Collaboration Challenge

   I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that my first-grade students have a hard time working together sometimes. Similarly to my own children at home, there can be a lot of arguing, hurt feelings, and tattling. In order to boost our team-building and collaboration skills, I decided to implement a problem-solving activity from the following website (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.  . The activity called for giving the students several different materials and a task to solve using the materials. I didn’t have all of the materials suggested, so I had to eliminate a few. This is what I gave to each group of 3-4 students: Cotton Balls, string, plastic cups, clothespins, tape, popsicle sticks, and paper clips. I then charged the students with the task of making a device to move a stuffed animal from one end of the room to the other without letting the stuffed animal touch the ground and without the students touching the stuffed animal with any part of their body.

  As soon as I announced the activity, the students were thrilled. They were so excited that they didn’t even seem to mind that I wouldn’t let them choose their own groups. I told the students to find a place to work with their group, choose a stuffed animal from our bin, and then plan out their design before taking any materials. Some groups chose to draw their designs on paper and others just talked about their ideas.

  I didn’t put a time limit on the challenge and didn’t turn it into a competition, and I think that this was key for the activity going as smoothly as it did. Because there was no pressure of time, the students did a great job of collaborating with each other, compromising, and troubleshooting their ideas. When students finished the challenge, several of them asked if they could help the other groups by giving them suggestions, sharing ideas, or even just cheering them on. After the activity was over, I asked each student to reflect on the experience and write what was the most challenging part of the activity and why. The students then posted their writing on Seesaw, along with a photo of their device.

  One stumbling block that I experienced on my end was not giving each group a stuffed animal that was the same size. Some groups chose a small stuffed animal, which was easier to transport across the room than a larger one. Overall, however, the students absolutely loved this activity and are already asking when they can do it again. 

   I have to add a photo of my favorite device (shh, don't tell the other groups!). These students finished last because they spent a bunch of time creating a zip line by taping pieces of string together and attaching the ends at either side of the room. Although their device would have worked just fine without the zip line, I think we can all agree that the added effort made a lasting impression! 

   I'm sure this team building activity could be adapted for all grade levels. Give it a try and let me know how you modified the challenge to make it work for you and your students!