team works guide

7/30/2019 Team Works Guide

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/team-works-guide 1/63

Team WorksA Teacher’s Guide to Student Collaboration

• Teacher-driven classroom activities to develop collaboration skills (includes student handouts)

• Audience: Ages 7 -14

• Aligns with the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning standards

May 2007


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/team-works-guide 2/63i Team Works Guide

Introduction

How to Use this Guide ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 1

Theme 1: Turning Conict into Creativity

Activity 1: The Colors o Conict ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 5

Activity 2: Conict in Style ............................ ............................. .............................. ............................. .............................. ............................. ..................... 7

Activity 3: The Temperature o Conict ............................. .............................. ............................. .............................. ............................. ............................. 11

Activity 4: Conict – Up the Escalator .......................... .............................. ............................. .............................. ............................. ............................. 13

Activity 5: Conict – Down the Escalator .......................... .............................. ............................. .............................. ............................. ............................. 16

Activity 6: Everyone Wins! ............................. ............................. .............................. ............................. .............................. ............................. ................... 18

Activity 7: Working It Out .............................. ............................. .............................. ............................. .............................. ............................. ................... 21

Activity 8: Getting Help .............................. ............................. .............................. ............................. .............................. ............................. ........................ 24

Theme 2: Communicating Clearly and Creatively

Activity 9: Listen Up! .......................... .............................. ............................. ............................. .............................. ............................. .............................. ......... 27

Activity 10: Stand Up and be Heard! ............................ .............................. ............................. .............................. ............................. ............................. 30

Theme 3: The Diversity Advantage

Activity 11: See What I See ................................. ............................. .............................. ............................. .............................. ............................. ................... 33

Activity 12: Being Dierent ........................... ............................. .............................. ............................. .............................. ............................. ................... 36

Activity 13: Dierent is Good .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 39

Theme 4: Connecting Across Cultures

Activity 14: Common Ground ............................ ............................. .............................. ............................. .............................. ............................. ................. 40

Activity 15: Alike and Dierent .......................... ............................. .............................. ............................. .............................. ............................. ................. 42

Activity 16: “Pre-Judging” – Prejudice ........................... .............................. ............................. .............................. ............................. .............................. .. 44

Activity 17: Dismissing Discrimination ......................... .............................. ............................. .............................. ............................. .............................. .. 46

Theme 5: How to Get the Best Out o a Team

Activity 18: Working Together ........................... ............................. .............................. ............................. .............................. ............................. ................... 48

Activity 19: Give and Take.......................... ............................. .............................. ............................. .............................. ............................. ............................. 50

Activity 20: “Roles” o the Road .............................. ............................. ............................. .............................. ............................. .............................. ......... 52

Activity 21: Deciding Together .............................. ............................. ............................. .............................. ............................. .............................. ......... 56

Activity 22: Guiding Geese ........................... ............................. .............................. ............................. .............................. ............................. ................... 59

IndexTeam Works Guide

Activities to promote healthy, creative and productive collaborations

in your project-learning teams


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/team-works-guide 3/63Team Works Guide

Working together on teams has always been a challenge,

at any age.

With more and more o the world’s work being

done by team members scattered all over the globe,communicating and collaborating mostly online and

over the phone, the challenges multiply. Add to this thenew demands or project teams to produce creative and

innovative work that generates new knowledge or solvesold problems in brand new ways, and you can begin to

see how important it is to start learning the undamentalso healthy and productive collaboration early on inschool and to continually build these skills throughout a

student’s lietime o learning.

The ollowing classroom activities are intended toprovide a solid oundation in how to work well togetherin teams and to turn the dierences and conicts that

naturally arise in teamwork into creative and constructive,collaborative results.

Though these activities are intended or the early

elementary grades, they can be adapted or older

students who need to review the undamentals o positiveteamwork.

Further team “rst aid” and “team doctor” coaching and

support, built on these lessons, can be ound in the OracleEducation Foundation’s Think.com and ThinkQuest online

programs:

www.think.com

www.thinkquest.org

The Oracle Education Foundation thanks the highlycreative and collaborative team rom Educators or

Social Responsibility or providing these activities andthe support services that complement them. They have

been an inspirational model o teamwork, and theiraccomplishments suggest that creative collaboration

may be the 21st Century skill that will bring our diverseglobal population o students together in peaceul andproductive ways to help create a better society or us all.

Creative Collaboration Activity Format

Materials – Each Creative Collaboration Activity beginswith the preparation and materials required to acilitate

the activity with students. Towards the end o theactivities marked with this icon ( ) you will nd print-

ready complementary handouts.

Workshop Agenda – The structure o each activity isdesigned to build community in the classroom and, once

students are amiliar with it, helps them be engaged withthe content in a personal and eective way. This ormatencourages a acilitative style o teaching and creates a

sense o community structure or ritual whose positiveeects extend beyond the scope o the activity.

The workshop structure includes:

Gathering – An experiential activity or sharingthat relates to the main purpose o the creative

collaboration activity and helps children ocus onthe learning to come. Gatherings are intended to

be positive, community-building experiences.

Agenda Check – A brie review o what willhappen during the lesson that lets children know

what to expect. The Workshop Agenda can bewritten on the board or on chart paper, i you

choose to do so.Main Activities – The heart o the whole-class

or group activities that provide structuredsituations ocusing on the subject o the CreativeCollaboration Activity.

Debrieng – A recap that allows students toreview and internalize what has occurred. This

can simply be asking questions such as “How didit eel to…?”, “What was one thing you learned

today about…?”, “Why is it important to…?” Thisexercise may include a writing exercise or a small-group sharing and reporting out.

Closing – An exercise to provide closure to theActivity.

n

n

n

n

n

IntroTeam Works GuideIntroduction on how to use this guide


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/team-works-guide 4/632 Team Works Guide

Denition o Strategies

Group Sharing in Gatherings and Closings

Gatherings and Closings are activities that set the stageor and bring closure to the lesson. Oten, they require

individual responses to a sentence completion or aspecic question. Two common structures or these

activities are go-rounds and popcorn sharing. In a go-round, each student has the opportunity to respond in the

order in which students are sitting (e.g. circle, horseshoe,etc.). In popcorn sharing, a ew students are called on torespond in no particular order. This approach takes less

time, but does not allow all students to respond. Withboth styles o sharing, students should always have the

option to pass.

Back-to-Back Sharing

This strategy allows students to talk with each otherin pairs ater considering their personal responses toa question. Group students in pairs and ask them to

stand back-to-back with their partners. Pose a questionor situation and ask them to think or a moment about

their response. Then, invite them to turn and ace theirpartners and share their responses. When both have hadthe opportunity to share, they return to the back-to-back

stance.

Back-to-Back Role-Plays

This ormat is a way to have everyone role-playing at

the same time, which takes away much o the anxietystudents may have about perorming. There are two

things that you might consider beore role-playingactivities. I students have not yet done role-playing

activities, model a role-play either with another adultor with a student. This tends to prevent the role-playing

rom getting silly and shows students that role-plays havea plot. Another helpul recommendation is to establishground rules. Many teachers provide two: no touching

and no bad language. You might also want to mentionthat participants do not have to play themselves or

someone resembling themselves in these role-plays.

Ater you have established a oundation or role-playing, group students in pairs and ask each pairto stand back-to-back. Designate one person to

be “A” and the other “B.”Explain to students that ater each scenario is

described you will say: Lights, Camera, Action,and partners are to ace each other and enact the

role-play. When time is up or each role-play, youwill say: Cut! Stand back-to-back, and read the

n

n

next scenario. The role-plays are usually short induration, thirty seconds to two minutes.Always process the role-playing, both to discuss

the topic that the students are exploring, andalso to provide time or discussion about what

went well with the activity and what could beimproved the next time.

