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Help Harry project: A STEM teamwork activity
Build a perch for Harry and watch students learn to collaborate!
The count down has begun for the end of the year. Are you looking for fun activities to keep your student engaged and learning? Help Harry Project is for you!
This activity is a free activity from The Teacher Studio.
Supplies
Harry is a puffball with googly eyes.
Pom-poms can be found at local craft stores or from Amazon: 300 1” pom-poms with stick-on googly eyes ($9)
Supply bags:
- 12 Pipe cleaners
- 12” of masking tape
- 2 muffin liners
- Piece of aluminum foil
- 2 index cards
Options: popsicle stick, paper clips, piece of yarn, small paper cup, etc.
Description
Your Task: Build a perch for Harry so he can more easily see around our classroom.
You can use any of the items in your supply bag – but no more. Your goal is to create a perch for Harry as high above your desktop as possible without putting Harry at risk!
Work as a team!
Teamwork
While the main goal is to build a perch for Harry, the secondary goal is to build teamwork skills. With teamwork in mind, create and share a Google Doc with the Teamwork Questions. Display the questions on the screen in the front of the room. Briefly discuss the questions (or topic of teamwork) so that students can be thinking about the teamwork questions before they dive into building Harry a perch. During the last three minutes of the activity, teams will answer the Teamwork Questions which will appear on the screen for everyone to see. If the ratings indicate areas that teamwork could be improved, discuss teamwork strategies without naming names!
Divide the group into teams and have each team decide on a team name.
Schedule
You will have 2 minutes to decide on a team name.
You will have 5 minutes to strategize as a group.
You will have 15 minutes to experiment and build the perch.
You will have 2 minutes to test the perch. (Pass out “Harries” and test the perch)
You will have 5 more minutes to make modifications.
You will have 3 minutes to evaluate your teamwork.
Teamwork questions
On a scale of 5 to 1 with 5 being the most successful and 1 being the least successful)
How much did everyone participate equally?
How successful was your perch?
Did people ask for help and offer help?
Did people encourage each other?
Did people stay focused and on task?
Did your team enjoy the activity?
By Diane Brauner
