Lesson Plan
Course Title: Concepts of Engineering and Technology
Session Title: Functional Teams
Performance Objective:
Once the assignment is complete and students have been shown the validity of team-based
learning and assessments, they will be able to exhibit a team-based culture and attitude within
the classroom and beyond by participating in the Functional Team Communication Exercise.
Specific Objectives:
After the completion of this unit, the student will be able to :
 Recall what is meant by TQM, a process, a customer, and quality
 Define what a team is
 Define how teams form
 List the characteristics of an effective team
 Identify what makes a good team leader and team member
 Name the 4 stages of team development
Preparation
TEKS Correlations:
This lesson, as published, correlates to the following TEKS. Any changes/alterations to the
activities may result in the elimination of any or all of the TEKS listed.
Concepts of Engineering and Technology:

130.362(c)(5)(A)(B)(C)
...describe and demonstrate how teams function;
...identify characteristics of good team leaders and team members;
...work in a team face-to-face or in a virtual environment to solve problems;
Interdisciplinary Correlations:
English:

110.42(b)(6)(A)(B)
…expand vocabulary through wide reading, listening, and discussing;
…rely on context to determine meanings of words and phrases such as figurative
language, idioms, multiple meaning words, and technical vocabulary;

110.42(b)(7)(A)(I)(J)
…establish a purpose for reading such as to discover, interpret, and enjoy;
…use study strategies such as skimming and scanning, note taking, outlining, and using
study-guide questions to better understand texts;
…read silently with comprehension for a sustained period of time;
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Teacher Preparation:
A functional team consists of 2 or more members who have a high level of communication and
can act cohesively together under all types of conditions. The team numbers that function best
are from 2- to 5- member teams. All members must have clearly delineated goals once the team
is formed. Otherwise, dissension will start to grow within the team and timelines and team goals
will not be completed. After the initial lecture on functional teams and completion of the
PowerPoint presentation, the teacher should have the handouts ready.
References:
Deming, E. (2000). Out of the Crisis. Massachusetts: The MIT Press.
Instructional Aids:
1. Functional Teams – Teamwork Through TQM PowerPoint presentation
2. Functional Team Vocabulary – 1 per student
3. Functional Team Vocabulary Assessment – 1 per student
4. Functional Team Vocabulary Assessment key
5. Functional Team Communication Exercise – 1 per student or team
Materials Needed:
1. Pencil or pen
2. Each team member has a 2-foot section of PVC pipe of 2” diameter.
3. 1 golf ball
4. 1 gallon or larger bucket
5. Stopwatch or timer
Equipment Needed:
1. Computer
2. Projector
3. 2 tables, 10 feet apart
Learner Preparation:
1. Read Out of the Crisis excerpts from text.
2. Watch Functional Teams: Teamwork Through TQM PPT presentation and takes notes.
3. Complete Functional Team Vocabulary Assessment
4. Participate in Functional Team Communication Exercise and debrief with instructor
Introduction
Introduction (LSI Quadrant I):
SAY: Working as a team in today’s industry is the norm. Individual work is now the rarity.
ASK: What does a team mean to you?
SAY: A team has many stages during its development.
ASK: How many stages and what are they called? (Answer: 4 stages: Forming, Storming,
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Norming, and Performing)
SHOW: Functional Teams - Teamwork through TQM PowerPoint presentation.
Outline
Outline (LSI Quadrant II):
Instructors can use the PowerPoint presentation, slides, handouts, and note pages in
conjunction with the following outline.
MI
Outline
Notes to Instructor
I. What is TQM?
A. TQM was initially developed by Dr. W.
Edward Deming.
B. Dr. Deming was instrumental in developing
the quality control techniques used during
WWII.
C. After the war, General McArthur had
Deming go to Japan and helped Japan
rebuild their industrial leadership
techniques.
Teacher begins
Functional Teams:
Teamwork Through
TQM PowerPoint
presentation.