Concentric Circles

This strategy provides a structure or students to talk tomany dierent partners. Hal the class stands in a circle

acing out, and the other hal stands in an outer circleacing a partner in the inner circle.

Pose a question and allow students a minute ortwo to discuss it with their partners.

Then have the outer circle move a particularnumber o people in one direction. (For example,

say to students, “Outer circle move two people toyour right.”)

Pose the next question and have students discussit with their new partners.

Then have the inner circle move two people

to its let and so on. In this way, students talk with many partners and hear many dierent

perspectives.

Correlation to Standards

Each Creative Collaboration Activity has been correlatedto the Mid-Continent Research or Education and Learning

(McREL) standards, the Collaborative or Academic, Social,

and Emotional Learning’s Social and Emotional LearningCompetencies (CASEL SEL Competencies), and Educatorsor Social Responsibility (ESR) Themes.

McREL Standards

The Mid-Continent Research or Education and Learningis a nationally recognized organization o educators

and researchers who provide eld-tested, researchbased approaches to educational challenges. Althougha national list o standards does not exist, the McREL

compendium o standards and benchmarks providesnationally recognized standards in most content areas,

including Behavioral Studies, Health, and Lie Skills. Formore inormation, go to www.mcrel.org.

CASEL SEL Competencies

The Collaborative or Academic, Social, and EmotionalLearning is an organization whose mission is to enhance

children’s success in school and lie by promotingcoordinated, evidence-based social, emotional, and

academic learning as an essential part o educationrom preschool through high school. Housed at the

n

n

n

n

n



Cultural Competence and Social Responsibility

Students need opportunities to explore individual and

cultural diversity in ways that preserve the integrityo each person, and that encourage them to be

more accepting o one another’s strengths, needs,and idiosyncrasies. By understanding and accepting

dierences, students learn to work together more

eectively in the classroom and develop a sense o responsibility to one another; they learn how to make a

positive dierence.

Conict Management and Decision Making

Activities are helpul when they introduce students to avariety o cooperative and collaborative problem-solvingtechniques that help them to develop a “toolbox” o

strategies and skills or resolving conicts positively,constructively, and nonviolently.

This “toolbox” includes understanding the concepts o escalating and de escalating conict, group problem

solving, and working out win-win solutions.



Creative Collaboration Activity 1:

The Colors o Conict

What is conict? How does our perception o conict

aect our ability to work together?

Materials

Workshop Agenda, written on the board or on

chart paper Chart paper or board

MarkersMaterials or getting students into pairs orgroups, such as playing cards, puzzle pieces,matching postcards, etc.

Workshop Agenda

Gathering: I Conict Were a Color

Agenda Check Activity: Conict WebActivity: Sharing Stories

DebriengClosing: Popcorn Sharing – Managing Conict

Gathering: I Conict Were a Color

Lay out an array o colored paper on a table. Explain that

today’s lesson concerns conict, or when there is a sharpdisagreement between people. First, ask students to think

o a time when they did not agree with someone. How didthat make them eel? Then, ask students to choose a color

o paper that represents the eeling they had. Studentswill have an opportunity to describe the situation in whichthe conict occurred later, so or now they should just

associate the eeling with a color. Be sure to have lots o red, as it is oten the color most chosen. With a partner,

students will have a minute or two to share why theychose the color they did. Then ask or various responses.

Agenda Check

Say: Many o us chose dierent colors to represent conictbecause that word makes us think o many eelings. Today

we are going to explore a little more about what the wordconict means. As you can see rom the Agenda, we will

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

share some personal stories about a time when we were in

a conict. One o our goals is to expand our denition o conict beyond what we may already think it is. Then, wewill have a short period o Debrieng and a Closing, which

will give us a chance to share our thoughts about conictand how to deal with it in our lives.

Activity: Conict Web

1. Write the word conict on the board and draw a circle

around it.2. Ask: What words or phrases come to mind when you

hear this word? Record the responses as a web. Writethe contributions on lines extending rom the central

word. Words that are related to previous contributionscan be linked together.

3. Ask the ollowing:

What do you notice about the web? (Most wordswill probably be negative.)

Why do you think most words are negative? Circlethe negative remarks with one color o marker

and positive remarks with another color.Some o the words are violent words. Doesconict always have to be violent? Make the

point that conict is a natural and normal parto lie and that we all experience conicts at

home, work, and school, and that countries haveconicts with each other as well.

4. Help students come to a denition or conict, such as“a disagreement between two or more people.”

5. Say: We have seen how many o our initial thoughts

about conict revolve around negative, sometimesdestructive, ideas. In groups, I would like you to comeup with at least two ways that you think conict might

turn out okay; it might even be positive.

6. Distribute materials to get students into pairs or

groups o three.

7. Ater a ew minutes, call on each group to addsomething to the web. Write these in the positive color

marker that you used previously. Students sometimeshave diculty in thinking about the possible positive

outcomes or conicts. Acknowledge that this mightbe so and encourage them to think about a time whenthey had a disagreement that ended in a positive way.

n

n

n

Theme

1Turning Conlict Into Creativity



Activity: Sharing Stories

Ask students to share a time when they had a conict

with another person or persons. Remind them not to usepeople’s names. Say: Please tell your partner details about

where the conict happened, the relationships o thoseinvolved, what happened, how it ended, and how they elt

about it in the end. Write the list o details on the board to

remind students what they should include when tellingtheir conict story.

Debrieng

n What are some o the outcomes o the conictsyou described?

n Does conict always end in a bad way?

Remind students that conict can end in dierent ways.

Sometimes one person can eel bad and the other eelgood. Sometimes both people can eel bad. Sometimes

both people can eel good. Everyone has conicts; they

are part o lie. We cannot make conict go away, but wecan learn the skills to manage a conict.

Closing: Popcorn Sharing – Managing Conict

Ask students to nish the sentence: “One thing that works

or me to handle conict is to…” Provide some examples,i necessary, such as “talk things out” or “walk away when

someone is mean to me.”

Connections to McRel Standards:

n Behavioral Studieso Knows the dierence between

positive and negative behaviors

used in conict situationsn Language Arts - Writing

o Pre Writing: Brainstorms ideas,uses webs and groups relatedideas

CASEL SEL Competencies:

n SA Sel-Awarenessn SO Social Awarenessn RS Relationship Skills

ESR Theme:

n Conict Management and DecisionMaking

This lesson was adapted with permission rom Resolving Conict Creatively

Program: A Teaching Guide or Grades Kindergarten through Six by Peggy

Ray, Sheila Anderson, Linda Lantieri and Tom Roderick © Educators or Social

Responsibility, Metropolitan Area and The Board o Education o the city o New

York, 1996



3. Ask or student volunteers to perorm the Styles Skits(Note: give the skits to them beorehand so theymay practice beore the lesson). Ater each one, ask

students to identiy the style being portrayed. Whenstudents have nished the skits, discuss the ollowing:

Do people talk and listen dierently depending

on the style they are using?How can choosing to use a style lead to dierentresults?

Ask students to brainstorm some o theadvantages and disadvantages o each style.

Activity: Exploring Our Own Repertoire o Styles

In groups o three, give each student two minutes to

discuss the ollowing questions:

1. What conict style do you think you use most oten?

How well does it work or you? Are there any you

seem to get “stuck” in and use even when it is notproductive?

2. Are there any responses you think you never use? Whydo you think this is? Which ones would you like to try

to use now that you know more about styles?

