Partners Produce Problems – Online Version 

EnTeam Academic Game

Purpose 

Two people work together to create problems for each other and score as many points as they can in two minutes using cooperation.

Requirements 

  1. Time: 35-45 minutes per match 
  2. Number of Players: 2 or more 
  3. Age range: Depends on the type of problems involved
  4. Space: Space for partners to work together (table or online webcam)
  5. Equipment: Paper and pencil
  6. Prerequisites: None

How to Play 

  1. Divide group into partners 
  2. Teacher defines the type of problem that should be solved and sets the time limit such that a slow student could solve a few problems.
  3. Players write today’s date, first name, last name, and partners name underneath at the top.
  4. Partners make up problems for the other partner to solve
  5. Each problem must be different 
  6. Partners can talk and work together but must do their assigned problems.
  7. When time is up, check each other’s work and tally their scores points and debrief together and strategize how to improve the score in the next game.
  8. Repeat as many times as necessary to build the skill.  

Rules 

  1. All problems must be different. 
  2. Players can only do their own assigned problems.

Scoring 

  • Score 1 point for each pair of correct answers written by different partners.
  • If one partner answers 3 problems correctly and the other partner answers 1 problem correctly, the score for both partners is 1 point.

Debrief Questions

The purpose of debriefing is to develop strategies that will improve your performance and to recognize how these lessons apply to everyday life. To facilitate a successful debrief, facilitators must observe participants and ask engaging questions that spark thoughtful reflection. If we don’t debrief, we don’t learn!

What happened?

What did you see? What did you hear? What was the score?

What worked? What didn’t work?

How did people feel? What issue(s) came up? What issue(s) remain?

So what? 

What did we learn?

How does this experience relate to other experiences?

Why are we doing this? How is it relevant to us? 

Now what? 

How could we improve our score in this activity?

How can we work together better?

How could we apply lessons learned outside of the game? 

Digging Deeper 

  • Did anyone feel reluctant to share strategies?
    • Why? Are you still in a win-lose mindset?
    • If we are trying to improve collective achievement, who are you benefitting when you withhold strategies from other teams?

Debrief Chart (PDF)

Partners Produce Problems – Online Version Packet (PDF)