Teambuilding Activities

What’s in My Name? – The teacher discusses the origin of his or her name with the class. Talk about where people’s names may come from. Then, distribute the What’s in My Name handout, discuss, and assign for homework. After two days, meet in teams and have each team member share what they learned about his or her name. They entire class may also choose to share in the community forum having other team members tell about each other. You can extend this activity by having each child create an acrostic poem based on his or her name and what was discovered using the What’s in My Name handout.

Round Table – The teacher announces a topic for the teams to explore. For example, teams could generate a list of favorite books. Explain to the students that the directions are to pass one sheet of paper and a pencil around the table clockwise. When each student receives the paper they write down ONE idea that can be contributed. In turn, each student adds their contribution until the allotted time expires. Then as a whole group share the generated information in the Community Forum.

Windows or Every Only – Distribute the handout. Explain that teams are to brainstorm commonalities. For example, if the team chooses favorite dessert first, team member one may say his favorite dessert is ice-cream. If all team members favorite dessert is ice-cream they jot that into the center portion (window) of the handout. If ice-cream is the favorite of 3 members, it is written down in the section labeled 3, if ice-cream is the favorite of 2 members, it is written down in the section labeled 2, etc. After the allotted time expires, teams share their commonalities in Community Forum.

Guess – the – Fib – Direct the team members to write three statements about themselves. Two statements should be unbelievable facts, while the third is a believable fib. You may wish to model this. While sitting in teams, have each student share his or her statements with the team. The team then proceeds to guess which statement is the fib. You can extend this activity by sharing as a whole class in community forum.

Round Robin – The teacher announces a topic that students are to discuss. For example, discuss what your favorite activity was this summer. Taking rotating turns each team member discusses the topic with his or her team.

Match Mine – Give each team two manila folders and one paper clip. Direct them to clip the manila folders together at the top, spread out the base, and create a stand alone privacy screen. Designate two team members as receivers and two team members as senders. The senders work together to create a pattern using five or six game pieces (you can use tangrams, pattern blocks, color tiles, cuisenaire rods, etc.) The receivers attempt to match the sender’s design solely through verbal questioning. When the receivers believes that they have correctly matched the senders designs, they compare their work. If the designs match the teams celebrates their success. If the designs do not match, they acknowledge their efforts and discuss what means of communication and questioning would have led to a direct match. Teams can then switch roles. This game is very similar to Battleship, and can be used throughout the school year as a center activity. This activity can also integrate technology by having the senders design a pattern using MS Draw, Hyper Studio, PowerPoint, or any other drawing software.

Team Business Card – Have teams generate a business card reflecting the team identity using a multimedia tool such as Hyper Studio or PowerPoint. Teams can print out business cards, discuss in community forum, and then trade cards with other teams. Business cards can include team name, team motto, team goal, team member’s names, team logo, etc.

20 Questions – Give each team two manila folders and one paper clip. Direct them to clip the manila folders together at the top, spread out the base, and create a stand alone privacy screen. Designate two team members as Questioners and two team members as Answerers. The Answerers in each team hide a teacher given item behind the privacy screen. The Questioners attempt to guess what the item is solely through yes no questioning. If the Questioners guess what the item is, teams switch roles. If after 20 questions, the Questioners have not guessed, the Answerers begin to give clues to guide the Questioners.

Bumper Stickers – Teams create bumper stickers representing the team identity including team name, team motto, team goal, team member’s names, team logo, etc. Have teams share team bumper stickers in community forum.

Spend - A - Buck – Designate a decision that teams need to reach. For example, what the first team reward will be for filling the chip jar. Generate a list of teacher accepted rewards. Give each team member four “Techie Bucks.” Each team member then can spend their “bucks” in any way they choose. If a team member feels very strongly for a certain team reward, they may choose to spend all their “Bucks” on that reward. Another team member may choose to divide his or her “Bucks” over two or three team rewards. In the end, the team reward with the most “Bucks” is the winner!

Tower of Power – Distribute the Tower of Power handout. Preview and discuss the components of each tower section. In the appropriate section of the Tower of Power direct students to draw or write answers to the following:

1.Three things you are really good at.
2.Your greatest achievement to date.
3.Three things you would like to improve in school.
4.Three words you would like your peers to describe you with.

After students complete their Towers of Power, have them share their towers in team. Then, have the teams discuss how their achievements and goals will help the team to be a high performing team. Have teams share this information in the community forum. As an alternative, post the Towers of Power without names. Have students try to predict which Tower of Power belongs to each student.

T- Shirt – Distribute the T - shirt handout. Explain that the finished T- shirt needs to contain specific elements. For example you may want the T-shirt to contain an alliterative adjective that fits your name and personality (Vivacious Victoria), things that you enjoy doing, academic strengths, places you would like to visit, favorites, something you want to learn, etc. After each team member has completed his or her t - shirt, have the teams share them within their group as a way to introduce each other. You may also have team members introduce each other to the class using their teammates T-shirt as a visual.

Value Line -Value lines can be used to help students realize that there are no right and wrong values. The teacher defines to the students an issue on which there is likely to be a range of opinions. For example, students should be required to wear school uniforms. After some think time, each team member places his or her mark on a team value line indicating strong agreement, strong disagreement, or somewhere in between. Team members then discuss the basis for their value differences. Team members can then take a new stand to see if the team discussion has altered positions on the value line.