Norming Activites

During the Norming stage, team members begin to resolve their differences, appreciate colleagues' strengths, and respect authority. Activities in this stage help reinforce team cohesion and collaboration.

This or That

Runtime: 15+ minutes

Preptime: Minimal

Materials: None Needed

Description: Students are given a choice between two topics and are asked to select a preference. For instance, when given the options of mountains or beaches, students align themselves with their preference by standing on either the right side for mountains or the left side for beaches. They are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the names and fun facts with the people on their side.

Sample pairs:

Mountains or beaches
Ice cream or cookies
Chocolate or vanilla
Night or day
Goldfish or cheez its

Reason for Doing It: Helps students learn about each other's interests, and promotes communication and team bonding. Good to get people up and moving to find things they have in common with the others in the group. Low vulnerability and doesn't put people on the spot.

Build a Baby

Runtime: 10 minutes

Preptime: 5-10 minutes

Materials: Any materials of your choice (cardboard, plastic, etc)

Description: Students split up into groups of 3-4 to use a list of materials to 'build a baby or an item of your choice'.

Reason for Doing It: Allows students to use their creativity and design skills to construct an innovative structure. Builds bonds between students as they have to work in agreement on what is added to the baby, and allows them to find things in common with each other. Each baby is different showcasing the different personalities of the students involved.

Modifications: Restriction of limbs, time limit, limit materials, specific features (give each team a special feature that they must include in their baby).

Golf Ball Gateway

Runtime: 15 minutes

Preptime: 10 minutes

Materials: Golf balls, materials around you

Description: Using materials around, try to build a freestanding or suspension bridge between two tables that can hold multiple golf balls done in teams and whichever team holds the most golf balls wins.

Reason for Doing It: This helps with teamwork because they have to efficiently communicate. Additionally this also creativity because they have to use random things.

Modifications: Change golf balls to something heavier or lighter. Simulate weather conditions by using a blowdryer, or by shaking the table.

Rolling a Ball to a Line

Runtime: 15 minutes

Preptime: 5 minutes

Materials: Materials of your choice (Suggestions: Cardboard, hot wheel tracks, plastic cups), tennis ball/golf ball/etc, tape.

Description: Students form groups of 3-4 and are given the task of rolling a ball to not extend a certain line. They can build their own contraptions and use other materials to cause the ball to roll.

Reason for Doing It: Helps students use problem-solving skills and building techniques. Helps prepare them for critical thinking as they have to quickly adapt and think outside of the box to achieve their goal.

Modifications: Increase distance of the line, limit/add materials.

Robot Person

Runtime: 15 minutes

Preptime: None

Materials: None needed

Description: Two people are partnered up, and one person is tasked to give directions to the other person. These directions will help the other person move across the room in a specific pattern. An example of instructions is "Move forward three steps, turn right, move forward four steps".

Reason for Doing It: It allows for students to improve communication and collaborating to complete tasks, but can also help students increase their confidence in leading.

This or That

Build a Baby

Golf Ball Gateway

Rolling a Ball to a Line

Robot Person

Norming Activites

This or That

Runtime: 15+ minutes

Preptime: Minimal

Materials: None Needed

Reason for Doing It: Helps students learn about each other's interests, and promotes communication and team bonding. Good to get people up and moving to find things they have in common with the others in the group. Low vulnerability and doesn't put people on the spot.​

Build a Baby

Runtime: 10 minutes

Preptime: 5-10 minutes

Materials: Any materials of your choice (cardboard, plastic, etc)

Description: Students split up into groups of 3-4 to use a list of materials to 'build a baby or an item of your choice'.​

Modifications: Restriction of limbs, time limit, limit materials, specific features (give each team a special feature that they must include in their baby).

Golf Ball Gateway

Runtime: 15 minutes

Preptime: 10 minutes

Materials: Golf balls, materials around you

Description: Using materials around, try to build a freestanding or suspension bridge between two tables that can hold multiple golf balls done in teams and whichever team holds the most golf balls wins.​

Reason for Doing It: This helps with teamwork because they have to efficiently communicate. Additionally this also creativity because they have to use random things.​

Modifications: Change golf balls to something heavier or lighter. Simulate weather conditions by using a blowdryer, or by shaking the table.

Rolling a Ball to a Line

Runtime: 15 minutes

Preptime: 5 minutes

Materials: Materials of your choice (Suggestions: Cardboard, hot wheel tracks, plastic cups), tennis ball/golf ball/etc, tape.

Description: Students form groups of 3-4 and are given the task of rolling a ball to not extend a certain line. They can build their own contraptions and use other materials to cause the ball to roll.​

Reason for Doing It: Helps students use problem-solving skills and building techniques. Helps prepare them for critical thinking as they have to quickly adapt and think outside of the box to achieve their goal.​

Modifications: Increase distance of the line, limit/add materials.​

Robot Person

Runtime: 15 minutes

Preptime: None

Materials: None needed

Description: Two people are partnered up, and one person is tasked to give directions to the other person. These directions will help the other person move across the room in a specific pattern. An example of instructions is "Move forward three steps, turn right, move forward four steps".​

Reason for Doing It: It allows for students to improve communication and collaborating to complete tasks, but can also help students increase their confidence in leading.​

Reason for Doing It: Helps students learn about each other's interests, and promotes communication and team bonding. Good to get people up and moving to find things they have in common with the others in the group. Low vulnerability and doesn't put people on the spot.

Description: Students split up into groups of 3-4 to use a list of materials to 'build a baby or an item of your choice'.

Description: Using materials around, try to build a freestanding or suspension bridge between two tables that can hold multiple golf balls done in teams and whichever team holds the most golf balls wins.

Reason for Doing It: This helps with teamwork because they have to efficiently communicate. Additionally this also creativity because they have to use random things.

Description: Students form groups of 3-4 and are given the task of rolling a ball to not extend a certain line. They can build their own contraptions and use other materials to cause the ball to roll.

Reason for Doing It: Helps students use problem-solving skills and building techniques. Helps prepare them for critical thinking as they have to quickly adapt and think outside of the box to achieve their goal.

Modifications: Increase distance of the line, limit/add materials.

Description: Two people are partnered up, and one person is tasked to give directions to the other person. These directions will help the other person move across the room in a specific pattern. An example of instructions is "Move forward three steps, turn right, move forward four steps".

Reason for Doing It: It allows for students to improve communication and collaborating to complete tasks, but can also help students increase their confidence in leading.