To start the school year out, Ms. Fisher’s 3rd grade classroom turned into a hub for improving problem-solving and communication skills as students worked on team-building activities.
One favorite challenge was Saving Sam – where the task was simple, but the execution was tricky! Each group had to use only paper clips to rescue Sam the gummy worm and get him back into his boat. Sam was even wearing a life jacket made out of a Life Saver! As part of the activity, students collaborated to come up with ideas on how to use the paper clips as their main tool, working together to get Sam safely back on board.
Another hit was the Cup Stacking Challenge, which required teams to use strings attached to a rubber band to lift and stack plastic cups into various formations. Students had to communicate with each other to carefully coordinate their movements and make sure the cups didn’t topple over.
The goal of these activities is for students to build collaboration, communication, and perseverance. All are skills that will carry into every part of daily classroom activities and interactions. Ms. Fisher concluded that “It’s been wonderful to watch students encourage one another, try out different strategies, and celebrate their successes together as a team!”
