University of Lethbridge

PSIII Professional Inquiry Project

My PIP project investigated the benefits of collaborative learning communities and teambuilding in a Grade 6 classroom to reinforce motivation and engagement in curriculum outcomes
through active games and activities. The Professional Inquiry Project is designed to encourage
student learning, to help to reinforce a positive learning environment as well as contribute to the
professional development of an intern teacher and their competency in meeting the KSAs. For
my PIP, I wanted to create a project that was meaningful for my students and combined both
curricular and extracurricular content. My primary subject focus during my internship was Social
Studies, which focused entirely on democracy. The students already had a firm grasp of the
meaning of democracy when I arrived in the classroom. Therefore, I used their prior knowledge
of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and principles of democracy and applied it to government
both at the local and provincial level. I wanted students to recognize not only the importance of
living in a democratic society, but also understand what it means to be a democratic citizen. It is
more than ensuring that everyone has a vote, it entrenches our whole society, right down to our
actions and behaviours at a community or individual level. I combined the curricular outcomes
of Social Studies with the principles of team-work and cooperation in group activities.
I sought to model the four principles of democracy: justice, equity, freedoms, and
representation through the development of Social Participation as a Democratic Practice. This
concept is taken directly from the Social Studies Program of Studies Skills and Processes
requirement for Social Studies. The outcomes I chose to focus on for my project include:
Students will:
6.S.5 - demonstrate skills of cooperation, conflict resolution and consensus building:

demonstrate the skills of compromise to reach group consensus

work collaboratively with others to achieve a common goal

record group brainstorming, planning and sharing of ideas by using technology

extend the scope of a project beyond classroom collaboration by using communication

technologies, such as the telephone and e-mail

6.S.6 - develop age-appropriate behaviour for social involvement as responsible citizens

contributing to their community, such as:

demonstrate commitment to the well-being of their community by drawing attention to

situations of injustice where action is needed

My PIP project often included activities that supported cross-curricular connections. As many of
my team-building games occurred during Advisor period, I ensured that students also met
outcomes from the Health and Life Choices curriculum.
Grade 6 Health and Life Choices
Students will:

W-6.1 evaluate the need for balance and variety in daily activities that promote personal
health; e.g., physical activity, relaxation, learning, sleep, reflection

R-6.2 establish personal guidelines for expressing feelings; e.g., recognize feelings,
choose appropriate time/place for expression, identify preferred ways of expressing
feelings, and accept ownership of feelings

R-6.7 apply a variety of strategies for resolving conflict; e.g., practise treating
differences of opinion as opportunities to explore alternatives

R-6.8 analyze the influence of groups, cliques and alliances on self and others; e.g., at
home, in school, in the community

R-6.9 make decisions cooperatively; e.g., apply a consensus-building process in group

decision making

To meet all of the above outcomes, students discovered that to be a citizen in a

democratic society, one must also be a responsible citizen. Combining the concepts of
democracy and citizenship allowed student to explore their role as environmental citizens, digital
citizens and responsible citizens to their school and community. One way that I chose to create
action and visualize these concepts was through active, team-building games that focused on
cooperation and teamwork. My project was completed during Social Studies, but also during
Advisor period, a time which is set aside to focus on team-building and nutrition. Student choice
in activities helped to create a democratic classroom environment.
PIP Timeline:

Advisor period was used initially to build team-building skills and allow students to
realize their unique strengths and skills while working with a variety of peers.

Students were asked to work in groups with different classmates

Students were asked to self-evaluate their greatest strength as a team member using
Howard Gardners theory of multiple intelligences.

During our unit on provincial government, students were organized into groups, or mock
provincial parties. Each party/team was balanced by including teammates with a variety
of skills and talents (creativity, athletic, writing, speaking)

Students researched the Alberta political parties and based on their research, created an
ideology for their group/party.

Students collaborated in their groups/parties for the rest of the unit and during Advisor
games and activities.

Each point students earned during an Advisor period activity was equivalent to one vote
for their political party.

