What does teamwork really look like? In this exercise, team members HAVE to work together to accomplish their goal of stacking a plastic cup pyramid without using their hands.
One rubber band for each team (more for if they break)
6 plastic cups for each team
Instructions
Explain that each group needs to build a pyramid with plastic cups (3 on the bottom, 2 in the middle, 1 on the top). Group members cannot touch the cups with their hands or any other part of their bodies, even if a cup falls over or on the floor.
Explain that member of the team will tie a length of string to a single rubber band - five team members, five lengths of string tied to one rubber band. They are to use this device to pick up the cups and place them on top of each other (by pulling the rubber band apart and then bringing it back together over the cups).
Since this is a competition, the group who finishes first earns three points, second, 2, third 1.
Remind students BEFORE THEY BEGIN, that support doesn't mean pretending someone on your team who is struggling is doing great, it means to encourage them to do better with compassion and kindness.
Notes
Debrief:
Was anyone frustrated at all during the activity? If so how was it handled?
What did you learn about yourself or others
Why was teamwork so important for this activity?
What is so hard about teamwork?
What are some skills needed to be good at teamwork?
How can we use what we learned through this experience when we are preparing to compete?