Debrieng

Which o the styles are ones that you had not

thought much about beore?I you really want to have a productive

collaboration, what are the key points that will

help you get there?

Point out that it is sometimes dicult to use a new stylenew idea. Emphasize that the class will be helping to

support its members in trying new ways o learning towork well together.

Closing: Popcorn Sharing – Using New Styles

Ask students to ll in the blanks o this sentence:

“One new style I might try with ______ is ______ because______.”

n

n

n

n

n


Behavioral Studies

o Knows the dierence betweenpositive and negative behaviors

used in conict situations

o Understands how one responds tothe behaviors o others andhow one’s behavior may provokeresponses in others

Language Arts - Writingo Pre Writing: Brainstorms ideas, uses

webs and groups related ideasWorking with Others

o Identies an explicit strategy to dealwith conict


SA Sel-AwarenessSO Social Awareness

SM Sel ManagementRS Relationship Skills

ESR Theme:

Conict Management and DecisionMaking


Program: A Teaching Guide or Grades Kindergar ten through Six by Peggy



York, 1996

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n




Healtho Knows how mood changes and

strong eelings aect thoughtsand behaviors and how thoughtsand behaviors can be managed

successullyo Understands the ways in which

one’s behavior may provokeresponses in others

o Knows the dierence betweenpositive and negative behaviorsused in conict situations


SA Sel-Awareness

SM Sel-Management

RS Relationship Skills

ESR Theme:

Conict Management and DecisionMaking

n

n

n

n

n

14 Team Works Guide



The New Cap Script

Characters: Shandra and Terry, who are close riends.

Scene: Beore school starts, as everyone is coming into the building.

Shandra: What is that on your head? That’s the most pathetic cap I’ve ever seen!Terry: This is my new cap! You’re just jealous because yours is old and tired looking.

Shandra: Let’s see how it looks on me!

Shandra grabs the cap and puts it on her head. Terry tries to grab it back and it alls to the oor. Shandra steps on it to

keep Terry rom picking it up, leaving a big ootprint on it.

Terry: You jerk! You’re going to buy me a new cap!

Terry grabs Shandra’s jacket and it rips.

Shandra: And you’re going to buy me a new jacket!

Terry: Just wait ‘til ater school!

Shandra: (sarcastically) Oh, I’m so scared!

HANDOUTCreative Collaboration Activity 4: Conlict – Up the Escalator



Creative Collaboration Activity :

Everyone Wins!

How can we work together to be sure our needs are met?Do we approach conict in a win-win ashion?

Materials

Workshop Agenda, written on the board or onchart paper

Materials or getting students into groups,such as playing cards, puzzle pieces, matchingpostcards, etc.

Win-Win grid written on the board or chart paperHandout: blank grid

Workshop Agenda

Gathering: Go-Round – A Time When I WonAgenda Check

Activity: Role-PlayActivity: Win-Win Grid

DebriengClosing: Popcorn Style – When We Collaborate,

This Skill Would Be Useul…

Gathering: Go-Round – A Time When I Won

Ask students to complete this sentence: “I eel like I winwhen…” or “A time when I elt like I won was…” Provide

some examples such as winning a game, attaining a goal,etc. You may begin with your own example.

Agenda Check

Ask: How do you eel when you win? Because this is sucha good eeling, we oten try to “win” at many things, such

as when we get into disagreements with others. Today,we are going to look at a conict, or disagreement, and

possible endings or this conict – one o which is orboth people to have the eeling o winning. You will

then have the opportunity to create a chart, or grid, o possible outcomes o the conict that you see. During theDebrieng we will reect on how to think about the Win-

Win concept and share personal situations in the Closing.

Activity: Role-Play

1. Role-play the ollowing situation with another adult,with a student, or have two students prepare itbeorehand (Note: I you use students or the role-play,

give the scenarios to them beorehand so they maypractice beore the lesson.). Stop the action when the

argument is escalating.

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

Scenario: Kim is a th grade student. She hasbeen having trouble in math and tomorrowthere is a big test. While she is in the living room

studying or this test and trying to work out someproblems, her little brother, Marshall, comes in

rom school. Marshall, who is in the rst grade,has had a hard day at school and wants to have

some un and relax. He turns on some music and

begins to sing and dance around. Kim wantsquiet and the music is disturbing her. They argue.


What is going on?

What is Kim eeling? What is Marshall eeling?What are Kim’s needs? What are Marshall’s needs?

Note: It is important to discuss needs because agood resolution depends on satisying the needso both children.

Activity: Win-Win Grid

1. Show the ollowing grid o ways the conict could

come out. Each box on the grid represents a dierenttype o solution to the conict.

Marshall gets

what he needs

Marshall does not

get what he needs

Kim gets what

she needsWIN-WIN WIN-LOSE

Kim does not get

what she needsLOSE-WIN LOSE-LOSE

2. Divide students into small groups. Give each groupa blank grid handout and ask the groups to come upwith possible endings to t in the grid. They may have

multiple solutions or each box. In order to completethe win-win section, both people must be able to have

their needs met.

2. Ater students have had sucient time to completetheir handouts, use their responses to ll in the blank

grid on the board or chart paper. Begin with the win-lose and lose-win boxes, then complete the lose-lose

box, and ll in the win-win box last.

Debrieng

What types o solutions were easiest to come up

with?Which were the hardest?

What would be necessary to accomplish the win-win solutions?

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

1 Team Works Guide



Discuss the importance o being able to listen to oneanother in order to hear the needs o the other person.I both people get angry and cannot listen, it is hard to

get to a win-win solution. I each person can be calm andlisten to the other, it is easier to brainstorm ideas to get to

a win-win solution.

Closing: Popcorn Style – When We Collaborate, This

Skill Would be Useul…

Invite students to come up with examples o collaborativeprojects they have worked on, or will work on, that might

be helped i participants address conicts that arise with awin-win approach.


Language Arts - Writingo Pre-writing: Uses graphic organizersLanguage Arts – Reading

o Understands the basic concepto a plot (cause and eect, conict,resolution)

o Makes connections betweencharacters or simple events in

literary works and people orevents in his or her own lie

Language Arts - Subtopic: Listening andSpeakingo Listens or specic inormation in

spoken textsWorking with Others

o Determines the causes o conictso Identies an explicit strategy to deal

with conicto Displays empathy with others


SA Sel-AwarenessSM Sel-Management


ESR Theme:

Conict Management and Decision

Making

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

Team Works Guide



Win-Win Grid

Marshall gets

what he needs

Marshall does not

get what he needs

Kim gets what

she needs

Kim does not get

what she needs

HANDOUTCreative Collaboration Activity : Everyone Wins!



Creative Collaboration Activity :

Working It Out

Is there a process or working out a conict when we aretrying to collaborate? What are some steps to ollow to besure one’s needs are met?

Materials


Handout: Steps or Negotiation, written on chartpaper or distributed as a handout

Materials or getting students into pairs, such asplaying cards, puzzle pieces, matching postcards,

etc.

Workshop Agenda

Gathering: Go-Round – A Win-Win Resolution

Agenda Check

Activity: Role-PlayActivity: Negotiating a Win-Win OutcomeDebriengClosing: Popcorn Style – Who Will I Use This With?

Gathering: Go-Round – A Win-Win Resolution

Ask students to think o a time when they had a conict

with someone that they resolved with a win-win outcome. The conict could have been with a ellow student, a

amily member, or an adult, such as a teacher or coach.Ask them to nish the sentence: “A time when I had a

conict that worked out or everyone was…” You maybegin with your own example.

