Short description of activity: Group works together to build a tower of cups

Type of activity: Team Building

Minimum Time Needed for Activity: 20 Min

Grade Level: 3rd and up

Subject Area: none

Materials:         

For each group of 4-6 people:

• 6 or 10 plastic drink cups 
• one sturdy rubber band with 4 to 6 strings tied to it (or use girth hitch to create additional strings)

Set up:

1. Divide class into groups of 4-6 people.
2. Give each a prepared rubber band and 6 or 10 cups.
3. Cups should be separated and placed in front of the group.

Play:

1. Each person holds one or more strings. Teams will work together to flex the rubber band to pick up and stack cups into a tower/pyramid. 
   • The cups must be moved with the rubber band only- people cannot use any body part or other object to move a cup or stop it from moving.

Variations:

• Have the cups laying down at the beginning of the activity so they have to be stood up to grab.
• Write letters on the cups and have teams spell words
• Write numbers and mathematical functions on the cups and have teams create/solve problems or write equations
• Have teams disassemble towers and reassemble in another location.
• Have the cups assembled in another formation (pyramid with a square base, or a circular base)
• Use objects other than cups