FIRST DAY
Beat the Clock

Submitted by: Jennifer Smith
From: West Valley City, Utah
Date Submitted: May 16, 2001

"Beat the Clock" is a team-building activity that is great for the first day of school and throughout the year. Each student receives at least one slip of paper with a silly instruction along with what the person before them does. For example, "After the teacher says 'go,' CLAP YOUR HANDS 3 times." Another student would receive a slip of paper that says, "After someone claps their hands 3 times, STAND UP AND DO TWO JUMPING JACKS." and so on. The instructions are not numbered to encourage students to pay attention to their classmates to determine when it is their turn to go. Each time you do this activity use a stop watch to time it. Be sure to record how long it takes somewhere where students can see. Then next time students participate in this activity their goal is to "beat the clock" or work together to decrease their time. This activity often provides opportunities to discuss what students can do to work together better as a team, such making encouraging!
comments, paying attention to their own responsibility, etc. (This idea was adapted from Nickie Elwood from Hyde Park, Utah)

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