Learning to work with others can be a challenge for many students. Group work and group projects can be high stakes activities in which to practice communication, collaboration and cooperation skills. Learning to work together in advance can make assessment of group work easier on teacher and students.
NS ELA Outcomes
1.1 contribute thoughts, ideas, and questions to discussion and compare their own ideas with those of peers and others
1.2 ask and respond to questions to seek clarification or explanation of ideas and concepts
1.4 listen critically to others’ ideas or opinions and points of view
2.1 contribute to and respond constructively in conversation, small-group and whole-group discussion
3.1 listen attentively and demonstrate awareness of the needs, rights, and feelings of others
NS ELA Outcomes
1.1 contribute thoughts, ideas, and questions to discussion and compare their own ideas with those of peers and others
1.2 ask and respond to questions to seek clarification or explanation of ideas and concepts
1.4 listen critically to others’ ideas or opinions and points of view
2.1 contribute to and respond constructively in conversation, small-group and whole-group discussion
3.1 listen attentively and demonstrate awareness of the needs, rights, and feelings of others
Island Hopping
This game incorporates communication, cooperation and problem solving. There will be some creative approaches to solving this "impossible" problem.
Materials:
construction paper "islands" (one colour for each team)
Procedure:
1) Mark your course with a starting line and a finish line. Your course should be about 6 metres (20 feet) long.
2) Split up into teams of three. Each team gets a stack of large circles or "dots" made out of construction paper. They should have one more circle than there are players on your team. If the team has three people, it will get four islands.
3) The object of the game is to race the other team to the finish line and back stepping only on the islands. If someone steps on the floor, their whole team has to start over. You need to have your whole foot on the dot, and dots can't be dragged on the floor. The group needs to organize themselves and figure out how they can use the islands that they have accomplish the objective.
Variation:
Reduce the number of islands that the team has to work with. Can they still get across?
Materials:
construction paper "islands" (one colour for each team)
Procedure:
1) Mark your course with a starting line and a finish line. Your course should be about 6 metres (20 feet) long.
2) Split up into teams of three. Each team gets a stack of large circles or "dots" made out of construction paper. They should have one more circle than there are players on your team. If the team has three people, it will get four islands.
3) The object of the game is to race the other team to the finish line and back stepping only on the islands. If someone steps on the floor, their whole team has to start over. You need to have your whole foot on the dot, and dots can't be dragged on the floor. The group needs to organize themselves and figure out how they can use the islands that they have accomplish the objective.
Variation:
Reduce the number of islands that the team has to work with. Can they still get across?
Pyramid cup challenge
This activity builds communication and cooperation in a non-competitive way.
This activity was posted by Christy Brown on her blog "In the Middle: Life as a middle language arts teacher"
Materials:
four pieces of yarn tied to a rubber band
plastic cups
Procedure:
1) Separate the class into groups of four. Give each group a lifting tool and six cups. Set up the cups as in the photo to the left.
2) The students are to use their "tool" to rearrange the cups to make a pyramid with three cups on the bottom, two cups in the middle and one on top. Each member of the group must maintain a hold on their string at all times.
Discussion:
What made this activity difficult? What skills helped the group accomplish the task? Would the group do anything differently next time?
This activity was posted by Christy Brown on her blog "In the Middle: Life as a middle language arts teacher"
Materials:
four pieces of yarn tied to a rubber band
plastic cups
Procedure:
1) Separate the class into groups of four. Give each group a lifting tool and six cups. Set up the cups as in the photo to the left.
2) The students are to use their "tool" to rearrange the cups to make a pyramid with three cups on the bottom, two cups in the middle and one on top. Each member of the group must maintain a hold on their string at all times.
Discussion:
What made this activity difficult? What skills helped the group accomplish the task? Would the group do anything differently next time?