Agenda Check

Say: Getting to win-win resolutions can be easy. For

example, two people can decide to share something thatboth people want. When resolutions are more dicult to

reach, however, a satisactory solution sometimes requiresspending time to think about dierent options. When two

people or groups work together to solve a problem, wecall the process negotiation. As we can see on the Agenda,today we will be looking at a conict and how to work

through a negotiation in order or both people to win.In our Debrieng, we will discuss what might be dicult

about negotiation. In the Closing, we will talk about a planto use this new skill.

Activity: Role-Play

1. Present the ollowing role-play, either with anotheradult, with a student, or choose two students

beorehand (Note: I you use students or the role-play,give the scenarios to them beorehand so they maypractice beore the lesson.).

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

Scenario: Terry and Darva are twins who are inth grade. When Terry comes into the livingroom, Darva is lying on the oor watching

television. Darva has had a hard day at schooland wants to have some un, relax, and watch

her avorite show on TV. Terry has been havingtrouble with his/her grades, and the teacher has

oered extra credit i he/she watches a history

program on TV and writes a review. The show willbegin in hal an hour. Terry and Darva begin to

argue.


What is going on?What is Darva eeling? What is Terry eeling?

There are lots o ways that this conict could end.

What is an example o a win-lose outcome? Alose-lose outcome?

Activity: Negotiating a Win-Win Outcome

Explain that students will be acting the parts

o Darva and Terry. They have decided not toescalate the conict, but to try and gure out aresolution that will work or both o them.

Share the ollowing Steps or Negotiation(either written on chart paper or distributed as a

handout):

1. Identiy your needs.Example: Darva and Terry need to think about what they really need and why they

need these things.

2. Present your needs to the other person andlisten to the needs o the other person.Example: For this step, Darva and Terry

present what their needs are to each other,remembering to be strong and not mean.It is important or them to listen to each

other by ocusing on the other person,not interrupting, and paraphrasing when

appropriate.3. Brainstorm possible solutions.

Remember: Brainstorming ideas should notbe judged or debated, just noted on a list.

4. Eliminate solutions that are unacceptable.Example: This is the time when Darva and Terry speak up and say which solutions will

not work or them.

5. Choose a solution that will meet everyone’simportant needs.

6. Make a plan to take action.

Ask students to role-play the negotiation process

with a partner.

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

Team Works Guide



Debrieng

Ask pairs to share their plans.

Was there anything dicult about the

negotiation process?Which skills did you use?

Why might it be important to take the time to go

through this process?

Closing: Popcorn Style – Who Will I Use This With?

Ask: Is there anyone in your lie that you would like to tryto negotiate with? Give examples, such as riends.

n

n

n


Behavioral Studies

o Understands that communicatingdierent points o view in a disputehelps nd a compromise

Healtho Knows some nonviolent strategies

to resolve conictsWorking with Otherso Identies and deals with causes o

conict in a groupo Resolves conicts o interest


o Establishes guidelines and rules ornegotiating

o Displays empathy with others


SA Sel-Awareness

SM Sel-ManagementRS Relationship Skills

ESR Theme:


Making

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

22 Team Works Guide



Debrieng

Say: Today we have looked at how people can unction

as mediators, helping others work through their conictsto think o with win-win solutions. Why do you think

mediators might be helpul, even i we all know how toproblem solve? In mediation, people solve their own

problems with the help o the mediator. How is this better

than being told what to do? What kinds o problemsmight best be solved by mediation?

Closing: Mediator Qualities We Have

Say: Today or the Closing, I am going to ask you to think

about a quality that you have that would make you a goodmediator. Have students share as a go-round or popcornstyle.

Team Works Guide


Behavioral Studieso Understands that the rules or group

behaviors and expectations aresometimes written down and strictly

enorced or are just understoodrom example (2.4)

Health

o Knows some non-violent strategiesto resolve conicts

Language Arts – Readingo Uses prior knowledge and

experience to understand andrespond to new inormation

Working with Others

o Resolves conicts o interesto Identies an explicit strategy to deal

with conicto Establishes guidelines and rules or

negotiatingo Reacts to ideas rather than to the

person presenting the ideas


DM Responsible Decision Making


ESR Theme:


Making





York, 1996

n

n

n

n

n

n

n



Steps or Mediation

I Introduction

1. Introduce yourselves as mediators.

2. Ask those in the conict i they would like your help in solving the problem.

3. Find a quiet area to hold the mediation.

4. Ask or agreement to the ollowing:

Try to solve the problem

No name calling

No interrupting

II Listening

5. Ask the rst person, “What happened?” Paraphrase.

6. Ask the rst person how he/she eels. Reect the eelings.

7. Ask the second person, “What happened?” Paraphrase.

8. Ask the second person how he/she eels. Reect the eelings.

III Looking or Solutions

9. Ask the rst person what he/she could have done dierently. Paraphrase.

10. Ask the second person what he/she could have done dierently. Paraphrase.

11. Ask the rst person what he/she can do here and now to help solve the problem.

Paraphrase.

12. Ask the second person what he/she can do here and now to help solve the problem.

Paraphrase.

13. Use creative questioning to bring disputants closer to a solution.

IV Finding Resolutions

14. Help both disputants nd a solution that satises them both.

15. Repeat the solution and all o its parts to both disputants and ask i each agrees.

16. Congratulate both students on a successul mediation.

n

n

n

HANDOUTCreative Collaboration Activity : Getting Help




Listen Up!

Are we good listeners? How does listening help us to

hear another’s point o view? What are the skills o ActiveListening?

Materials


chart paperMaterials or getting students into pairs, such asplaying cards, puzzle pieces, matching postcards,etc.

Chart paper and markersQuestions or pairs, listed on the board or on

chart paper

Workshop Agenda

Gathering: Go-Round – Name and Favorite Place

Agenda Check Activity: Active Listening

Activity: Active Listening ChecklistActivity: Active Listening Practice

DebriengClosing: Popcorn Sharing – An Appreciation

Gathering: Go-Round – Name and Favorite Place

Ask students to share their name and a avorite place to

visit. It could be a place they have already visited or onethat they would like to visit in the uture. Beore each oneshares, he/she needs to repeat the previous student’s

avorite place. For example, Josh would say, “Hal wouldlike to go to Hawaii. My name is Josh and my avorite place

to visit is Disney World.” Frank would then say, “Josh likedvisiting Disney World. My name is Frank and I would like to

visit Antarctica.” I students orget what the person beorethem said or start to say what they like to do rst, gently

point it out, help them with the inormation, and ask themto try again.

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

Agenda Check

Say: The Gathering was a good opportunity to show whatgood listeners we are. Good listening requires us to pay

attention to what someone is saying and not to think about other things. The Agenda shows that the topic or

this lesson is Active Listening, which is a particular kind o listening. We will explore Active Listening rst by making

some observations about listening in general. Then we willmake a chart about the skills needed to listen eectively

and practice in pairs. In the Debrieng, we will tell how thepractice elt and in the Closing we will show appreciationto others in the class.

Activity: Active Listening

1. Group students in pairs.

2. Ask students to respond to the ollowing questions,

which you have listed on the board or on chart paper.Explain that they should think about listening invarious situations, including with their riends and

amily, and not just in class.

When is it hard or you to listen?What makes it hard to listen?When is it easy or you to listen?Are there any things that make it easier to listen?

Do you listen dierently in dierent situations?

3. When pair sharing begins to wind down, discuss withthe students how and why we listen. Explain that good

listening requires active participation.

