Building the Dream Team

Can we talk about group projects for a second?
 
Most students can tell you exactly who they don't want to work with...but they've rarely stopped to think about why.
 
What actually makes a great teammate?
Is it the smartest person in the room? The funniest? The most organized? The natural leader? The creative thinker?
 
Build Your Team invites students to answer those questions using something they're already familiar with: fictional characters they know and love.
 
As students analyze characters from movies, TV shows, books, and video games, they'll discover that there isn't one "perfect" teammate. Successful teams are built through a balance of strengths, perspectives, communication, and collaboration.
 
Whether you're launching your first collaborative project of the year or simply looking for a meaningful way to talk about teamwork, this activity creates authentic conversations that students can carry into every future group project.
 
What's Included
Part 1: What YOU Bring to the Table
Students will reflect on their own strengths that they bring to a team project. Option to use the FREE online 16 personalities quiz, or simply reflect with own knowledge and previous experiences. 
 
Part 2: Build Your Team
With a limited budget, students "recruit" teammates whose greatest strengths complement their own. Each choice requires students to justify their thinking and consider what every person contributes to a successful team.
 
Part 3: Team Scouting Report
 
Students evaluate a variety of fictional teams, identifying what each group does well, where they may struggle, and how different combinations of personalities influence collaboration.
 
Part 4: Our Best Work Happens When...
Students transition from fictional teams to their own, reflecting on the kind of teammate they want to be while creating shared agreements for how they'll communicate, contribute, solve problems, and support one another throughout future group work.