II. What is a process?
A. A “process” is defined as, “an integration of
people, material, methods, and machines
used to produce, with value added, output
for customers”.
Teacher discusses
what a process is.
Slides 1-3
Slides 4-5
.
Teacher discusses
III. What is a customer?
what a customer is.
A. The people (or person) for whom the
output (product or service) is being
Slide 6
produced.
B. Customers are the people who will use the
output directly or who will take it as an input
into their work process.
IV. What is quality?
A. Quality as defined by TQM: “Quality is
determined by the customer.”
B. Which means it is immaterial to what you or
Teacher discusses
what quality is.
Slides 7-9
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the team want.
C. What our customers want is what matters.
V. Team
A. A group of people pooling its knowledge,
skills, and talents to attain a common goal
or shared purpose.
B. Simple rule of thumb to gauge team
success: If the individual could
have done better alone than with the
team’s results, then everyone on the team
failed.
C. Developing effective teams takes TIME!
Teacher discusses
what is meant by
working as a team
developing effective
teams.
VI. Team effectiveness
A. Characteristics of an effective team
B. What makes a good team member
C. What makes a good team leader
Teacher discusses
what is meant by
effective team member
and leader.
VII. Stages of team development
A. FORMING: The first instance a team is
together and they have little to no
understanding of goals or acceptance of
one another. Interpersonal communication
is low-level and sporadic.
B. STORMING: When the first conflicts arise.
Members are defensive and competitive.
Power struggles develop at this point.
C. The fastest way out of these first stages is
with mid-level communication, preplanning, and mutual respect.
D. NORMING: This stage occurs when
members become more comfortable with
themselves. This also is triggered by their
first success, a sense of cohesion
develops. Trusting in one another begins.
E. PERFORMING: This is the highest level of
teamwork. All members are openly
supportive of each other as well as openly
expressive. The team quickly resolves
disagreements. Intuitive reactions
Teacher continues
PowerPoint
presentation and
discusses the four
stages of team
development.
Slide 10
Slides 11-16
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between members occurs.
Verbal
Linguistic
Logical
Mathematical
Visual
Spatial
Musical
Rhythmic
Bodily
Kinesthetic
Intrapersonal
Interpersonal
Naturalist
Existentialist
Application
Guided Practice (LSI Quadrant III):
The teacher will lead the discussion and explain how the students are to complete the
Functional Team Vocabulary Assessment and Functional Team Communication Exercise and
debrief of exercise.
Independent Practice (LSI Quadrant III):
Students will read Out of the Crisis excerpts from text and complete the Functional Team
Vocabulary Assessment.
Summary
Review (LSI Quadrants I and IV):
Question: How do teams function?
Answer: Teams function differently based on their communication and goals.
Question: Identify what makes a good team leader.
Answer: A good team leader has the following qualities: A vision for the team’s goal(s); shows
initiative; good interpersonal skills — both listening and speaking — and a consensus builder.
Evaluation
Informal Assessment (LSI Quadrant III):
Teacher will observe the students as they participate in the Functional Team Communication
Exercise and debrief exercise.
Formal Assessment (LSI Quadrant III, IV):
Functional Team Vocabulary Assessment.
Extension
Extension/Enrichment (LSI Quadrant IV):
The teacher can organize a cross curricular activity with psychology teacher at the school. The
activity would be for the team to interact normally during the course of instruction and the
psychology class to observe and report on the behavior of the team. During the next session,
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feedback for each team would be reviewed.
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Functional Team Vocabulary
1. Team – A group of people pooling knowledge, skills, and talents to attain a
common goal or shared purpose.
2. Forming – The first instance a team is together. They have little to no
understanding of goals or acceptance of one another. Interpersonal
communication is low-level and sporadic.
3. Storming – When the first conflicts arise. Some members are defensive and
competitive. The team notices power struggles developing at this point.
4. Norming – This stage occurs when members become more comfortable with
themselves. This also is triggered by their first success, a sense of cohesion
develops. One or more teammates trusting in one another begins.
