter how good your whole class behavior management system is, there will always be a handful of challenging students in your class who just can’t be successful with the group plan. These are the kids who are constantly losing their recess, being isolated … Continued
Here's the Flying Machine STEM Challenge: Using a list of supplies, STEM teams must design and build a flying machine. Using theirknowledge of the Laws of Motion and 4 Forces of Flight, students must create ainnovative machine that applies those laws and forces. STEM teams have 3 trials to testtheir flying machines.
This FREEBIE includes a color and black and white handout to provide to teams of students engaging in the Marshmallow Challenge activity. This activity is great to use as an icebreaker or to engage students in critical thinking, cooperative learning, and innovative thinking. It can also be used to r...
How has your summer vacation been going? Mine has been both relaxing and busy at the same time. I have been working like a busy bee planning for my mid-August nuptials! If you follow me on Instagram, then you’re definitely up to date on all things wedding! I’ve also been making more of an effort...
It’s my first day of school! I love this time of year, all fresh starts and possiblities! Team builder games are one of my favorite things to do in the classroom during the first few weeks …
I wanted to drop in real quick before I pick little man up from daycare and take Priss to Gymnastics! This week is our second week learning about vowel teams. Geez these things can be so tricky!! I have these posters hanging up in the room to remind the kids that the letters work as […]
Toen ik paar weken geleden een mooi to do lijstje liet zien in dit artikel, was er een duidelijke reactie: er moest een printable to do lijstje komen! Zo gezegd, zo gedaan. Ik heb hem geprobeerd vol t
Middle school trivia questions which are easy for children to answer. Covering a range of subjects, such as, science, geography & more.
