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March 14, 2013

On Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish – Team Building Craft

The Wump that Mr. Gump rides in One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish is a favorite among children. Here is a great team building craft for small groups.

• Teachable moments are sure to surface as students encounter conflicts with sharing/taking turns with materials, using words to express ideas and attempts at negotiation. Help nurture positive communication skills, redirect frustration to positive alternatives, give lots of choices when a student becomes flustered, and give lots and lots of praise when moments of team work shine through.
• Take advantage of the many opportunities to talk about rhyming, Dr. Seuss’s unique characters, his creative illustrations, and the similarities and differences between each student’s creation. Most importantly, let children lead the way!

Materials Needed: empty egg carton, construction paper, tooth pics, scissors, tape, and crayons.

Procedure:

1. Ahead of time, cut the egg carton down to rows of six humps (yes, the Wump has seven, but it’s okay to have six).
2. Provide construction paper and encourage children to create their own character to ride on the Wump. Display the book for inspiration. You could trace an outline for them to cut out, or help them cut and allow them to decorate depending on their developmental level.
3. Tape a toothpick to the backside of each character.
4. Ask children how you should all decorate the Wump’s face. Foster collaboration, negotiation, and boost confidence by praising all ideas. Come up with a plan and have children help as much as possible.
5. Poke each character’s toothpick into the top of each hump. Add any finishing touches that may be suggested by the children.