Year-end cooperative games: lively activities that put kids' communication skills to the test - The Caring Classroom

Instructor, May-June, 1995 by William J. Kreidler

It's May. Your class has worked all year to create a classroom environment that focuses on cooperation and communication. Now give students a chance to see just how far they've come by presenting them with these action-packed challenges that draw on their skills in working together. (Next year, try these activities in September and then repeat them throughout the year to give students a sense of how their skills are growing.)

SILENT COUNTDOWN

Divide your class into groups of ten (or a smaller number) and challenge each group to count to that number any way they like, following these rules: 1.) All students must keep their eyes closed; 2.) No two kids may speak at the same time; 3.) No one may speak except to say a number; 4.) If two people talk at the same time, the group must start over. Have children start when you say "go," and plan on 15 minutes for groups to complete the task. (Usually you'll find that each child takes ownership of a number and kids physically organize themselves in order.)

As an encore, make the activity more challenging by having the whole class form one numbered group. Afterward, discuss the skills involved in this activity by asking: What did you do well as a group? What could you do better if you did the activity again? Pose the same questions after completing each of the following activities, too.

THE LINE FORMS HERE

This quick and quiet cooperative activity provides a change of pace when the class is making the transition from one activity to another. Try it in the gym, hallway, or other space where the entire class can form a line.

Explain to students: Without talking form a line according to height, from the shortest to the tallest person. Once kids have mastered this challenge, repeat the activity, having them form a line according to birthdays or other criteria. (Believe it or not, kids will figure out a way to communicate and successfully complete these tasks!)

WOBBALLOONYS DON'T FALL DOWN

Have each group of five students make a wobballoony by putting a marble inside a balloon, blowing up the balloon, and tying off the opening. Then explain to groups: The object of this game is to toss your wobballoony in the air and keep it from touching the ground for as long as you can. Emphasize that the idea is not to compete with other groups, because after the first round, groups will need to cooperate with one another. To make the activity progressively more challenging in subsequent rounds, try:

* combining the original groups into groups of 10 to 12;

* requiring each member of the group to touch the wobballoony at least once before it falls;

* stipulating that no member can touch the wobballoony more than once; and

* creating one large group in which everyone must touch the wobballoony only once.

THREE-LETTER WORDS

For this group spelling game make the following alphabet cards: 3 A's; 2 D's; 3 E's; 3 I's; 2 I's; 2 M's; 2 N's; 3 O's; 2 P's; 2 it's; 2 S's; 2 T's; 2 U's; one of everything else. Throw in a few wild cards to add to the fun.

Depending on the number of children in your class, randomly divide the alphabet cards so that each child gets at least one, but preferably two or three. Then explain the challenge: When you give the signal, students have 45 seconds to form a three-letter word with the help of the cards of one or two other group members. Once kids form a word, have them sit and watch the rest of the class. Emphasize that the goal is not to be the first to form a word, but rather to make sure everyone in the class gets to be part of a word. Once everyone helps form a word and is sitting down, the class wins. When kids have gotten the knack of the game, add to the challenge by asking kids to create four-letter words (you may want to caution them about inappropriate words ahead of time), five-letter words, and six-letter words.

INSIDERS ONLY

For this activity, you'll need a large, open space such as a gym or playground and a length of rope from 10 to 24 feet for each student. Give children one piece of rope each and have them tie it to make a circle. (You will need to help younger children with this.) Then ask children to spread their rope circles out and stand in them. Explain that these circles represent stars; when you say "go," kids will travel in space by carefully moving to a new star. Be sure you say that no one is allowed to float freely in space, so everyone's feet must be completely inside a star. As children move, remove one of the stars and let kids figure out that they need to share star space. Play a second round, again removing another star. Continue to play more rounds, removing stars until there is only one left. (Be sure it's one of the biggest circles.) At this point you may need to prompt children to figure out how everyone may fit by saying, "I notice you're all standing. What would happen if you sat?" The more you play this game, the more creative students' solutions become!