Activity: Active Listening Checklist

1. Ask students what good listening looks and soundslike. (I you have the time, you might role-play bothpoor listening and good listening with a student or

with another adult.)

2. Write their answers on the board or on chart paper,listing the attending skills (nonverbal ways o showing

a person is listening) and responding skills (verbalresponses) that make up active listening. These can

be linear or in the orm o a two-column chart. Anexample:

n

n

n

n

n

Theme

2Communicating Clearly and Creatively

Team Works Guide




SA Social AwarenessRS Relationship Skills

ESR Theme:

Caring and Eective Communication

n

n

n

Team Works Guide




Stand Up and Be Heard!

How can we speak up without being hurtul? How do we

tell others our opinion when we disagree without makinga conict worse? What is an I-Message?

Materials


Two copies o I-Message skitsI-Message ormat, written on the board or on

chart paper

Workshop Agenda

Gathering: Go-Round – Standing Up or Mysel

Agenda Check Activity: Speaking in a Strong Way – I-Messages

Activity: PracticeDebriengClosing: Go-Round – Appreciation

Gathering: Go-Round – Standing Up or Mysel

Ask students to complete this sentence: “A time I stoodup or mysel or or someone else was…” I necessary,provide examples such as, “I stood up or my little sister

when she was at the park and someone was being meanto her” “One o my riends was being teased and I stood

up or him and asked another riend to stop” “I said no to

someone when they asked me to do something that waswrong.”

Agenda Check

Say: The Gathering allowed us to hear examples o times

when we were strong. Sometimes when we speak up, weattack the other person which can make things worse

instead o better. As we can see by the Agenda, we aregoing to look at a way to speak up and be strong using

“I-Messages.” We will be listening to some skits and thenpracticing this new skill. Then we will talk about whenit might be a good idea to use this way o speaking.

Finally, in the Closing we will use I-Messages to showappreciation.

Activity: Speaking in a Strong Way – I-Messages

1. Introduce this activity by talking about “You-Messages”and “I-Messages.” Say: Sometimes when we get mad

and start to speak to someone, we start our sentenceswith “you” such as, “You never do what you say you

will” or “You always make un o my ideas.” You-

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

Messages express anger by attacking, criticizing, orblaming.

2. Continue: Suppose someone borrowed your materials

and did not bring them back. A You-Message mightsound like this: “You’re such a jerk! You can’t be trustedwith my stu!” Instead o helping to solve the problem,

these kinds o statements can escalate a conict and

can actually make it worse.One alternative to this way o speaking is called anI-Message. An I-Message would sound like this: “I eelangry when you borrow my materials and then don’t

bring them back because then I don’t have them whenI need them or class.” I-Messages “open the door” to

allow the other person to know how we eel, insteado “slamming the door” which could cause the other

person to get mad at us.

3. Have students volunteer to perorm the I-MessageSkits (Note: give the skits to them beorehand so they

may practice beore the lesson.).

4. Ater Skit A ask: Why do you think Gina sounded somean when she conronted Stacey about not being

invited? How do you think Stacey elt when Gina wasso mean? Do you think they will still be riends? Why

not?

5. Present the I-Message ormat to students:

I eel _____________________ (state the eeling)

when ____________________ (state the behavior)

because __________________ (state the eect the

behavior has on you)

6. Work with your students to come up with somethingthat Gina can say to Stacey about not being invited.

A possible statement would be: “I eel angry when Ihear that you don’t invite me to your party becauseI thought we were riends and it hurt my eelings.”

Allow responses as long as they stay ocused on thespeaker’s eelings and the reason or those eelings.

Make sure that they are not hidden You-Messages such

as “I eel that you…”7. Ater Skit B ask: How might the conversation in Skit B

change the outcome o the conict? Is there a betterchance that Gina and Stacey will stay riends? Explain

that Gina chose to “open the door” to let Stacey knowthat her eelings were hurt, instead o “slamming

the door” in Gina’s ace and causing the conict toescalate.

30 Team Works Guide



Activity: Practice

1. With partners, have students ormulate an

I-Message or the ollowing situation: Youare playing basketball at school and several

classmates are not passing the ball to you.2. I students comment that this language seems

sti and awkward, explain that the ormat is

meant to provide a ramework in order to learnan assertive way o speaking. As students practice

I-Messages, they will eel more comortable anddeviate rom the strict ormat.

3. Have students share the I-Messages theycomposed.

Debrieng

Can you think o more instances when it might behelpul to use I-Messages?

Assure students that with practice, I-Messagesbecome easier. Tell them that they are especially

helpul to prevent conict rom escalating. A loto painul conicts and acts o violence happenbecause both parties ailed to talk out a problem

when it was small and simple. Acknowledgethat using an I-Message takes courage because

it necessitates sharing personal thoughts withanother person. Help students understand

that I-Messages can be an eective tool tokeep important relationships strong and allowrespectul collaboration.

Might there be a time when you choose notto use an I-Message? I-Messages are not a tool

or all situations with all people. Knowing theirappropriateness is an important part o acquiring

this new skill.

Closing: Go-Round – Appreciation

Explain that I-Messages can also be used to tell someone

that they appreciate something the person has done orsaid. For example, you might say, “I eel happy when you

come to my house ater school because I have un playingwith you.” Ask students to share a positive I-Message they

would like to give to someone. Model one or students i they seem to have diculty starting.

n

n

n


Behavioral Studieso Many skills can be practiced until

they become automatic and i the

right skills are practicedperormance may improve.

o Understands that communicatingdierent points o view in a dispute

helps nd a compromiseHealtho Knows behaviors that communicate

care, consideration, and respect oronesel and others

o Knows some nonviolent strategiesto resolve conicts

Working with Otherso Identies and deals with causes o

conict in a group


o Displays empathy with others


SA Sel-Awareness

SM Sel-ManagementRS Relationship Skills

ESR Theme:


Making

n

n

n

n

n

n

n



I-Message Skits

Skit A

Gina: You’re a lousy riend. You didn’t even invite me to your birthday party! I have

you over to my house all the time, and you couldn’t even invite me to one stupid

party. I bet it was a rotten party anyway. You never know how to have un.

Nobody would want to go to your party.

Stacey: Why don’t you shut up! Who cares what you think anyway? It was a great party,

but you have no idea how to have un. You always make trouble. You would have

ruined my party i I’d invited you!

Skit B

Gina: I elt really hurt when I heard that you had a birthday party and didn’t invite me

because I thought we were good riends. It doesn’t seem like something a goodriend would do. When Pam and Keisha told me they were invited and you didn’t

invite me, I just gured that we aren’t riends any more.

Stacey: I’m sorry I couldn’t invite you to my party. My mother said I could only invite two

riends because all o my cousins were coming. I wanted to talk to you about it

beore the party, but I didn’t know how to tell you because I elt so bad. I’d really

like to go on being riends.

HANDOUTCreative Collaboration Activity 10: Stand Up and be Heard!




Being Diferent

How can dierences make conict more complicated?Why does it help to bring dierences up or discussion?

Materials


Handout: Find Someone Dierent

Workshop Agenda

Gathering: Find Someone Dierent

Agenda Check Activity: A Time I Felt Dierent

Activity: Problems Caused by DierencesDebriengClosing: New Things We Learned About Each

Other

Gathering: Find Someone Diferent

Distribute the Find Someone Dierent handout. For eachquestion, students need to nd a person in the class

who would answer it dierently rom themselves andwrite their name in the blank. For example, i the studentis right-handed, he will look or someone who is let-

handed and write that person’s name on the line. Eachstudent may only be listed once. Review the handout

with the students to determine i they understand thedirections, and also to be sure that they decide upon their

own answer or each choice rst. Ater the activity, invitestudents, in a go-round, to choose one category andexplain how the person named is dierent rom him or

her.

