Duration: 30 minutes
SPIRIT Skills:
- Emotional awareness, regulation and communication
- Empathy
- Creativity
Brief Description:
Students use recyclable materials to bring their group’s “Emotion Tower” design to life. They collaborate, adapt their plans, and reflect together during the building process.
- Students gather around a workspace with their materials
- They start constructing the structure based on their sketch
- Some students build, while others support or guide based on the group plan
- Adults circulate to observe, ask questions, and support discussions on emotions and teamwork.
How does this develop particular SPIRIT skills
- Strengthens teamwork, communication, and compromise
- Encourages creativity and emotional expression in a hands-on context
- Promotes perseverance and flexibility in adapting the design to real-world materials.
What do we want to achieve regarding SPIRIT skill development (student understanding and/or behaviour)?
As a result of this activity
- Students demonstrate their understanding of emotions through symbolic building
- They listen and collaborate to create a shared product
- They develop patience, resilience, and problem-solving while working with imperfect or limited resources.
Academic/Curriculum Objective connection
- Art and Design: Constructing 3D models using various materials
- Science/Engineering: Applying basic design and stability principles
Materials and tools needed for implementation
- Recycled materials (boxes, tubes, string, paper, plastic containers)
- Tape, glue, scissors
- Markers, paint, stickers (optional for decoration)
Preparation notes
- Ensure enough materials for all groups
- Define a clear area for construction
- Have cleanup materials ready for the end of the session.
Guided Questions
- How does your tower show the emotion you were assigned?
- What part of the building process is hardest so far?
- Are you staying close to your design, or making changes as you build?
- How are you helping each other stay focused?
Stage Debriefing Questions (Optional)
- Did anything unexpected happen while building?
- Did your emotion change as you worked?
Tips and Tricks for dealing with stage challenges
- Remind students to refer back to their sketches if they get stuck
- Offer gentle guidance to groups that are struggling with teamwork
- Celebrate effort and process, not just the final product.