cipants to write on their papers: their names at the top and then four statements about themselves. Explain that three of the statements should be true and one should be a lie.
2. Tell participants they should keep secret the statement that is not true.
3. Explain that they will introduce themselves by showing their papers and stating their names and then the four statements.
4. Explain that the other participants should then guess which statement is not true.
5. The facilitator should ask for more information—“tell us more about the time you hiked in the Grand Canyon”—for a couple of them.
6. Provide an example to get going:
My name is Ana Martinez.
- I am the oldest of 5 girls.
- I have been on a 500-mile bike ride to raise money for MS.
- I have seven cats.
- I used to sing and play tambourine in a garage band.
(The seven cats statement is the lie in this example.)
7. After everyone is finished, ask people to share what they learned about the other participants in the group.
Materials Needed: None
About the Icebreaker: Participants think about what three things and what three people—known to them or not, living or not—they would want to have with them if they were marooned on a desert island (assuming there was plenty of food and water).
1. Instruct participants to reflect individually on the following scenario:
You have been stranded on a desert island. There is plenty of food and water. What three things would you want with you on the island? What three people would you want with you? The people can be ones you know or not, living or not.
2. After 2–3 minutes, start by providing an example. Be sure to ask people to provide both the items and people they would want as well as the rationales for their choices:
- My name is Ana Martinez, and I would have with me: My iPod filled with music and audio downloads to keep me entertained, my cell phone so I could call for help, and a sleeping bag so I could sleep well every night and stay warm and comfortable. The people I would have with me are my grandmother because she was the strongest and wisest person I have ever known, Bill Cosby because he is so funny and would keep my spirits up, and Billie Holiday so we would have great music.
3. Provide time for each participant to present. Ask clarifying questions as necessary.
4. After everyone is finished, ask people to share what they learned about the other participants in the group.
Materials Needed: Table tent for each participant and marker
About the Icebreaker: This is a two-part activity that also helps people learn each other’s names. First, each participant comes up with an adjective that describes him or her but also starts with the same letter as his/her name. In the second part, participants introduce themselves by first sharing the names and adjectives of everyone who has been introduced before them, and then themselves.
1. Instruct participants to each come up with an adjective that describes how they want to handle their finances, and that starts with same letter as his/her name.
2. Provide an example: Thrifty Thomas.
3. Give everyone a minute to do this.
4. Then instruct participants to introduce themselves by saying the adjectives and names of everyone that has gone before them, ending with their own names. For example, “Penny-Pinching Peter, Intelligent Irene, and I am Thrift Thomas.” [Note: This is easy for the first person to do; you could ask that person to cite everyone once the last person in the room has spoken.]
5. The facilitator can write down all the adjectives as people state them.
6. When the introductions are complete, congratulate the group for finishing.
7. Instruct participants to fill in their table tents using their new names (adjective + name).
8. Call attention to the list of adjectives and invite participants to write the other attributes they would like to develop during the class. Invite them to write these on the other side of their table tents.
Openers are distinct from icebreakers in that they introduce content in an interesting way. Generally they are used at the beginning of a sessio