Number match
Can you work as a group to match these numbers?
Problem
This activity is designed to be tackled in teams of four or five, but can also be completed individually. For more information on how this can be done in teams, take a look at the teachers' resources.
Have a look at these printable cards. How could they be matched together?
Can you explain your ideas?
Student Solutions
We had one very honest and interesting comment from Rio at St. Helen's School. This is what was sent in:
It was hard when I was trying to get the same number as someone else. In the end I gave the number up. Sometimes I was given a card I didn't need so I gave it away to someone who needed it more. It was hard being silent as I knew which card people needed to give away to others and I couldn't say anything.
Thank you so much for those very thoughtful comments. It can be frustrating when you think someone should give a particular card to someone else and you can't say anything!
Teachers' Resources
Why do this problem?
This team-building task is designed to develop learners' team-working skills.
This task depends upon members of the group noticing the needs of others and responding. It requires learners to:
- respond to the needs of others
- consider the needs of the whole group
- help others to do things for themselves.
Possible approach
This activity can be done in a very structured way in groups of four (or five, including an observer). The cards can be handed out randomly - four cards to each group member - and the group can work together in silence, with learners handing one of their cards to another learner based on their observations of each other's needs. An observer can make sure the team obeys the rules, as well as making a note of times that members of the team responded to the needs of others.
As teams finish, ask them to discuss what they have learnt about working together. Use observers to feed into the discussions. Then spend some time discussing as a class how they might work more effectively in future.
Key questions
- Can you give any good examples of when someone noticed what you needed and tried to help?
Possible extension
Other skill-building tasks can be found by going to this article.
Possible support
Other skill-building tasks can be found by going to this article.