Teamwork Start

Overview

Great leaders know they don't have to do everything alone. They use communication, active listening, problem-solving, confidence, and encouragement to help their entire team succeed.

Essential Question: What makes a team successful?

Class Recap for Parents: This week in Rising Leaders, we kicked off Unit 2: Lead Others by learning that great leadership starts with great teamwork! Students reviewed leadership skills including active listening, communication, confidence, growth mindset, problem-solving, respect, and encouragement. They completed the Marshmallow Tower Challenge, using creativity, cooperation, and perseverance. They reflected on teamwork and identified ways to become stronger teammates. Prompt parents to ask their child about the leadership skill that helped their team the most and what they would do differently next time.

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Learning intentions

• Define teamwork and explain its importance.
• Work cooperatively to complete a team challenge.
• Apply leadership skills learned previously.
• Reflect on how teamwork affects success.
• Identify ways to be stronger teammates.

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Success criteria

• Listen to teammates.
• Communicate respectfully.
• Encourage others.
• Solve problems with the team.
• Reflect on teamwork.

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Curriculum links

• Students engage in collaborative discussions and follow agreed-upon routines for group work.
• Students write brief reflections using evidence from an activity (what happened and why it mattered).
• Students demonstrate problem-solving by working with others to reach a shared goal.
• Students build speaking and listening skills through turn-taking, clarifying questions, and summarizing ideas.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 5 min – Welcome & teamwork focus

• Briefly introduce the goal: “We will practice teamwork using games, then reflect on how we worked together.”
• Review 2–3 team norms (listen, take turns, include everyone).

2. 8 min – Icebreaker: “Team Name and Movement”

• Students stand in a circle and take turns saying their team name along with a unique movement or gesture.
• The rest of the team repeats the name and movement together, promoting listening and group coordination.

3. 10 min – Strategy talk: “What helped?”

• In pairs, students discuss one moment when their team improved (example: someone clarified a rule, a quieter student was included, or a new plan was tried).
• Whole class shares 2–3 ideas; teacher records key phrases for use later (listen first, assign roles, try a plan, check together).

4. 12 min – Cooperative challenge: “Paper Tower Roles”

• Give each team paper, tape (and optional straws), and a 2-minute build window for two rounds.
• Assign rotating roles for Round 1: Builder, Materials Manager, Speaker/Checker. In Round 2, rotate roles so students experience new responsibilities.
• Success is not only height; it includes staying cooperative, using shared plans, and adjusting after feedback.

5. 8 min – Reflection quickwrite

• Students complete a short written response on a provided prompt: “Our team worked best when ___ happened. We will improve by ___.”
• Teacher reminds students to use details from the activity (what the team did) rather than vague statements.

6. 10 min – Trust-building mini-game: “Trust Signals”

• In teams, students practice a simple, safe trust routine: one partner reads a set of instructions aloud while the other follows them; then switch.
• Emphasize clarity: “Say it so your teammate can do it the first time.” Teacher checks for respectful listening and turn-taking.

7. 7 min – Team share-out & exit ticket

• Each team shares one teamwork strategy they will use during the next activity in the unit.
• Exit ticket: “One communication strategy I used today was ___.” Collect for quick feedback.

Resources

• Timer and visible agenda on board
• Team norm poster (listen, take turns, include everyone, stay safe)
• “Team Name and Movement” instruction card
• Paper, tape, optional straws per team (pre-assembled materials packets)
• Role cards (Builder, Materials Manager, Speaker/Checker)
• Team reflection prompt slips or paper notebooks
• Exit ticket slips
• Clipboard for teacher observation notes

Assessment

• Teacher observation checklist for teamwork behaviors during each activity (listening, turn-taking, role participation, respectful communication).
• Short written reflection for evidence of understanding (specific “what happened” + “how we improve”).
• Exit ticket to gauge individual communication strategy use and readiness for future teamwork lessons.

Differentiation

• Support: Provide sentence starters for discussion and writing (for example, “What helped our team was…,” “Next time, we will…,” “A teammate’s idea I used was…”).
• Support: Assign roles intentionally so all students have meaningful participation; allow students to rotate roles with teacher guidance.
• EAL/SEN: Use visuals for roles and norms; allow drawing or short phrases for reflection if needed, then pair with an oral explanation.
• Extension: Challenge fast-finish teams to create and test a “team plan” (a 3-step process) before the second round, then justify whether it improved results.