Working in Groups Print

A Lesson Plan from Life Planning Education: A Youth Development Program (Chapter One)

NOTE:  Life Planning Education (LPE) is currently being revised. The printed/for-sale version includes an older version of this lesson plan. Please make sure you have looked at the PDF of Life Planning Education before purchasing - that is the version that is available to buy.

Purpose: To learn and work cooperatively in small groups

Materials: Newsprint and markers; masking tape; pens/pencils

Time: 35-40 minutes

Planning Notes:

  • Create a colorful poster describing the following group roles for use in Step 4:
    Leader     – Takes responsibility for ensuring the group get its work done, helps group members work together, and encourages everyone to participate
    Recorder     – Writes down group members' ideas or answers
    Reporter     – Presents the group's ideas to the larger group
    Group Member     – Works with others to complete the assigned task; includes everyone in the group, even if she/ he also has another role.

  • Decide on the brainstorming topic you will assign.  For example, you might assign Problems and pressures facing adolescents today, or you may have another in mind.

  • Keep in mind that the purpose of this activity is to help participants learn how to work effectively in small groups.  Don’t let the topic sidetrack them.

Procedure:

  1. Say to participants that, since they have now met each other and begun to build a feeling of group, you want them to practice working on assignments in small groups.
  2. Ask the adolescents to name organized groups to which they belong.  Their answers could include, but are not limited to clubs, sports teams, religious community and/or its youth group, volunteer organizations, after-school groups, and extended family groups.
  3. Explain that it is important to be an effective member of the group and contribute to its work.  People often work in a group on assignments in school, on the job, and in community activities.
  4. Display your poster of roles within the groups. Review each role and answer any questions that arise.
  5. Explain how this activity will work:
    • When I ask you to, please form small groups of six (or some other number that will divide the large group into several equal-sized, small groups).
    • I will give each group the same assignment.
    • I will choose a leader, recorder, and reporter for each group.  Everyone will be a group member.
    • Each group will work on the assignment while I move around making sure all groups are doing okay.  If you have any problems, just raise your hand, and I will come over to help.
    • When all the groups are finished working, we'll discuss the results.
  6. We will count off by six (or other number you set) to divide into small groups.  Now please move into small groups, using the number you called out.
  7. Give the assignment:
    • Brainstorm the problems and pressures facing adolescents today (or another topic you chose).  Explain that brainstorming means:

      Let all of your ideas come rushing out, as if there was a storm in your brain.  Write down all the ideas.  Do not think about them or discuss whether or not they are good ideas.

      Once you have a list of 10 or more ideas, prioritize the problems and pressures by circling the four or five that people in the group agree are the most important.

  8. Remind everyone of the posted group roles. At this time, assign a leader, recorder, and reporter in each group. [Be careful not to rely on gender role stereotypes. For example, every ‘leader’ should not be male; every ‘recorder’ should not be female.] Say that everyone else is a member of the group for this activity, and everyone will have a chance to be leader, recorder, and reporter sometime during the program.
  9. Ask the groups to begin working, with leaders encouraging and organizing the brainstorming and recorders listing the ideas.
  10. Circulate among the groups to be sure each is working.  Give hints and suggestions as needed.
  11. After five minutes, ask each group to prioritize the ideas on its list.  Ask reporters to tape the prioritized lists on the wall.
  12. Ask each reporter to read the group's top five ideas to the larger group.
  13. Conclude the activity by using the discussion points below.

Discussion Points:

  1. How easy or difficult was this activity for you?  What was easy or difficult about it?  Why?
  2. How well did your group work together to decide on the five most important ideas?
  3. What helped your group to work well together?
  4. Did the leader help you get started?  How?  Did the leader get other group members to contribute?  How?  Did the leader make sure you finished on time?
  5. Which group role do you think is the hardest?  The easiest?  The most fun?  Why?


Life Planning Education, Advocates for Youth, Updated 2009