At the end of each week, tally team points and announce the election leaders for that
week.

At the end of the unit, tally all points and allow the winning team to choose a movie and
snack for the final celebration. The winning team wins the election and will have special
seating for the movie, just as the Premier and his Cabinet Ministers have front row seats
in the Legislative Assembly.

I began my PIP project by introducing the concept of teamwork. Each week I planned
Minute-to-Win-It Activities in which students would compete in short brain wake up activities
with a variety of classmates. This allowed students the experience to determine who they worked
well with in a collaborative environment. Then, during my unit on Provincial Government I
explained to students that the whole unit would be infused with group-based activities similar to
the ones we had already completed. To set up a positive learning environment for my unit, I
looked into the work of Howard Gardner and his theory of Multiple Intelligences. I condensed
his theory into a lesson for my students and then asked each of my students to complete an online
survey, which assessed their strengths in accordance to Gardners intelligences. In addition to
surveying students strengths, I also asked them to engage in self-reflection and confidentially
disclose the names of students who they feel they work best with in group activities, and which
students they do not work well with. Using these two pieces of information, I divided each class
into groups of 4-5 students. These groups would be used for the entire unit. When revealing the
teams, I explained to the class that I took their survey results and their personal suggestions into
account while creating the groups to create well-balanced teams that display a wide array of
strengths.
Once students were grouped into teams, they were introduced to the concept of political
parties. I explained that each political party has a responsibility as a democratic citizen and this
also means to be a responsible citizen as a representative of our province. Students created team
names and began earning points in small team-building games. I structured my Social Studies
lessons with an activity either in the beginning as a lesson hook, or at the end as a concluding
activity. Each activity allowed students the opportunity to earn points for their team. Each point
earned was equivalent to one Alberta citizen vote. I found that the placement of these activities

within each lesson greatly motivated students to participate in the lessons and activities. At the
end of each week, the leading team would receive a small prize for their cooperation and teamwork during the week. I didnt expect the point race to be so close. Students consistently worked
hard each week to earn as many points as possible. As a result, the weekly leaders changed
allowing most students in the class to be rewarded for their hard-work.
My students were, for the most part extremely competitive and very active. Many of them
scored high on the bodily-kinaesthetic intelligence on their survey. They enjoyed interactive and
engaging activities which required movement and sound. This knowledge really helped me to
adapt my teaching strategies to include more active learning activities. My teacher mentor is a
firm believer in the benefits of physical activity in the classroom. With her guidance and ideas, I
was able to create a toolbox of activities that I used for teachers within the school. Many of these
activities are diverse and can be used both for DPA activities without curriculum links, or as a
way to integrate curricular and non-curricular activities within the classroom.
Below you will find a list of activities and games that can be played either in a classroom,
or in a large space such as a gymnasium.

All Together
Materials:
An even number of students
a classroom or open area such as a hallway
Description:
Ask the group to find a partner and pair up. The pairs sit on the ground with their
backs to each other. The partners then reach behind their backs to link arms with
each other. When the leader says, Go, the partners attempt to stand up without
separating. The teacher can specify that the partners can't talk to make the activity
harder.
This is an easy activity to help introduce the concept of teamwork and
collaboration to students. Try asking students to switch partners once they are
successful with their initial partner.
Estimated time: 5 minutes

Alphabet Actors
Materials:
Alphabet list or spelling/vocabulary list
Description:
Divide players into groups of three or four.
The leader then calls out a letter, and the groups must then form that letter using
their bodies.
The groups can decide if they want to build the letters standing or laying on the
group.
You can have the different groups spell out words as well. This game works well to
practice spelling words or vocabulary terms.
An individual variation of this game is called butt-spelling. Students practice
spelling words using their hips to form the letters. Students can race to complete
the word by working in rows to speed spell.
Estimated time: 5-15 minutes