5. Performing – This is the highest level of teamwork. All members are openly
supportive of each other as well as openly expressive. The Team quickly
resolves disagreements. An intuitive reaction between members occurs at this
stage.
6. Process – An integration of people, material, methods, and machines used to
produce, with value added, output for customers.
7. Quality – Quality as defined by TQM: “Quality is determined by the customer.”
8. Customer – The person(s) who will use the output directly or who utilize it as an
input into their work process.
9. TQM – Total Quality Management: A process developed by Dr. W. Ed Deming
to increase productivity through quality control techniques.
10. Product – The goods or services a company produces for its customer to their
specifications.
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Functional Team Vocabulary Assessment
Match the following terms to the definitions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
TQM
Quality
Performing
Product
Team
Customer
Norming
Process
Storming
Forming
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
A. A group of people pooling knowledge, skills, and talents to attain a common goal or
shared purpose.
B. The first instance a team is together. They have little to no understanding of goals or
acceptance of one another. Interpersonal communication is low-level and sporadic.
C. When the first conflicts arise. Some members are defensive and competitive. The
team notices power struggles developing at this point.
D. This stage occurs when members become more comfortable with themselves. This
also is triggered by their first success, a sense of cohesion develops. One or more
teammates trusting in one another begins.
E. This is the highest level of teamwork. All members are openly supportive of each
other as well as openly expressive. The team quickly resolves disagreements. An
intuitive reaction between members occurs at this stage.
F. An integration of people, material, methods, and machines used to produce, with
value added, output for customers.
G. Quality as defined by TQM: “Quality is determined by the customer.”
H. The person(s) who will use the output directly or who utilize it as an input into their
work process.
I. Total Quality Management: A process developed by Dr. W. Ed Deming to increase
productivity through quality control techniques
J. The goods or services a company produces for its customer to their specifications.
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Functional Team Vocabulary Assessment (Key)
Match the following terms to the definitions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
TQM
Quality
Performing
Product
Team
Customer
Norming
Process
Storming
Forming
__I___
__G__
__E__
__J__
__A__
__H__
__D__
__F__
__C__
__B__
A. A group of people pooling knowledge, skills, and talents to attain a common goal or
shared purpose.
B. The first instance a team is together. They have little to no understanding of goals or
acceptance of one another. Interpersonal communication is low-level and sporadic.
C. When the first conflicts arise. Some members are defensive and competitive. The
team notices power struggles developing at this point.
D. This stage occurs when members become more comfortable with themselves. This
also is triggered by their first success, a sense of cohesion develops. One or more
teammates trusting in one another begins.
E. This is the highest level of teamwork. All members are openly supportive of each
other as well as openly expressive. The team quickly resolves disagreements. An
intuitive reaction between members occurs at this stage.
F. An integration of people, material, methods, and machines used to produce, with
value added, output for customers.
G. Quality as defined by TQM: “Quality is determined by the customer.”
H. The person(s) who will use the output directly or who utilize it as an input into their
work process.
I. Total Quality Management: A process developed by Dr. W. Ed Deming to increase
productivity through quality control techniques
J. The goods or services a company produces for its customer to their specifications.
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Functional Team Communication Exercise
Scenario:
A team must move a golf ball from one table to another. The golf ball must be placed
into a bucket and must not touch the ground or any member of the team before getting
to the bucket. No one on the team may speak to one another. The team has 5 minutes
to complete this task.
Materials:
Each team member has a 2-foot section of PVC pipe of 2” diameter.
1 golf ball
1 gallon or larger bucket
2 tables 10 feet apart
Stopwatch or timer
Assessment solution:
Each member of the team should pantomime their ideas in order to communicate. The
basic solution is to form a cascading pipeline to the bucket, where the last one runs to
the front of the line.
Debrief:
Talk about communication during the exercise and what was learned. Body language
and facial expressions are realized as more important than previously.
Together Everyone Achieves More!
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