A cup-stacking challenge in Alexis DiCapua’s class at Park Avenue Elementary School helped fourth graders start the year off with a teamwork mentality. Students have been learning about being active members of the classroom community, and how they can work together to solve problems through collaboration. 

The class read “Someone Builds Dreams” by Lisa Wheeler, a book that emphasizes the importance of teamwork and how every individual contribute to the process. Students learned that it takes more than once person to create a vision and bring it to life, and have been applying this principle in the classroom. 

Fourth graders participated in a STEM activity in which each group received an assortment of plastic cups, a rubber band and a piece of string. The goal was to stack the cups but students couldn’t use their hands. They had to strategize, communicate and problem-solve to build their towers. They wouldn’t be successful without each team member playing an important role in the activity.  

“The lesson was all about building trust and communication skills,” Ms. DiCapua said, “proving that with a little creativity and a lot of collaboration, anything is possible.” 

Click here to view the Fourth Graders Build Relationships and Towers slideshow.

Date Added: 10/2/2025