When teaching Team Building in Physical Education lessons, it is helpful to have a range of activities, questions, and character traits you wish to emphasize with your classes. Team Building lessons are a great way to start the school year, and should be revisited occasionally throughout the year to help reiterate the importance of demonstrating good moral character in sport and life. For more detail on how to teach Character Education in PE check out our article which also includes some further reading recommendations.
Below is a free Team Building activities and table of fundamental moral values taken from our ‘Team Building Activities’ pack that you can use in your lessons.
Description: In teams, pupils must work together by using two mats to get all players across from one side to the other without touching the ground (river). However, three of your players must wear a mask (chicken, fox, grain) whilst the others are boatmen. The boatmen’s job is to get the chicken, the fox and the grain all across to the other side. However, only two items can be in the boat at a time, and certain items can’t be left together! Whether in the boat or on the shore the chicken cannot be left with the grain (as the chicken will eat it), and the fox cannot be left with the chicken (foxes eat chickens). Therefore, teams must take several trips back and forth to solve the problem – all without touching the floor (river). When the chicken, the fox and the grain are all transported safely to other side the game is over. First team wins OR the team that completes it in the fewest number of trips. For free printable masks of a chicken, grain and fox download our free sample pack or full pack.
Teaching Points
- Fox and grain together first
- Leave grain, bring fox back
- Leave fox, take chicken across
- Leave chicken, bring back grain
- Bring back both grain and fox
Questions
- What is the solution to the problem?
- What is the fewest amount of journeys across the river can this be completed in?
Team Building lessons are the opportune time to emphasize and teach desirable character traits. Below is a guideline which provides nine fundamental moral values that you can build upon and adapt. To learn more about incorporating Character Education into lessons check out our article.
Team Building Pack
Would you like more Team Building activities? If so, then this pack is for you! It has been developed by highly-qualified and experienced PE teachers for specialists and non-specialists alike who want to deliver fun, engaging Team Building lessons where students can make exceptional progress.
In the Full Team Building Pack by the PE Project you will find:
- Lots of Team Building activities
- Skill Cards
- Assessment Criteria for Elementary, Middle-School, and High-School
- Plus lots of additional extras like questions, teaching recommendations, differentiation strategies.