Agenda Check

Say: As our Gathering showed, there are manydierences between and among us. Dierences canbe un and interesting to discuss. However, they can

also lead to problems, particularly i the dierencesare not understood or acknowledged. Sometimes we

make mistakes that are hurtul to others i we do not

have a clear understanding o that person’s culture orways o doing things. Sometimes it is helpul to talk about dierences in order to avoid misunderstandings.

The activities in this lesson will allow us to talk about

dierences and how those dierences make us eel. In theDebrieng, we will discuss what might be helpul to do i

dierences lead to problems. For our Closing, we will sharethings we have in common and things that are dierent.

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

Activity: A Time I Felt Diferent

1. Ask students to nd a partner. You might suggest that

partners be chosen because o a dierence or youmight suggest that dierence yoursel. For example,

choose someone with a dierent color o eyes orhair or someone wearing a dierent type o shoe.

Other possible choices could be a dierent height

or someone they ound a dierence with on theGathering handout.

2. Once students are in pairs, ask them to think about atime when they elt dierent. Provide some examples,

such as eating a dierent type o ood rom everyoneelse at the lunch table or not wanting to do somethingthat riends wanted to do. Perhaps they liked a

dierent activity than their riends. Perhaps theymoved to a new school and elt let out.

3. Ater they have a specic time in mind, ask them to

tell their partner about it, describing the event, theireelings about it, and what they did.

4. Give them a minute or two each and let them knowwhen the time is hal up so they can switch roles. Oncetime is up, ask volunteers to share their experiences o

being dierent with the class.

5. Discuss with the class:

How did it eel to be dierent? Was it a good

eeling or a bad eeling?What happened in the end?

Did anyone do anything to help you eel more apart o the group?

Activity: Problems Caused by Diferences

1. Explain that sometimes people get into conictsbecause o dierences.

2. With the class, brainstorm a list o conicts that

sometimes arise because o dierences.

3. Ask students to think about a time when they had aproblem or observed other people having a problem

because o dierences. Then, with a new partner,have them take turns talking and listening. Again,

give students a minute or two each and give them ahaltime signal.

4. Ask volunteers to share their experiences or

observations about problems caused by dierenceswith the class.

Debrieng

Why do dierences cause problems?How do these problems make people eel?

What do you think might be helpul or us to dowhen these problems arise?

n

n

n

n

n

n

3 Team Works Guide



Closing: New Things We Learned About Each Other

Invite students to say one thing they learned about

another student that they did not know beore this lesson.


Behavioral Studies

o Understands that people can learnabout others in many dierent ways

o Knows that people have dierent

interests, motivations, skills andtalents

Working with Otherso Demonstrates respect or others in

the groupo Recognizes the contributions o

others


SA Sel-Awareness

SO Social Awareness

ESR Theme:

Cultural Competence and Social

Responsibility

“A Time I Felt Dierent” and “Problems Caused by Dierences” were adapted with

permission rom Resolving Conict Creatively Program: A Teaching Guide or

Grades Kindergarten through Six by Peggy Ray, Sheila Anderson, Linda Lantieri

and Tom Roderick © Educators or Social Responsibility, Metropolitan Area and The Board o Education o the city o New York, 1996

n

n

n

n

n

Team Works Guide



2. Collect the oranges, shufe them around, and placethem in the center o a table. Ask each pair to nd theirorange.

Debrieng

What do these oranges have in common? What is

dierent about them?How were you able to identiy your oranges?Was it easy or hard to nd something distinctive

about your orange?

Closing: Go-Round – How Are You Like Your Orange?

Ask: How are you a little like your orange?

n

n


Behavioral Studieso Understands that people can learn

about others in many dierent wayso Understands that people might

eel uncomortable around others

dierent rom themselveso Knows that people have dierent

interests, motivations, skills, andtalents

Working With Otherso Works well with diverse individuals


SA Sel-AwarenessSO Social Awareness

ESR Themes:

Making ConnectionsCultural Competence and Social

Responsibility





York, 1996

“Finding Commonalities” adapted with permission rom Open Minds to Equality:

A Sourcebook o Learning Activities to Afrm Diversity and Promote Equality by

Nancy Schniedewind and Ellen Davidson © Rethinking Schools, Ltd © 2006

n

n

n

n

n

n




Alike and Diferent

How are we similar to each other and in what ways are wedierent?

Materials

Workshop Agenda, written on the board or onchart paperMaterials or getting students into pairs, such as

playing cards, puzzle pieces, matching postcards,etc.

Chart paper and markers

Workshop Agenda

Gathering: Go-Round – New and Good

Agenda Check Activity: Charting Similarities and Dierences

Activity: Face-to-Face

DebriengClosing: Go-Round – One New Thing

Gathering: Go-Round – New and Good

Ask students to share something that has happened in

the last ew weeks that they elt good about. This can besomething they saw, something they did, something nice

someone said to them, something they ate – anythingthat made them eel good.

Agenda Check

Say: As the Gathering showed us, sometimes we havethings in common with others, and sometimes we have

dierences with other people – things that make usunique. Today we will be exploring both similarities anddierences. When we made our Who I Am murals, we

noticed that we have many things in common and alsomany things that make us dierent. First, we will make a

chart o similarities and dierences and then we will talk with a partner about things that we have in common

and those that make us dierent. As we Debrie and doour Closing, we will talk about the challenges o havingdierences. Then we will have un talking about what we

have discovered about each other.

Activity: Charting Similarities and Diferences

1. Make two columns on the board or on chart paper,

one or similarities and one or dierences. (I youpreer, label them Alike and Dierent.)

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n


What characteristics can we think o that mostpeople have in common?

What are some dierences among people?

Note: Keep in mind that some o the things that

are the same can also be dierent in some ways; orexample, people in our society usually wear clothes,but the clothes are dierent.

3. Encourage students to explore the ull spectrum o dierences among people. Students may be awareo a whole range o dierences, but reluctant to

say them so you may have to play an active role toovercome their perception that some things are not to

be discussed. For example, you might ask: What aboutthe dierent places o worship we go to? It might be

helpul to add the category o religion to the list i you

ask the preceding question. Ask the ollowing:What are some observations we can make about

the similarities and dierences among people?What is good about having things in common?Are there any diculties with having things in

common?What is good about dierences? What is hard

about dierences?

Students may bring up examples in current eventsthat show the problems dierences can create. Model

reective listening rather than encouraging debate about

right and wrong in this activity. The intent is to allowthe students to discover both the challenges and joys o

dierences.

Activity: Face-to-Face

1. In pairs, ask students to spend three minutes talkingabout their similarities and dierences.

2. Ask them to record on paper ve ways in which they

are dierent rom each other and ve things they havein common.

3. Have students change partners and repeat the

exercise.4. With the entire class, make a list o typical similarities

and dierences on the board or add them to the list

created earlier.

What are some o the dierences?Were there similarities that went along with the

dierences? (An example might be that peoplehave hair, but that hair has dierent colors and

textures.)

n

n

n

n

n

n

n



Debrieng

Did we notice mostly physical characteristics?

What other characteristics might we have noticedor discussed?

What eatures are most people born with?Which can they change? How?

In looking at our lists, which dierences do you

think are the most challenging? Why?

