Icebreakers to Create a "Cool" Class Environment
- Grades: 3–5, 6–8
As I write this blog post, I am filled with mixed emotions. I am so grateful to reconnect with my audience and share my ideas for the 2014-2015 school year. But it is also a sign that the days of sleeping late, lounging in the sun, relaxing, and enjoy my free time are slowly coming to a close. However, I can also look back on how I stayed true to my summer reading list and while looking forward to swapping summer reading stories with my students this year! Now that the back-to-school television commercials are signaling the onset of the school season, my focus is getting ready for my students.
Besides reviewing the curriculum, setting down my ideas for classroom setup, and revamping my welcome letters, I am also beginning to think about how to break the ice with my new group of students. So to welcome you to this new year with me, I thought I would share some ice breakers that help ease the first day jitters and allow me and my students to get to know to know each other.
Two Truths, One Fib (a.k.a. True or False)
(Please note that this is the one time students are allowed to share an untruth without any repercussions!)
Here's how I start the game of "Two Truths, One Fib" in my classroom. I stand in front of the class and introduce myself and then tell the students three things as follows:
Welcome, I am Mrs. Stewart.
I am going to be 57 this year.
I do not get first-day jitters.
I completed my summer reading list.
One of these statements is a fib. The idea behind this activity is that each person gets to share some information about him or herself as the audience tries to figure out which statement is incorrect. In addition, everyone is the class gets to see what they have in common with each other.
Model this activity for the students as in my example above. The next step would be to ask the students to respond to my statements and choose which one they think is the fib. For example, a student could say what I said about my age is the fib. I would let the student know they were incorrect, and then identify which statement is actually not true. After the fib is revealed, I would briefly talk about my statements and then choose a student to give their three statements. If time is an issue, select groups of students each day until everyone has had a chance to share.
Click on the image to download your Truth/Fib Icebreaker
Find Someone Who . . . (Scavenger Hunt)
This activity can be found in the book, Super Ways to Jumpstart the School Year. I have played this game with my class for several years and it does a great job of getting the students out of their seats and moving.
Students are given a sheet of paper that lists different personality traits. Their job is to find a classmate that has one of the characteristics listed. You can give a time limit for them to complete the task. Also, I often announce that a student can only list a classmate’s name no more than two times. The point of the game is to get the kids to circulate and to talk to as many students as possible. Click on either "Find Someone Who" activity sheet to download both.
Calling All Partners (Small Group Activities)
In your welcome letter or postcard, ask your students to bring in a small memento of their summer vacation. On the first day of class, students place the item on their desk and then look at their classmates' items to see if they can a common theme. Ask the students to arrange themselves into groups based on these themes. (For example, if one student brings a beach ball, another a sea shell, and a third a starfish, they would make a great beach-themed group.)
Once students are in their groups, they can talk about their vacations, finding one detail they all have in common to share with the rest of the class. (During their talk, maybe the beach-themed group discovered that they all ate ice cream every night.)
In your welcome note to your students, include the title of a book, popular song, or movie. Ask the students to bring the postcard with them on the first day of school. Studen