Practice perseverance | Try a New Strategy | 3-5

Instructions

Step 1: Choose and play a ‘Minute to Win It’ game

In order to create a personal connection to the idea of perseverance, you will challenge your students to play a ‘Minute to Win It’ game. These games present a challenge that one team member will try to complete within a one minute time limit. Choose 1 of these activities or other ‘Minute to Win It” games to play [you can find these games through an online search engine or on youtube]:

• Chocolate Unicorn : requires oreos or ding-dongs
• This Blows : requires 10-15 cups per team and one balloon per student
• Wet Ball : requires one spray bottle of water (or students can use their breath) and one balloon per team and a trash can
• Face the Cookie : requires oreos

Break the class into groups of 2-3 students. Have each student try to perform their tasks within the time limit.

Step 2: Reflect on their experiences

Have students reflect on their feelings and experiences during these activities.

How did you feel? What did you do? What happened when…your tower fell, your balloon fell, your cookie fell, etc? Did you give up? Is there something you would do differently if we did the activity again?

Step 3: Try the games again with a different strategy

Have the students talk with their partner or teammates about a new strategy they can try with these games to improve their changes. If they were able to make the goals within a minute, can they do it even faster this time?

Have the students perform the tasks again.

Step 4: Second reflection and connection

Have the students reflect on how things differed or remained the same within their 2 experiences. Discuss what made those changes. Did things go better the second time? Why or why not?

Connect these experiences to persevering  and problem solving. When trying to solve a math problem, performing science experiments, writing stories, or other academic endeavors there are always ways to improve. They may encounter problems that seem difficult or even impossible, but if you try a different strategy or change your plans you can possibly make improvements or succeed.

Step 5: Share

For students to share what they have learned about perseverance, trying new strategies and how they may transfer this understanding to their life, you could create a community discussion board like Flipgrid. Flipgrid requires a google, microsoft or “join code” for each student. You can also embed Flipgrid in most Learning Management Systems or download as a free app. You could create a topic asking students to share their understanding of perseverance and how they might use perseverance and trying new strategies in their life (whether it be in school or out). They can respond to your topic and their classmate’s responses creating a community discussion online.