FFEACH
Materials:
List of charade topics
Description:
FFEACH is a charades race and the categories are Fast Foods, Electrical
Appliances, and Cartoon Heroes. Teams compete against each other to complete a
predetermined list of items.
1. Divide the group into 2 or more teams.
2. Have the group spread out so that they can't overhear the next team's
answers.
3. Ask one member from each team to come to the you.
4. Whisper the first word into the ears of the volunteers, and release them to
their groups at the same time.
5. Once a member of the group guesses the word correctly, someone new runs
to the instructor for the next word. Advise the group when you are giving
instructions that no one can come up for a word twice until everyone has
gone up once. This helps ensure that everyone participates.
6. The team members must tell the instructor what word their team just
guessed, and the instructor tells the new volunteer the next word on the list.
7. The object of the game is to be the first team to complete the entire list.
Here is a sample list - you can change the list as you see fit, based on participant
age, interests, etc.
FFEACH LIST
1. Superman
2. Curly Fries
3. Spongebob Square Pants
4. Curling Iron
5. Remote Control
6. Pepperoni Pizza
7. Incredible Hulk
8. Dishwasher
9. Microwave
10. McNuggets

11. Fruit Juicer

12. Scooby Doo
13. Batman
14. Portable CD Player
15. Bacon Double Cheeseburger
16. Defribulator
17. Pappa Smurf
18. Blender
19. Wonder Woman
20. Onion Rings

Human Knot
Materials:
A large open area such as a gym or outdoor playing field.
Description
Have the group make a large circle. (This game also works well as a race between
several circles in larger groups.)
Have everyone put their left hand in the middle, and hold hands with someone in
the circle, not directly next to them. Repeat with the right hand, and be sure to hold
hands with a different person, who is not directly next to them.
Then the group must use teamwork to unravel themselves into a circle again
without coming disconnected.
Helpful Hint
To ensure that everyone is in the same circle, send a pulse. One person begins by
gently squeezing their right hand. The person who is squeezed gently squeezes
their opposite hand, which passes the pulse to the next person. Continue until the
first person has their second hand squeezed.
Estimated time: 10-15 minutes

Who Am I?
Materials:
Pre-made index cards with common nouns (or unit definitions/topics)
Tape
Description:
This activity requires students to use critical thinking skills in order to guess the
person or term that is taped to their back. Each student must get a card taped to his
or her back. The goal of the game is to guess the word on their back to win the
game. Students must check with the teacher to confirm their win.
Once all students have a card taped to their back, ask students to move around the
room, asking their peers to answer yes or no questions about their word. I found
that this activity worked well for Social Studies to review the different people/
representatives of provincial government (Premier, Speaker, MLA, etc). Students
could demonstrate their knowledge of the unit outcomes by asking questions based
on what they already know. This also is an important skill-building exercise in
deductive reasoning.
This activity takes longer for unfocused topics like common nouns (flower, horse,
school) than on a focused topic that reviews particular curricular outcomes.

Estimated time: 15-20 minutes

Search by Sound
Materials:
100 or more small objects such as pennies or macaroni
Description:
Before the players come into the room, the teacher scatters the objects about the room in
inconspicuous places. Use all of one object, such as toothpicks, macaroni or pennies.
Divide the group into even teams, with 5- 6 people per team. Give each team the name of
a different animal.
Each team chooses a captain. On GO, all teams begin to search the room for the
objects.
The special rule is this: only the captain of each team may touch and collect the objects.
Therefore, in order to attract the captain's attention, the team members must make the
sound of their team's animal.
The captains listen for their team's sound, and race to collect as many objects as possible.
The team whose leader collects the most number of objects at the end of a given time
limit is the winner.
VARIATIONS: Have several stashes of objects -e.g. 30- 40 toothpicks under a can, or
in a corner under a box. Team members will get VERY excited as
they try to attract their captain to collect the 'stash'.
Try blindfolding the captain. Using their ears, they must navigate the classroom towards
their animal sound. If using this variation, ensure that one group member silently
observes the blindfolded captain, steering them away from any obstacles and avoiding
collisions.
ADDITIONS: When the game is over, give each team five minutes to construct the figure
of their team's animal (eg. make the outline of a rooster, using the pieces of macaroni
collected by the rooster team).
Give each team 5 minutes to create a cheer or yell.
Estimated time: 15-20 minutes

