Date: February 15, 2000

Grade Level(s): 5

Subject(s):

• Interdisciplinary

Description: The purpose of this unit is to provide opportunities for 5th grade students to learn to work cooperatively and develop trust with classmates. These lessons are designed to help the students understand the importance of a positive self-concept, interpersonal relationships and problem-solving skills to the development of wellness.

Goals: Current research shows that children learn better when the environment is safe and caring both between teacher and student.
A student's ability to cooperate and trust teachers and peers greatly increases his ability to learn.

Objectives: Students will:

1. Realize the importance of communication in working with other students.
2. Realize the importance of working together for problem solving.
3. Recognize the importance of being tolerant of self and others.
4. Recognize the need for trust in the classroom.
5. Realize that people react differently in the same situations.
6. Develop skills for conflict resolution.

Materials:

• Big Foot
• Small balls
• Trust Vee

Lesson 1

Objectives:

The student will be able to:
1. Name each individual in the class
2. Stay alert and focus on the task
3. Pay attention to others
4. Explain how it feels to become more comfortable in the group

Procedure:

1. Circle the students on the floor story style. Explain the agenda for the class time.

2. Introduce the game of Chaos Toss

3. Play the game

The group and teacher stand in a circle facing each other. The teacher says a person's name and tosses a ball to that person. Each person tosses it to another until each person has received the ball once. The teacher is the last one to receive the ball. The group is told to pass the ball in this same sequence without dropping it. Then repeat the exercise, but after the first ball is tossed, the teacher adds another ball. The added balls must be passed in the same sequence as the first ball. The teacher can use as many balls as is the skill level of his students.

Reflection questions:

The teacher now would process the activity with the students by asking reflection questions. For example:

1. What were some skills you had to use in order to play this game?
2. When did the game get harder?
3. What did you have to do to stay focused?
4. How can you relate the skills you had to use to skills you need for working in a group at school?

Reflection questions:

1. What did you do first to problem solve?
2. What did the group have to do to be successful?
3. What role did you play in problem solving? Leader, follower, helper?

Equipment: several small balls or objects that are easily caught.

Resources: Mobile Team Challenge Training Booklet, Project Adventure, and Silver Bullets

Objectives:

The student will be able to:

1. Explain how a problem can have many solutions.
2. Discuss how to leave the restriction of the paradigm through creative and cooperative teamwork to exceed initial expectations.

Procedure:

1. Review previous activity by going around the circle and asking "What did you learn about yourself from the last activity we did in class"? Students may choose to pass if they do not have an answer or don't feel comfortable answering.

2. Introduce the game of Paradigm Shifter . Students continue in a circle facing each other. The teacher begins by transferring the ball to the first participant. The participants must continue to transfer the ball around the circle from person to person as many times as possible. No one can use the same technique or resource for receiving the ball (fingers, hand, foot, elbow, shoe, etc.) If the ball is dropped, start over. Everything is in bounds, so participants can use anything to receive the ball–they simply have to think. Group members can and are encouraged to help each other but cannot touch the ball for others. Continue as long as you feel is useful for your particular group.

Reflection question:

1. What did you think when I said "you may not use the same technique to pass the ball?
2. What did you realize after the ball had been around a few times?
3. What did we discover about problem solving?
4. What did we discover about ourselves?
5. How can we relate this game to problems we face in school?

Equipment: 1 ball and a classroom or gym

Resources: Mobile Team Challenge Booklet

Objectives:

The student will be able to:

1. Describe what it feels like to trust someone
2. Describe what skills one would need to support another person
3. Explain reasons why is difficult to trust

Procedure:

1. Review the previous lesson having each student say in one sentence what s/he discovered about problem solving.
Students have the option to pass if they cannot think of an answer or still do not feel comfortable enough to do so.

2. Introduce the activity of Willow in the Wind . Students will form circles of 8-10 people. One person will stand in the middle. With arms crossed in front, the person will begin to sway from person to person. The people in the circle will, with hands out stretched, support the person in the middle as they sway around the circle. If the person in the middle chooses, s/he may close his or her eyes as s/he sways. The people on the outside are encouraged to really stay focused on supporting the person in the middle. Each person should be given an opportunity to be in the middle.

Reflection questions:

1. What was the hardest part of this activity?
2. How did it feel to be in the middle?
3. How did it feel to be a supporter?

Reflection questions:

1. What was the hardest part about this activity?
2. What are the responsibilities of the supporter?
3. What are the responsibilities of the faller?

Duration: 45 minutes

Resources: Project Adventure Publication

Assessment: Pre-Survey and Post Survey

Useful Internet Resources:

*The following are additional lessons related to the unit:

All Aboard
http://www.pecentral.org/lessonideas/ViewLesson.asp?ID=667

Cooperative Hoops
http://www.pecentral.org/lessonideas/ViewLesson.asp?ID=669

Lesson 4

Objectives:

The student will be able to:

        1.  Explain how trust was necessary in this activity.
        2.  Experience and develop a deeper understanding of trust, empathetic listening, and integrity.

Description of Lesson/Activities

1.  Review the previous activity by a circle talk of questions.

2.  Introduce the Trust V activity by creating a story of adventure. Use the trust V as the last passage to safety.  Students pair up with like size and
height.  The problem is that the partners must, without falling off, travel down a V that becomes increasingly wider.  Students must learn to support each
other's weight as they traverse down the V to the end.  Several chances are given for each student to be successful.  Spotters should be all around the V
just to prevent an unexpected fall.  The class must understand that all in the group must make it.

3.  Reflection questions:
        1  What did you have to do to solve this problem?
        2  What was your role in solving the problem?
        3  How would you define trust now?
        4  How did you communicate with you partner?

Time: 45 minutes

Equipment: Trust Vee equipment *Mobile Team Challenge Kit*MTC Asso.LLC.

Lesson 5

Objectives:

The student will be able to:

1.  Work together with his group to reach the goal.
2.  Explain what it feels like when everyone does not work together.
3.  Relate how trust and cooperation go together for problem solving.

Description of Lesson/Activities:

1.  Review the lesson from the previous day by reminding the students of skills they needed to solve the problem.

2.  Introduce Big Foot .  Seven students at a time will try to move two boards with ropes attached for handles across the gym.
This activity is also called The Trolley from Project Adventure .  Each student starts with his foot on the right beam and his left foot on the left beam.
Each participant holds a rope in each hand for balance and to move the beam to a target location. The group must start over if any member of the team falls off.

3.  Reflection questions:

        1.  What did you think of this activity when you first saw it?
        2.  What do you think of it now?
        3.  What skills did you as a team have to use?
        4.  What have you learned during this unit about yourself and your classmates?

Time: 45 minutes

Equipment:  Mobile Team Challenge Big Foot

Resources:  Mobile Team Challenge MTC. Associates, LLC.
                    Project Adventure, Hamilton, MA

Internet Resources:

*The following are additional lessons related to the unit:

All Aboard
http://www.pecentral.org/lessonideas/ViewLesson.asp?ID=667