Course 2: The First Cluster

Course 2: The First Cluster

From the section of the Master Teacher Guide Entitled: The First Cluster

Team building, 5 Steps for Effective Teaching and Learning, and creating Cluster norms

All the resources for the first cluster meeting can also be found on the Presentation Resources page

The First Cluster Meeting Record Example:

The First Cluster Meeting PowerPoint Example:

5 Steps for Effective Teaching and Learning Posters:

Choose from 2 Activities - Preferably use the last one ("Rain") as the second activity:

ADAPTED TRIBES ACTIVITIES:

Snowball:

1. Each Cluster member is given a piece of paper. They are to write facts about themselves on the paper WITHOUT writing their names on it. They should make sure that some of the facts they write about themselves are facts that not everyone would know about them. 

2. Each Cluster member should ball up their paper

3. At the Master Teacher's signal, they are to begin throwing their papers like a snowball fight

4. The Master Teacher gives another signal to stop. Every Cluster member picks up a "snowball" closest to them.

5. Upon reading the information on their "snowball", they are to try to take turns reading the information out loud and try to decipher who wrote the information.

Pen Pals:

1. Give each Cluster member a 3x5 index card. They are to write a very little known fact about themselves without writing their name on the card.

2. The Master Teacher will collect the cards, shuffle them, and redistribute them to the members. If they receive their own card back, they are to raise their hand signaling there is an issue so the cards can be redistributed/exchanged.

3. When everyone has an unfamiliar card, they are to stand and circulate asking one another questions about the information on the card ("Did you enter your horse into horse shows as a child?") When the person in the description is found, he/she signs the card and puts it on the board.

4. Upon completion, the community has an instant bulletin board of people and their accomplishments. Go over these accomplishments with everyone before leaving the cards on the board.

Name Wave:

1. Everyone stands in a circle

2. One person says their name and at the same time makes a motion or gesture (a nice one!) For example "I'm Suzanne" as I mimic a hula dance)

3. The person to the right says the same name and makes the same motion, then says their name with a motion.

4. The third person says the first 2 names with their motions and adds to it, etc.

5. When the circle comes back to the first person, they are to complete all of the names and motions.

6. If that was too easy (maybe for a really small group), the circle should keep going around, each time trying to get around the circle faster without anyone messing up.

Rain:

**It is highly recommended that, whatever activity you use, you end with this activity because it is a beautiful symbol of working together to make a “joyful noise”**

1. Have everyone sit in a circle, facing the center.

2. Ask all to close their eyes, pausing for a moment or two to become quiet while each person gets ready to hear the sound the person on the right will be making.

3. Keep eyes closed as the Master Teacher begins by rubbing their hands back and forth.

4. The person to the left joins him/her, and so on around the circle

5. When the Master Teacher hears the "drizzle sound" being made by the person on the right, they start snapping their fingers.

6. This sound goes around the circle, the same method is continued for hand clapping, thigh slapping, and finally foot stomping.

7. The order is then reversed, so the circle should end again with hand rubbing.

8. For the last round, the Master Teacher stops rubbing her palms and takes the hand of the person on her left. Each person follows suit around the circle until there is silence once more. Everyone opens their eyes.

9. It should be brought up that this is a symbol of teamwork and how when we work together, we make a beautiful sound.

TAP Rubrics:

Cluster Norm Examples:

TAP Rubrics: