Introduction
Collaboration is a vital skill for students to develop, as it promotes teamwork, communication, and problem-solving. In this blog post, we will explore a no-prep activity that encourages middle school students to work together in a group setting, such as the scenario with Tyler, Kate, Serena, and Jake. We will also provide discussion questions and related skills to further enhance students’ understanding and application of collaborative skills.
No-Prep Activity: Founding Fathers Debate
In this activity, students will work in groups to debate the contributions of different founding fathers. This activity requires no preparation or materials from the educator, making it an easy and effective way to engage students in collaborative learning.
- Divide students into groups of four or five.
- Assign each group a founding father (e.g., George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, etc.).
- Give students 10-15 minutes to research and discuss their assigned founding father’s contributions and achievements.
- Have each group select a spokesperson to present their founding father’s accomplishments to the class.
- After all presentations, facilitate a class discussion on the importance of collaboration in achieving the founding fathers’ goals and how students can apply these principles in their own group work.
Discussion Questions
- Why is it important to collaborate and work together in a group setting?
- How did your group make decisions about who would research and present each aspect of your founding father’s accomplishments?
- What challenges did your group face while working together, and how did you overcome them?
- How can you apply the collaborative skills you practiced in this activity to other group projects or real-life situations?
- What other strategies can you use to improve collaboration and communication within a group?
Related Skills
Collaboration is just one aspect of social-emotional learning. Other relevant skills for middle school students to develop include:
- Active listening: Paying full attention to what others are saying and taking the time to understand their points.
- Conflict resolution: Addressing disagreements and finding solutions that work for everyone involved.
- Empathy: Understanding and sharing the feelings of others, which helps to build stronger connections.
- Respect: Treating others with kindness and valuing their opinions and perspectives.
Next Steps
Ready to explore more social-emotional learning resources? Sign up for free samples of the discussed skill and others at Everyday Speech. These materials will provide you with additional activities, videos, and strategies to help your middle school students develop essential social-emotional skills for success in and out of the classroom.
