Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Social Skills Curriculum Plan:Teamwork and Cooperation

No matter what we do in life we need to work with other people. Sometimes we lead, some times we follow and sometimes we just observe. Every human being works in groups during his life and it is important to understand the different roles one plays during a group effort. Teaching teamwork and cooperation to children during the early years gives them a powerful tool that will empower them for life and improve their social and emotional skills.

Lesson Plan, Curriculum & Activities (Ages: 3-5)

Day 1

Instructions:

1. At circle time, ask: What is Teamwork? Write what the children say on a large poster. Print this image in a piece of paper and show it to the class.



Source: http://www.abcteach.com/free/l/ls_teamwork1.pdf

2. How many ants carrying the stone? Why do you think there is 3?
3. Read the book – “Are you an ant?” by Judy Allen
4. Make predictions with the children as you read. “What do you think will happen next?”
5. After the story, ask: “How ants work together in a colony?” “Did all the ants have the same job in the colony?”
6. Say, “Today we are going to work in groups to complete several puzzles.”
7. Activity Puzzle Pieces: Choose a puzzle and work together in pairs or trios as a team to complete the puzzle.
8. Tell the children to write the names in a piece of paper and create a name for the group. One paper per group.
9. After the puzzles are completed. Read the names of each group and show the completed puzzles to the class before going to lunch.

Dramatic Play: The ant city. Children play different roles as ant members of a colony.

Day 2

Read the book “Listen to the Wind” by Greg Mortenson. Ask questions such as: How did the town worked together to build the school? Who had the idea to build the school? Did he build it alone?

Art/Mural Project : Decide on a theme with your children. Spread a large strip of paper on the floor or tape it to the wall. Work together as a team to create a piece of mutual artwork based on your chosen theme. Encourage children to share ideas.
Materials:
- 2 Large pieces of paper
- Crayons Markers or paint

Collage Activity: Create collages with different topics such as Animals of The World, People of the world or Children of the World.
Materials:
- Magazines (I like National Geograpic Magazines)
- Scissors
- Glue
- Large Poster size Paper.

Day 3

Read the book: Mr. Gumpy's Motor Car Story & Illustrations by John Burningham. Ask questions: How did they take the car out of the mud? How many friends were needed to take the car out of the mud?

Continue Art Mural Project

Scratch My Back: In this game, children play bears in Honey Hollow. These bears have an itch (represented by a piece of masking tape) right in the center of their backs. Have children try to remove the masking tape by themselves. Then, have them work with a partner to "scratch" the itch.
Materials: Masking tape

Day 4

Read the book: Building a House by Byron Barton. And ask questions as: How many persons are needed to build a house? Can one person build a house by himself? How do they work together to build the house?

Field Trip: Visit a construction site for a House. After the field trip ask them how the people were cooperating to build the house. Did they saw painters, builders, etc?

Blocks: Build a house: Working in pairs use the building blocks to create different houses. Emphasis on team building, and team work to put the blocks away at clean up. Take pictures of the houses and display them in the classroom.

Day 5

Read the book: Stone Soup by Jon J Muth and ask questions at circle time.

Math: Snack Party. Divide the class in 3 groups.
1) Create a sign for the Party: Encourage them to draw how many girls and how many boys will attend the party. Count during circle time.
Materials:
i. Large piece of paper
ii. Crayons, Markers and Paint

2) Setting the table: One Child can place the napkins and other can place the plates. Make them count the number of spots in order to have one for everybody.
Materials: Plates and Napkins

3) Create Fruit Snack Plates: Each child takes a fruit bowl and places the right number in each plate. (E.g. 5 grapes, 2 strawberries and 2 apple pieces).
Materials:
i. Make a sign with the numbers and a drawing for each fruit.
ii. Bowls
iii. Fruit

Play music during snack time. Before the party starts when everybody is sitting ask them: Did we use teamwork to prepare our snack party? Present each team and point out how the party was a success because everybody cooperated and work with their team mates.

Resources

Books:
Are you an ant? by Judy Allen (Author), Tudor Humphries (Author)
ISBN: 978-0753453650
Mr. Gumpy's Motor Car Story & Illustrations by John Burningham
ISBN: 978-0690007992
Stone Soup by Jon J Muth ISBN: 978-0439339094
Listen to the Wind Greg Mortenson (Author), Susan Roth (Illustrator)
ISBN: 978-0803730588
Building a House (Mulberry Books) by Byron Barton
ISBN: 978-0688093563

Other:
http://www.amazon.com/
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3159
http://pbskids.org/arthur/parentsteachers/activities/acts/team_efforts.html
http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001819.shtml

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