Human Treasure Hunt

Materials:
Photocopied list of criteria or bingo sheet.
Description:
Create a list of 15-30 statements to distribute to your class.
Give the group a period of time to find people who meet different the criteria of
different statements on the list.
When participants find someone who meets the criteria, they ask that person to
sign their list.
At the end of the activity, read off the various statements and ask anyone who
meets the criteria to stand up.
A variation of this activity is to place all criteria in a bingo sheet. Students must
race to get a bingo line completed before the time is up.
This works well as an introductory activity for the beginning of the year or as a
new term begins.
A sample list is:
Has a blue toothbrush
Is an only child
Hates chocolate
Hasn't got all their second teeth
Is having a very happy day today
Can stand on her head and count to ten,
Knows his ABC backwards
Has two brothers
Has green eyes
Had a shower yesterday, etc.
Estimated time: 15 minutes

Hula Hoop Pass

Materials:
Hula Hoops
Large open area
Description:
Have the group form a circle holding hands. Ask two people to let go of their grip
long enough for them to place their hands through a hula hoop before rejoining
them.
The team task is to pass the hula hoop around the circle in a specified direction
until it returns to the starting point.
Another way to play is two use two hoops and have them go around the circle in
opposite directions. You can also use loops of rope (about hula hoop size).

Estimated time: 10 minutes

People Machine
Materials:
Dry erase markers and mini white boards
Description:
Divide group into even numbered teams (4-8 participants are ideal). Advise teams
to make themselves into a machine, with as many parts (gears, levers, etc.) as they
can devise. The machine should have motion and sound, and include all team
members.
Give the teams five minutes to prepare their machine. Once the time is up, the
teams take turns presenting and guessing each others machine. Variations of this
game can include a moving appliance or household furniture.
To compliment point-based competition, use mini-whiteboards and dry-erase
markers to score teams on a scale from 1-10 based on their teamwork skills and
their ability to create a moving people machine.

Estimated time: 15-20 minutes

Chimp Race
Materials:
Gym or large outdoor playing area
Description:
Organize students into two teams or small groups in the play area. Ask students to
line up single file along a line. The first person on each team is to bend over with
feet apart and grab their ankles. On go, they are to race down the course and
back without letting go of their ankles. Each person on the team repeats the relay.
The first team to have all players completed the relay and seated behind the
original start line is the winner.

Estimated time: 5 minutes

Dizzy Basketball
Materials:
Basketballs
basketball hoops
baseball bats
Description:
Divide up players into teams of small to medium groups. Give each team one
basketball and one baseball bat. One player at a time from each team will go to
their baseball bat, bend over, put their head on the end bat and circle it 5 times
while in this position (They should be very dizzy at this point). Then they will go
pick up their basketball, dribble down to the hoop and shoot a basket with the ball.
Once they have done this they return the ball to its position by the bat and tag the
next player on the team to do the same. The first team done completing this
rotation is the winner. For point-based competitions, keep track of the number of
baskets and award points to the first finishing team, but also points for every
successful basket.

