Team work!

Today we learned what it truly means to work as a team! A concept that even adults can struggle with; these Kindergartners got a great awakening of what it means to work collaboratively. First, I explained that each table was a "company" and they were my "employees" and I was their "boss". They had to work together as a team to follow my instructions. I introduced the concept of sorting shapes as a whole group and then they got into their "companies" to sort the shapes as a group. I gave STRICT instructions that they MUST do a GROUP sort and not individually sort the shapes. After sorting by color, they had to sort by the number of sides each shape had. I saved the biggest challenge for last! After they proved that they could work together as a team, they had to have a meeting to discuss what kind of design they wanted to make as a "company". My only rule was that it had to be ONE design that the entire group participated in TOGETHER. We repeated the word "TOGETHER" about 5 times before we began this task. I was incredibly impressed with how well they worked collaboratively. Working collaboratively is such a critical skill for children to master, as they will use this tool for the rest of their lives in the "real world".

Their temptation was to sort in their own individual piles (not as a group).

Now, they got the hang of it! Team work!!!

Here, they sorted by the number of sides each shape had!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wow! Check out this robot!!!!!!

I adore this scene. They made a jack-o-lantern with a fence surrounding it, next to their house which also has a swimming pool! You can see how they really worked together!

Check this creative project out! They gave me an elaborate explanation of where the "lava" and stepping stones were. There was water and "cutting balls" (which were dangerous of course)! I love their imagination!