Closing: Go-Round – One New Thing

Ask students to share one new thing they learned aboutsomeone in the class.

n

n

n

n

n


Behavioral Studies

o Understands that people can learnabout others in many dierent ways

o Knows that people have dierentinterests, motivations, skills andtalents


SA Sel-Awareness

SO Social Awareness

ESR Theme:

Cultural Competence and SocialResponsibility





York, 1996

n

n

n

n

n




“Pre-Judging” – Prejudice

Why do people treat each other so dierently? How dopeople become prejudiced? What dierence does thismake to us working together?

Materials


chart paper“The Sneetches” by Dr. Seuss (New York: RandomHouse, 1961), use the book or the lm

Workshop Agenda

Gathering: Go-Round – A Food I Like Now

Agenda Check Activity: “The Sneetches”Debrieng

Closing: Popcorn Sharing – Next-Steps

Gathering: Go-Round – A Food I Like Now

Ask students to share a ood that they like now, but did

not like when they were younger. Provide some personalexamples.

Agenda Check

Say: Some o the oods we talked about during theGathering may be oods that not everyone immediately

likes. These oods may have unusual tastes or some o

us or be unamiliar to our cultures. Trying somethingnew when it seems strange can be like looking at ourprejudices. We may think, “Oh, I’ll never like spinach.Everyone says it’s icky.” Then we try it and nd we like it.

Dr. Seuss wrote a book about this experience called GreenEggs and Ham. Does anyone remember this book? (Briey

review the plot and theme.) Today, as the Agenda shows,we are going to listen to another book by Dr. Seuss, The

Sneetches. We will learn about the way the Sneetchestreat each other and dene the word prejudice. In ourDebrieng, we will identiy a time when we might have

changed our minds about someone or something.

Activity: “The Sneetches”

1. Read the story aloud (or use the lm version).

2. Discuss the theme with the students. One way tohave students discuss the ollowing questions with

their classmates is to use a strategy called ConcentricCircles. Hal o the class stands in a circle acing out,

while the other hal stands in an outer circle acing apartner in the inner circle. Ask the rst question andallow students a minute or two to discuss it with their

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

partners. Then have the outer circle move a particularnumber o people in one direction. (For example, sayto students, “Outer circle move two people to your

right.”) Pose the next question and have studentsdiscuss it with their new partners. Then have the

inner circle move two people to its let and so on. This way, students talk with many partners and hear

many dierent perspectives. Ater each question, ask

a ew volunteers to share their responses. Keep theresponses brie and then move on so that students

stay engaged.

Questions:

At the beginning o the story, what did the Star-Belly Sneetches think about the other Sneetches?Why did they think this way? (Explain that the

attitude expressed by the Star-Belly Sneetchesis called prejudice – pre-judging others beore

knowing them individually.)

The Star-Belly Sneetches were not born thinkingthis way, so how did they learn to think this way?How did prejudice hurt the Plain-Belly Sneetches?How did it hurt the Star-Belly Sneetches?

In what way are Sneetches like people? Have youever heard someone say, “Oh I don’t like those

so-and-so’s. They are all ______” and then thissame person goes on to make a statement about

a whole group o people being a certain way?Are there groups o people that other people areprejudiced against?

I people are not born with prejudices, how dothey get them?

Debrieng

Invite students to return to their seats or sit in a circle withyou. Discuss the term prejudice now that they have had

the chance to see an example o it and talk about real-lie examples. Explain that unlearning prejudice can be

dicult, particularly when we do not even realize we areprejudiced. Discuss any insights the students might have

gained rom this story and their discussions with theirpartners. Ask: Did you learn anything new about prejudicerom our activities today?

Closing: Popcorn Sharing – Next Steps

Ask students to think about the steps they might take

when they eel that they are prejudiced against someone.Let students know that it is dicult to recognize one’sown prejudices and that everyone pre-judges others rom

time to time. Begin with a common scenario to start themthinking. Ask: What can we do when we do not want to

play with someone at school, or example, because wehave a eeling o judgment about them? Could we try

inviting them to play? What else could we do? What about

n

n

n

n

n

n

44 Team Works Guide



i we see someone being bullied or teased about beinga member o a particular group? What actions could wetake?

Team Works Guide


Behavioral Studieso Understands that people oten like

or dislike others because o membership in or exclusion rom a

groupLanguage Arts – Reading

o Understands elements o characterdevelopment

o Draws conclusions about character’squalities and actions based onknowledge o plot, setting,

character’s appearance or motives,and others’ responses to a character

o Makes connections betweencharacters or simple events in

literary works and people orevents in his or her own lie

Sel-Regulation

o Suspends judgment whenappropriate


SA Sel-Awareness

SO Social Awareness

ESR Theme:

Cultural Competence and Social

Responsibility

n

n

n

n

n

n




Working Together

Cooperation can be un and working in groups can be a

great learning experience. How can we get the most outo cooperating and what makes it most productive?

Materials


chart paperMaterials or getting students into pairs andgroups, such as playing cards, puzzle pieces,matching postcards, etc.

Workshop Agenda

Gathering: Birthday Line-Up

Agenda Check Activity: Dening CooperationActivity: Machine Building

DebriengClosing: Rainstorm

Gathering: Birthday Line-Up

Ask students to line up, without talking, in order o the day

and month o their birthdays, rom January to December. They need to decide how to communicate without words.

Designate where they should start and end the line.

Agenda Check

Say: What did you nd dicult about the Gathering? How

did you cooperate, even though you could not use words?

Cooperation can be un and easy, but sometimes it canbe dicult. As the Agenda shows us, our lesson is aboutcooperation. We are going to dene what cooperationmeans, share a story about a time we cooperated

successully, and then play a game that will require usto cooperate. Ater we Debrie, we will make a rainstorm

happen in our room by cooperating with each other!

Activity: Dening Cooperation

1. Ask students what the word cooperation means.

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

Using their contributions as much as possible, dene

cooperation as “two or more people working togethertoward a common goal.”

2. Divide the class into pairs and ask students to think

about a time when they worked with at least one otherperson to do something or produce something theyelt proud o. (Examples: Students completed a school

group project; they worked with amily members on ahome project, etc.)

3. Ater talking in pairs, ask or a ew volunteers toshare their experiences with the whole class. Ask theollowing questions:

What was un about the time you just described?What were some o the diculties that you mayhave had?

4. Ask students to help create a list o specic behaviorsthat are needed when people are cooperating to

create something. Encourage the list to be specic,with items such as listening, being air, trying to

include everyone’s ideas, being organized, beingpatient, trying to be good team member, etc. Tell

students that these are skills they will bring to the nextactivity.

Activity: Machine Building

1. Ask the students to think o dierent machines andlist them on the board. I items seem to be in only

one category, such as kitchen items, encourage othercategories so that the list encompasses many.

2. Ask or student volunteers to help you demonstrate

the process that you will soon be asking students touse. For example, you might demonstrate making a

washing machine with two people stretching theirarms out in ront o them and joining hands to ormthe body o the machine. A third person acts the part

o the agitator, kneeling in the center and movingback and orth. Ask the class to try to gure out what

machine you are modeling.

3. Remind students that the game will require studentsto cooperate in order to be successul.

4. Divide the class into groups o our or ve to createtheir own machines. Allow at least ten minutes or

n

n

Theme

5 How to Get the Best Out o a Team

4 Team Works Guide



7. I some groups nish beore others, have the groupsdiscuss what was un about the game and what wasdicult. This will allow the groups that take longer to

nish without the added pressure o being watched bythe other groups.

Debrieng

Did you keep an eye out or people in your groupwho needed help?

How did it eel when someone helped you?How did you make decisions about which word

went where?How did your group work together?I we did this activity again, is there anything you

would do dierently?

