Waterworks Team Challenge: What makes a strong team?

Waterworks challenge

1. (1) Students will be assigned to teams of three.

1. (2) Each team will be given the following table set up:
   1. 2 gallon jugs of water (taped to table), labeled A and B
   2. 2 large pie plates, 2 small pie plates (taped to table)
   3. Play money ($1,000)

1. (3) Explain: The jugs represent a water source, the pie plates represent the communities that need to receive water.

1. (4) The challenge works as follows:
   1. Use your money to purchase materials and work as an engineer to build an infrastructure to move water from the source (jug) to the communities (pie plates). You may not move the source or people.
   2. Materials are as follows:

i. Straws ($100 each)

ii. Masking tape ($50/6 in.)

iii. Skewer sticks ($30 each)

iv. Paper clips ($40 each)

v. Needle - for rental only ($50 per minute of use)

vi. Duct tape ($100/3 in)

vii. Fabric ($200/sq. in.)

1. 1. The government funding your project may decide to grant you additional funds if you apply and your project shows great need for funds. However, as funds take time to process, you will be subject to a 5 minute moratorium (you must stop all work during that time!) while you wait for the funds to process.

1. (6) Your goal is to get proportional amounts of water delivered to each community with as minimal waste of water as possible. Teams who successfully complete the challenge at the end of the work period will receive the title of “Master Engineer.”

AFTER 20-30 mins:

1. (7) Now that water infrastructures are in place and working, the communities surrounding source A have grown. Many people have begun to throw their garbage into the water and the water has become contaminated with pollutant. You now must rework your infrastructure in some way to reduce the amount of waste in the overall water so that all people can receive clean drinking supplies. [add 1 cup of dirt to each group’s source A].

ASSESSMENT:

1. (8) Measure each group’s water in a graduated cylinder, noting the amount of contamination. Award “Master Engineer” group.

JOURNAL REFLECTION:

a. How did your team work together? In what ways were you successful? In what ways could you have been more successful? How?

GROUP REFLECTION DISCUSSION:

1. What qualities make successful teamwork (or team members)?
2. What qualities hinder successful teamwork (or team members)?
3. If you had to do the activity again, what might you change about the way your team worked? What choices might you make differently?
4. What challenges did you face as a team?
5. What “roles” did you take on as a member of the team?
6. Did any one team member emerge as a clear leader? How could you tell?
7. Are “roles” important to hold in a team? Why or why not?

* Follow up with collaborative writing of STAR Program consitution *