Estimated time: 20 minutes

Fox Hunts Squirrel

Materials:
Large open area such as a field or a gym
Description:
This is a variation of tag that includes opportunities to discuss curricular outcomes
relating to habitat and eco systems. Divide the students in half, with one half being
trees and the other half being animals. Students designated as animals are either
squirrels or foxes. This creates the problem of not enough trees for all the squirrels.
Choose a few students to be it and tell them they are foxes. Their job is to catch
all of the loose squirrels running around. For a group of 65, have 36 kids be trees
giving you 18 trees, 25 squirrels and 4 foxes.
The trees go out into the play area first. Two people become a tree by standing face
to face and holding hands with arms raised over their heads. Once the trees are into
position you send out the squirrels to find a home. A squirrel must stand
underneath the raised arms to be in a tree. If a squirrel has no home he goes to
another squirrels home and taps them on the shoulder. That squirrel must leave his
home out the other side of the tree and find a new home. Give the squirrels a few
minutes of establishing a cycle of tree swapping. Once this has been done, send in
the foxes and they are to tag any loose squirrels. Those squirrels tagged are to sit
out of the game (or do an activity such as jumping jacks or push-ups to get back
in). After a few squirrels are tagged, start taking away one or two trees (Have
someone come in with a chain saw to remove the trees - they will notice that this is
changing the squirrels habitat.
This activity was used in the gym as a DPA activity for two classes of 33 students.
I found it easier to get one class to pair up as trees and demonstrate what a tree
looks like. Then, have the other class be the foxes and the squirrels. As the game
continues, the two classes can alternate roles.
Estimated time: 20-30 minutes

Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt

Materials:
Coloured, hollow, plastic Easter Eggs
Review questions written on strips of paper
Buckets or Easter baskets
Paper and pencils for each group
Textbooks or student notes
Description:
Students of all ages love scavenger hunts. I used an outdoor classroom or enclosed
area to hide coloured Easter eggs for students to collect. Students worked in groups
to find eggs of a particular colour. Once all eggs were collected, groups returned to
the classroom and opened the eggs to find review questions. Students had to work
together to answer all questions correctly to win the challenge. Small groups work
best for this activity to encourage all team members to participate.
I coordinated the colour of the egg with the review question. Therefore, each group
had to collect eggs of different colours to ensure they collected all of the review
questions.

Estimated time: 50 minutes

Name that Tune

Materials:
Paper and pencils for each group
Audio player such as youtube
Description:
Students work in small groups to listen and record the name and artist of a series of
10 songs. Students are encouraged to collaborate, but speak quietly as to not give
away answers to other groups.
Play the first 30 seconds of each song and give students one minute after the song
stops to record an answer. Use top hits music (I used Billboard Hot 100) and clean
lyrics from a source such as youtube.
Once all ten songs have played, ask groups to hand in sheets and correct the sheets.
Award points to the team with the most correct answers. I awarded a possible 2
points per song (1 point for the song and another for the artist).
Curriculum links to this activity can include songs with a particular literary theme
or genre (English Language Arts) or a particular topic or unit (political ballads for
Social Studies). For example, I used a variety of war songs including Jonny
Hortons, Battle of New Orleans and the Arrogant Worms, War of 1812 to
discuss the different perspectives of the War of 1812 in Grade 7 Social Studies.

Estimated time: 15-20 minutes

Musical Movement
Materials:
Soft ball such as a stress ball or koosh ball
Description:
Students will form a circle around the edge of the classroom or in an open space
such as a gymnasium. When the music starts, students take turns passing the koosh
ball around the circle. When the music stops, or a particular buzz word is sung,
students holding the ball must complete a pre-established activity. For DPA
activities, students can do jumping jacks or burpees, squats or star jumps. For
curriculum-based activities, try pausing the music. When the music stops, the
student left holding the ball must answer a review question related to the lesson
topics. This activity works great as a lesson hook to get students thinking about the
previous lessons concepts before the next lesson begins to check for
understanding. It can also be a fun formative assessment tool at the end of a lesson.

Estimated Time: 5 minutes

Bibliography

Below is a list of websites that I used to find team-building, cooperative games.

http://www.ultimatecampresource.com/site/camp-activities/team-buildinggames-and-initiatives.page-1.html
http://thefoodproject.org/games-pdf
https://www.health.ny.gov/prevention/nutrition/resources/games.htm
https://www.health.ny.gov/prevention/nutrition/resources/eat_well_play_har
d/general_nutrition.htm
http://www.funattic.com/game_classroom.htm
http://tunstalltimes.blogspot.ca/2012/05/our-last-day-in-pictures.html?
utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:
+TunstallsTeachingTidbits+%28Tunstall%27s+Teaching+Tidbits%29
http://club.chicacircle.com/minute-it-to-win-it-tween-challenge/