Learning intentions
- Work in a team with clear roles
- Plan before acting and adjust when things change
- Reflect on how teamwork looks in a workplace
You will need
- For each team: 20 sheets of paper, a roll of tape and scissors
- A timer
- Role cards (on the worksheet)
Lesson steps
- 5 min
Brief
Teams of four get the challenge: build the tallest free-standing tower that can hold a book. Each person takes a role: planner, builder, timekeeper, checker.
- 5 min
Plan
Teams plan without touching the materials.
- 15 min
Build
Teams build. Halfway through, announce a change (for example, one less roll of tape) so teams have to adjust.
- 10 min
Test and celebrate
Test each tower with a book. Celebrate the best plan and the best recovery, not only the tallest tower.
- 15 min
Debrief
Discuss: how did your team decide? What happened when the rules changed? Where would you need these skills in a job you are interested in?
Adapting it
Allow students to choose roles that suit them. For a smaller space, build bridges between two desks instead of towers.
Going further
Students write a short reflection using the situation, what I did, what happened pattern for their resume.
Student worksheet
The team challenge
Name: Class:
My role and what it involved
Our plan
What changed and how we adjusted
One thing our team did well
One thing we would do differently
A job where this kind of teamwork matters
Role cards (cut along the dashed lines)
- Planner: leads the planning time and keeps the team to the plan, or changes it when the team agrees
- Builder: handles the materials and builds, and asks the team for help when needed
- Timekeeper: calls out the time left and keeps the team moving
- Checker: tests each stage for strength and height, and spots problems early