Any Good Group Work Activity Suggestions?

  • 2 replies
  • 1470 views
*

Ivyman

  • *
  • 412
Any Good Group Work Activity Suggestions?
« on: March 18, 2021, 03:42:57 PM »
Hi Everyone,

My students seem so bored with work requiring textbook, multimedia, etc.

From time to time, I have experimented with group activities.  These include Lego's, puzzles, etc.

Can any recommend teaching methods or researched terms that get students standing (rather than sitting), working in groups, having fun, etc.?

I know others do team building activities, etc.

*

Escaped Lunatic

  • *****
  • 10845
  • Finding new ways to conquer the world
    • EscapedLunatic.com
Re: Any Good Group Work Activity Suggestions?
« Reply #1 on: March 19, 2021, 03:51:16 PM »
Ever try the "build a tower" exercise?

Break the class into teams (4-6 people per team).  Give each team 10 sheets of printer paper, a paperclip, and a small roll of Scotch tape (or local equivalent).

Using ONLY those materials (and only communicating in English), build the tallest tower possible.  Set a time limited in the range of 10-20 minutes.

Naturally, carefully inspect the tallest ones for "extra" materials.  If you want to reduce the chances of extra paper being introduced, see if there's any colored paper available instead of issuing generic white paper.
I'm pro-cloning and we vote!               Why isn't this card colored green?
EscapedLunatic.com

*

old34

  • *
  • 2509
Re: Any Good Group Work Activity Suggestions?
« Reply #2 on: March 24, 2021, 04:41:08 PM »
Similar to The Marshmallow Challenge using uncooked spaghetti instead of paper and each tower has to be topped by a marshmallow. A lot more fun. Spaghetti is easy to find these days in China but marshmallows are a little more difficult. If you have a local 7-11, they usually carry them.


Google Spaghetti Challenge. There's a lot of stuff on the web about it including a PDF handout you can use for pre-teaching and an interesting Ted Talk for debriefing.


Enjoy
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad. - B. O'Driscoll.
TIC is knowing that, in China, your fruit salad WILL come with cherry tomatoes AND all slathered in mayo. - old34.