Bombs Away

I have LOVED this week. It has flown by. I can't think of a better way to start back after an eventful break. My students are currently learning about group communication. Instead of going through the textbook, they were randomly assigned to groups, had to come up with a team name and leader, and together are participating in a series of games- 11 games to be exact. They have LOVED it and it really has forced them to work together and communicate. Way more effective than book work! Here are some of the games we have played or will be playing:

Human Knot (everyone links hands and try to untangle. fastest team gets the win!)
Block Game (2 versions, team that can stack the most blocks on top of each other with out it falling, and then rotating teams who put blocks on top of one another. Team who puts the block on it that knocks it down loses.)
Extreme Pictionary (they get a card with a word on it and either have to draw it blind, make it out of play dough, or race from the back of the room to the front of the room and draw on board, depending on which round they are in. This was FUN and INTENSE!)
Not Your Mom's Charades (student gets a card with a word on it and has to use the arms & legs of another student to act it out, only the helper student doesn't know the words. They can't talk and have to get their team to guess correctly. Other rounds include acting out a word by yourself but unable to move your arms, or your feet.)
Flip It! (team is giving a twin size sheet that has been cut in half. their whole team has to stand on it and together they have to flip the sheet over to the other side with out anyone stepping off. If even a shoelace is off the sheet they have to start over. Fastest time wins)
Protect the Egg (I can't wait to do this one next week! Each team is given straws, Popsicle sticks, masking tape, news paper, and a raw egg. They have to make a structure to put the egg in that is both creative and strong. We will then take them outside and I will be ten feet above the ground and will drop their egg in the structure to the ground. If your egg doesn't break, you win. There will be additional points given for creativity.)
Hum that tune (students will draw a card and have to hum the tune to their teammates to guess)
Pin Drop (students have a chop stick that they have to hold at shoulder height, arm straight and drop into a water bottle on the ground)
Balloon Race (two students put a balloon between their heads and have to race from one end of the class to the other and back with out touching each other, with out dropping the balloon. only your head can touch the balloon)

This next week will be my last week with my Fall Semester students. It's bitter sweet. I have truly enjoyed them this year, but I look forward to a fresh new group. God is good- I love my job!