What is Great Group Work?

Many times throughout the year in mathematics students will be explaining and justifying their thinking, as well as critiquing the reasoning of others (Mathematics Practice Standard #3). This not only happens when students write about their math thinking, but also when they are with a partner and small group.

We explored what "Great Group Work" looks like with a fun math activity.

Throughout the activity student teams were looking for patterns while working together to complete the task. 

After the task we reflected on the qualities of great group work. 

We Broke Out!!!!

The 5th grade completed a Breakout EDU on the first day of school! The theme of the breakout was based on the Dr. Seuss classic Oh the Places You'll Go. The kids had a lot of fun and all teams were successful "breaking out" (or breaking into the case).

Saving Steve - Continuing to Team Build

Meet Steve....(that little gummy work)

Unfortunately, Steve's boat capsized, leaving him floating on the bottom of his boat. To make matters worse, his life preserver is under the boat. Students were given the task to save Steve. 

Teams could only use the tools provided (paper clips) to touch Steve, the life preserver, and his boat. Will out teams rescue Steve and ensure his safety by placing the life preserver back on him?

Look at these teams working together!  They were up for the challenge!

What Would Happen When You Can't Communicate?

Small groups of students were given puzzle pieces. Their task was to create five squares. 

So, what was the catch?  No talking, gesturing, or taking puzzle pieces from their group members. 

Students could only give puzzle pieces away. 

What happened?  Most groups had a few moments (or minutes) where everyone sat there, waiting for someone to pass a piece to them. 

We discussed how important communication was within groups, and when communication is limited to only giving puzzle pieces away it makes the task extra challenging. 

There are so many great ideas we will continue to discuss during the school year. 

Getting the Year Started with Team Building

Welcome Back!  We were so excited to get the school year started, especially since we had such a fun first week back planned for our 5th graders.  Part of our plan was team building activities.

Working cooperatively and communicating with a group will be an important skill for our 5th graders this year.

Circle the Circle - the entire 5th grade created two large circles. Students passed the hula-hoop around the circle while having their hands connected. 

We discussed strategies that worked well for the group. This was important because eventually we added four hula-hoops to our circle.

Once we were ready we moved some additional team building challenges! We continued to use the hula-hoops, this time we created small groups for "Helium Hula-Hoop".  Teams could only touch the hula-hoop with the sides of their fingers (i.e the pads of their pointer fingers pointing each other). This was one of our requirements because students also couldn't hook their fingers around the hula-hoop. A big part of this task was relying and working with others to be successful, and communication. 

Most groups initially had the hula-hoop rise instead of lower until students began working together to figure this task out.

First Field Trip - Low Ropes Course & Disc Golf

We had a fantastic (and exhausting) walking field trip to the Low Ropes Course at the high school, followed by disc golf at Lime Kiln Park. 4th and 5th graders were separated into 6 groups where they participating in teambuilding activities that focused on communication, problem solving, cooperation, leadership, and positive risk taking.

While all the teachers involved were at different activities, I was able to capture some pictures at the Mohawk Walk. It was a fun challenge and it was great to hear students sharing strategies, and encouraging each other.

Following our teambuilding adventures we walked over to Lime Kiln Park for lunch and a game of Disc Golf. Mr. Huber has been playing Disc Golf with the 4th and 5th graders in physical education, so this was a fun way to put their new skills to the test!

Saving Sam: Beginning of the Year Recap - Part 3

Teambuilding continues during the first few weeks of 5th grade!  

Students were given the following materials:

"Sam" = gummy worm

Life preserver = gummy life saver

boat = clear cup

additional life saving tools = paper clips

The task: get the life preserver (which was under the boat), around Sam so he doesn't drown.

This was such a fun activity where students had to work together to get the task of saving Sam completed.

Teambuilding in 5th Grade: Beginning of the Year Recap - Part 2

Working independently is important, but so in working in a team. Working collaboratively with others involve many skills and to work well in a team takes practice.  This teambuilding task had an interesting twist to it that added a layer of challenge: students weren't allowed to talk (such an important part of working with a team).

Students were given a variety of shapes with the goal of creating five squares per group.  Students needed to give some of their shapes away to accomplish this task, and without communication it was challenging. Look at some of this great thinking: