Fun with Character: Together We Are Stronger
You will need enough toothpicks to have at least two per person in the group. You will also need a small rubber band large enough to hold several toothpicks in a bunch.
Pass out the toothpicks to each person. Ask them to break one toothpick. Each person should be able to break it easily. For younger children, you may need to help them. Now have each person hand you one (or two if your group is small). Using the rubber band, bundle them into a single group. Ask everyone if they think they can break this bunch now. The answer will be no. When a group works together, they are stronger.
To process the activity, ask these or similar questions:
Was it fun to break a toothpick?
Did it make you feel strong?
What did you think when we bound them together? Did you think you would be asked to break it again?
What ‘binds’ you to your classmates? (being in the same room, learning together, helping each other, being nice to each other)
What do you think the phrase “strength in numbers” means?
What are some examples of working together or cooperating in the classroom? The hallway? The cafeteria? The bus?
Will you remember the bundled toothpicks when you need to work together?