Closing: Frozen Beanbags

This is a great game to practice cooperation. Students willeach need a beanbag, which they place on their heads.Give everyone a chance to walk around a little bit to

practice trying to keep the beanbag on his/her head. Thenexplain the rules. The goal o the game is to have everyone

moving around as long as possible. I a beanbag alls,that student is rozen. The only way to get unrozen is or

someone to pick up the beanbag and put it back on thestudent’s head. But i the person’s beanbag alls while he/

she is helping, he/she is also rozen until someone helpsthem. Start the game, reminding students that the goal isto keep everyone moving as long as possible. Playing the

game yoursel lets you demonstrate how to help others. Itusually only takes a ew minutes or everyone to be rozen.

Replay the game, trying to improve the group’s wandering

time. Ask students to reect on how they can help othersin this game. Also, ask how others can help them.

n

n

n

n

n


Working With Others

o Demonstrates respect or others inthe group o Evaluates the overall

progress o a group toward a goalo Contributes to the development o a

supportive climate in groupso Displays riendliness with otherso Displays politeness with others

o Recognizes the contributions o others



ESR Theme:

Making Connections

“Count to Five” and “Broken Sentences” were adapted with permission romResolving Conict Creatively Program: A Teaching Guide or Grades Kindergarten

through Six by Peggy Ray, Sheila Anderson, Linda Lantieri and Tom Roderick ©

Educators or Social Responsibility, Metropolitan Area and The Board o Education

o the city o New York, 1996

n

n

n




“Roles” o the Road

How do we help or hinder others in workingcooperatively? What roles that we take when working withothers help the group and which ones undermine the

progress o the group?

Materials

Workshop Agenda, written on the board or onchart paperChart paper and markers

Handout: Positive Team RolesHandout: Negative Team Roles

Workshop Agenda

Gathering: A Game I Like to PlayAgenda Check

Activity: Positive RolesActivity: Negative Roles

DebriengClosing: One Thing I Would Like to Do Better…

Gathering: A Game I Like to Play

Ask students to say a game that they like to play thatrequires cooperation.

Agenda Check

Say: As our Gathering showed us, some games require

that we work well together. I participants in a game donot cooperate, we can become rustrated and want tostop playing. Today, we are going to look at roles we can

take when working with others in a group, both positivelyand negatively. We will complete a checklist and then talk

about things we have noticed in ourselves and in othersthat can be a negative inuence on a group. Our Closing

will invite us to think about what we would like to dobetter when we work with others in the uture.

Activity: Positive Roles

1. Explain that we all play roles when we are working in

groups.

2. Ask students to identiy some o the positive roles in

groups and record their contributions on chart paper.I a suggestion is vague, such as “leader,” encourage

them to explain more ully. Ask: What does a leaderdo? What behavior might one see in a leader?

3. Distribute the Positive Team Roles handout. Have

students rate themselves in each o the roles listedon a scale rom one to ve, where one is low (you

do not like this role nor do you play it very oten)

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

and ve is high (this is the role you nd yoursel inrequently and is comortable or you). Ater theyrate their perormance in each role, have students list

approximately three behaviors that might be observedin the person who plays that role. I students have

trouble with this part o the task, ask them to think about someone they know who is good at the role and

think o the things that person does.

4. Give students 10 to 15 minutes to complete thechecklist. Then discuss the roles by having the class

brainstorm a list o the behaviors or each role andrecord on chart paper.

Activity: Negative Roles

1. Ask students to identiy some o the negative rolesthey have seen people play in groups and record theircontributions on chart paper. Some students may talk

about behaviors more than roles. This is not a problem,but as you record the contribution note whether it is a

role or a behavior.

2. Distribute the Negative Team Roles handout. (Note:this list is dierent in ormat rom the previous

handout.) Explain that sometimes everyone nds himor hersel in these roles, at least temporarily. In pairs,

ask students to discuss experiences they have hadwhere either they or someone they know ell into each

role. Ask students not to identiy others by name, butinstead to say, “Someone I know…”

Debrieng

Which roles do you nd most dicult orannoying when you are in a group?What could you do or your teammates to

help them avoid these behaviors and styles o working?

What can your teammates do that would helpyou when you are in one o these roles?

Closing: One Thing I Would Like to Do Better…

In a Go-Round, ask students to share one positive role thatthey would like to improve on when working in a group.

n

n

n

52 Team Works Guide




Language Arts - Listening and Speaking

o Contributes to group discussionWorking With Others

o Demonstrates respect or others in

the groupo Evaluates the overall progress o agroup toward a goal

o Contributes to the development o a

supportive climate in groupso Displays riendliness with others

o Displays politeness with otherso Recognizes the contributions o

othersBehavioral Studies

o Knows the dierence betweenpositive and negative behaviorsused in conict situations



ESR Theme:

Cultural Competence and SocialResponsibility

n

n

n

n

n



Positive Team Roles:

Roles that Encourage Collaboration

Rate Your Behaviors

Rate your behavior rom low to high according to the roll you play in a team. Write a check mark next to the appropriatenumber.

Low HighInitiatorProposes ideas, suggests next steps, has vision, is willing to experiment

1 2 3 4 5Organizer / CoordinatorKeeps track o who is supposed to do what by when, keeps the group on track and on task

1 2 3 4 5SeekerIdenties what inormation and resources are needed, does research, synthesizes inormation

1 2 3 4 5EncouragerLooks or ways to encourage everyone’s participation and thinking, praises people when they try

1 2 3 4 5

HarmonizerChecks in on eelings, tries to resolve conficts, knows when the group needs a break or a heart-to-heart talk

1 2 3 4 5Clarier / SummarizerPulls together dierent ideas, clears up conusions, knows when the topic has been discussed enough,

oers conclusions

1 2 3 4 5

HANDOUTCreative Collaboration Activity 20: “Roles” o the Road



Negative Team Roles:

Roles that Discourage Collaboration

Think about your experiences with these roles:

Distracter Sometimes known as “the joker”: talks about everything except the task at hand,dgets to get attention, makes jokes, makes un o people’s ideas

RebelAlso known as the “blocker”: the group’s holdout, is negative about every idea,

knows the “right” way to do everything, becomes stubborn and will not budge

DominatorHas to be in charge, needs to eel more important, more popular, and/or smarter

than everyone else, puts down others’ ideas, does not like to share the spotlight

The Silent One Does not share his or her ideas, holds back, is not involved

Doom and

Gloomer or

The Grump

Expects the group to ail, claims tasks will not work, ideas are bad, the project is

boring, spreads a sour mood

HANDOUTCreative Collaboration Activity 20: “Roles” o the Road



Group Decision-Making Strategies

HANDOUTFor Creative Collaboration Activity 21: Deciding Together-

Voting Decision

or Majority Rule

Several choices or solutions are suggested. Each group member gets to vote

or the choice he or she likes. The choice that gets the most votes is the one the

group chooses.

Consensus

Decision

Through discussion, everyone in the group agrees to consent to a decision.

In other words, every member o the group does not necessarily agree to the

decision, but everyone agrees not to stand in the way o the decision. The group

members discuss and listen to each other until all members o the group can

give their consent.

Compromise

DecisionEverybody in the group agrees to give up a little o what they want. The group

nds a solution that involves everyone giving up something.

Chance Decision The group fips a coin or draws straws to choose what it will do.

Arbitration

DecisionThe group asks an outsider to make the decision or them. The outsider is called

the arbitrator. The group agrees to do what the arbitrator decided.

The Leader

DecidesThe group chooses a leader. The leader hears what everyone thinks about the

problem and the leader decides what the group will do.

team works guide

Documents