Effective Icebreakers for the Classroom ❄️

Introduction

• Presented by: Alexa Broda, high school English teacher with 8 years of middle school experience.
• Focus: Icebreakers for the beginning of the school year or any class.
• Importance of icebreakers: Essential for student interaction, especially after remote learning due to COVID-19.
• Continuous routine: Icebreakers shouldn't just be for the first day or week, but ongoing.

Benefits of Icebreakers

• Boost Comfort: Help students feel comfortable speaking to each other.
• Increase Energy: Raise the momentum and energy in the class.
• Community Building: Foster positive student relationships which is crucial for a productive classroom.
• Essential Preparation: Prepares students better for participation and interaction.

Categories of Icebreakers

1. Activities With Materials

Index Card Tower

• Materials: Index cards, writing tools.
• Procedure: Groups of 3-4, write commonalities on index cards to build the tallest tower.
• Time Limit: 10 minutes.

Bridge Building

• Materials: Straws, gumdrops.
• Procedure: Groups of 3-4, build a sturdy bridge in 20 minutes.
• Outcome: Display bridges, build teamwork without pressure.

Colored Airplanes

• Materials: Construction paper.
• Procedure: Students write one interesting fact about themselves, fold into airplanes, and guess who the airplane fact belongs to.
• Caution: Lay ground rules to manage energy levels, especially with younger students.

Two Truths and a Lie

• Materials: Laptop, Jamboard.
• Procedure: Students write two truths and one lie on sticky notes on Jamboard, classmates guess the lie.
• Tip: Model the activity twice for better understanding.

How Many Ways Can You Use a Paperclip?

• Materials: Paperclip, lists for note-taking.
• Procedure: Groups of 3-4 brainstorm creative uses for a paperclip in 5 minutes.
• Tip: Designate roles like notetaker and group leader for structured participation.

2. Activities Without Materials

This or That

• Procedure: Class stands in line, answer choice-based questions (e.g., hot dogs vs. hamburgers) by moving to sides of the room.
• Engagement: Let students facilitate rounds, encourages participation.

Hot or Cold

• Procedure: Hide an object in the classroom; students search for it with hot/cold clues.
• Tip: Allows shy students to participate actively and often becomes a favorite activity.

Conclusion

• Spread Out: Don’t feel pressured to use all icebreakers at once; spread them throughout the year.
• Participation: Teachers should also model and participate in activities.
• Share Ideas: Encourage sharing favorite icebreakers in the comments for collaborative learning and idea expansion.

Enjoy your new students and good luck! Stay tuned for more tips.