The Power of Cooperation
(Ideas Given for a 5th/6th Grade Assembly. Should Work Equally With Teens.)

Purpose: To motivate students to pursue cooperation in their relationships and activities. 

1 - Opening Activity

Before telling what the trait is, announce that you want to have a contest
up on the stage. You need about 10 volunteers (none with dresses). Now ask them all to sit on the ground with their knees bent up. Without touching
their hands to the ground or lifting up their feet, ask them to try to
stand up. (Don't tell them that they can work together, but neither tell them
that they can't.)

Although you never said that they couldn't cooperate, we're all so
individualistic that most if not all will probably flounder around trying
on their own. (I did it last week with a group of Seniors in high school. The
jocks tried and quickly said, "It's impossible." A minute later, a set of
twin girls faced each other feet to feet, joined hands, and pulled each other up! Jocks said, "That's unfair! They're twins!)

If nobody figures it out after a couple of minutes, ask them to keep trying, but to try to cooperate with another person. If they still can't get it, instruct them to sit back to back and push out with their legs, thus pushing each
other up.

Say, "Although I never said you had to do it on your own, most of us assume that life's an individual competition, and we lose out. Cooperation with others helps us accomplish things we never could on our own. 

2. - Illustration

A great example of that is the New England Patriots in the recent Super Bowl. Whether or not you were Patriot fans, you've got to admit that they work well as a team, and their marvelous teamwork won them another Superbowl. The head coach, Bill Bellichick, built his team with those who were willing to work as a team, rather than build it around superstars. He's known for his emphasis on THE TEAM.

3 - Film Clip

Let me ask you a question. Who made the movie Star Wars? (Someone may answer: George Lucas.) It's true that George Lucas wrote and directed the Star Wars movies. But to accomplish something of that magnitude took more than just one person. I want to show you who made Star Wars.

(Show a clip of the Credits at the end of one of the movies, like "Return
of the Jedi." Let it continue to roll as you talk. It seems that it goes on forever! You may wish to leave it running through the rest of the assembly.) What kinds of people does it take to make a great movie? (Let them say all they can come up with, then ask the teachers to join in with ideas, then fill in with services they might not think of, like caterers to feed
them on location, people to arrange flights and transportation, etc.)

Great sports teams are made by people with different talent cooperating with one another. Great movies are made by the cooperation of thousands of people. Great businesses are built by people with different gifts and interests cooperating.  Bill Gates, the wealthiest man in America, built his company with the help of people he first met in high school. 

Your present and future success will probably depend on your ability to cooperate with those around you, especially those who are
different from you.

Let's try this week to cooperate with those around us, especially those
who are most difficult to cooperate with. It's not always easy, but this skill
can really make you successful.

(Copyright March 30, 2004, Legacy Educational Resources, All Rights Reserved.)