Cooperation

Materials 

• "The Fighting Mynahs"

Objectives 

• Explore cooperation as a basic life skill that helps us work successfully in groups and interact harmoniously with others.


• Examine the benefits of being cooperative.


• Explore how cooperative people behave toward each other.


• Contribute to class discussion.


• Use reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret literary text.

Ask questions to set the stage.
Do you like working together with other people? What does the word "cooperate" mean? Can you name some things you do at school that require cooperation or teamwork? At home?

Read "The Fighting Mynahs."
After reading and discussing the story, encourage students to compare the actions of the sparrow and mynah birds. Point out that one group of birds cooperated and worked together and one group did not.

Discuss the outcome of their actions. Ask the students how they would feel if they were a mynah bird, a sparrow.

Use small groups.
Break the students into small groups and ask the groups to come up with a new version of the story in which the mynahs cooperate and share. Select volunteers to act out the story. Have each group act out their new version of the story and discuss the changes and how the changes affect the birds' future.

Close with further discussion.
What were the causes of conflict between the mynah birds?
What do you lose when you fight and argue?
What do you gain when you cooperate?
What causes you to argue?
What one change could you make to be more cooperative at school? At home?

Extension Activity
Give students opportunities to explore cooperation and teamwork through various experiential games. Challenge groups of students to hold a small cloth or bandana taut and balance a marble size ball on top of an empty can placed on the cloth. See if all teams can travel across the room without letting the ball roll off.

Resources for experiential games
www.teamworkandteamplay.com
www.teachmeteamwork.com

Standards

Research
Standard 4. Gathers and uses information for research purposes

Civics
Standard 10. Understands the roles of voluntarism and organized groups in American social and political life 

Life Skills 
Working With Others