Introducing students to group speaking topics without the right introductions to set the stage can be challenging. Icebreakers help ease students into a comfortable learning environment where they feel more confident expressing their thoughts and ideas. In this blog post, we will explore three interesting ice breakers:
"Alphabet Me"
"3 facts and fiction"
"The Brown Bag Quest."
These activities not only help break the ice between students, but also encourage creativity, critical thinking and self-expression, effectively setting the stage for more complex group discussion topics in the future.
First ice breaker idea - "ABCs of Me"
It provides group conversation topics that everyone can relate to
"Icebreaker - ABCs of Me" activity is designed to help students, especially children, introduce themselves in a creative and fun way. Letting the group talk about itself provides good topics for group talk that each person has enough knowledge to achieve and helps overcome group anxiety.
Participants are asked to write their names vertically on a piece of paper and then choose a word that begins with each letter of their name. These words must be descriptive and say something about the individual. Optionally, participants can draw pictures next to each word to visually represent the descriptions. Once completed, the posters are displayed for all to see and each participant introduces themselves using their name drawing. This activity not only helps students start talking about themselves, but also contributes to a more interactive, interesting and entertaining learning environment. Materials needed include paper, markers and tape. Depending on the size of the group, discussions can be held in smaller groups and if possible, the drawings can be left on top for the duration of the training session.
ABC's of Me - The list's translation
Goal: Help students present themselves in a creative, fun and engaging way while developing their communication skills.
Necessary materials:
- Flipchart paper or large sheets of paper
- Markers
- Tape
instructions:
- Prepare your materials: Gather a piece of flipchart paper and a marker. Make sure you have enough space to work.
- Write your name: Write your name vertically down the left side of the paper. Each letter must have its own order.
- Think of Descriptive Words: For each letter in your name, think of a word that starts with that letter and describes something about you. It can be a trait, a hobby, a favorite subject, etc.
- Write your words: Write your descriptive words horizontally across the paper, starting with the letters of your name.
- (Optional) Draw illustrations: If you want, you can draw a picture next to each word to illustrate your descriptions. This step is optional, but it can add a fun, visual element to your poster!
- Show off your work: When you're done, use tape to attach your poster to the wall.
- Introduce yourself: When all the posters are finished, you can take turns introducing yourself using your name drawings. You can do this as a whole group, or if the group is large, you can break it up into smaller groups for sharing.
Time request:
- Allow 5-10 minutes for setup and drawing.
- Meeting times will vary depending on group size.
Note: This activity encourages creativity, self-expression and active learning. It's a great way to break the ice, start conversations, and build community in your classroom or group.
Purpose: This activity will help students begin to talk about themselves in a creative and structured way, promoting confidence and self-awareness.
Another idea to break the ice - "3 facts and a lie"
The "3 facts and a fiction" ice breaker is an engaging activity that promotes critical thinking and discussion about group conversations, such as a specific topic, content or issue.
First, participants write three facts and a false claim, or 'fiction', on a sticky note or piece of paper. They then exchange their notes with a partner who must identify a 'fib' among the facts. After this is done, there are discussions where the participants discuss their thoughts. Finally, the activity ends with the instructor's clarification or confirmation.
In terms of scoring, the student's goal is to create a concoction that successfully fools the rest of the class. The student earns a point if the class cannot identify the fabrication. However, if a classmate is the first to correctly identify the fib, that classmate earns a point. Icebreaker encourages learning, engagement and application of knowledge in a fun and competitive environment. Participants practice speaking by explaining and discussing.
3 facts and a lie - instruction sheet
Goal: Develop critical thinking and analytical skills by distinguishing truths (facts) from lies (fibs) in a fun, interactive group environment.
Necessary materials:
- Sticky notes or pieces of paper
- Paper products
instructions:
- Write down your facts and fictions: On a note or piece of paper, write three facts and one fiction about the topic, content or problem as directed by your teacher. These can be related to course material or any other topic approved by your teacher.
- Exchange your facts and fictions: Exchange your sticky note with your partner. Be careful not to reveal which of your statements are lies!
- Find the fiction: Analyze your partner's facts and fiction. Use your knowledge and critical thinking skills to determine which statement is false.
- Discuss: After you have guessed, discuss with your partner why you chose that particular statement as a fabrication. This is your opportunity to discuss and reason through your thought process.
- Class check: As a group, each pair will share their fact and fiction, giving the class a chance to guess which is the fiction.
Scoring system:
- If the class cannot identify the fiction, the author of the fiction earns a point.
- If the classmate correctly identifies the fib first, that classmate earns a point.
Time request: The timing of this activity will vary depending on the size of the group and the complexity of the fact and fiction.
Purpose: This activity encourages active learning, critical thinking and collaborative problem solving. It's a fun way to engage with course material, challenge misconceptions and foster a deeper understanding of the subject.
The third idea to break the ice - "Brown bag speech"
Brown Bag Talk is an icebreaker activity designed to facilitate self-discovery and create a comfortable classroom environment for group conversations.
Each student is given a brown bag and must fill it with at least five items that represent their personality. These items can show their hobbies, relationships with family and friends, favorite activities, past times, etc. Students can use a larger bag if they want to carry larger items. On a specific date, each student presents their bag and its contents to the class through an informal speech describing the meaning of each item.
This icebreaker is intended to help students begin to introduce and express themselves in front of their peers. For example, a teacher may give a completion grade of 25 points, meaning that students who present five subjects receive full credit or five points for each subject presented.
Brown Bag Speech - Instruktionsark
Goal: Encourage self-discovery, promote a comfortable classroom environment and provide opportunities for students to develop presentation skills.
Necessary materials:
- Brown bag (if necessary, a larger bag can be used)
- Five things that represent your personality
point: 25 points (final grade)
instructions:
- Receive your bag: You will receive a brown bag in class.
- Choose your items: Choose at least five items that describe your individual personality. These items can represent your hobbies, relationships with family and friends, favorite activities, past times, and so on. Feel free to use a larger bag if your items are too big for the included brown bag.
- Prepare your presentation: Plan a short, informal speech on each topic, explaining why you chose it and how it represents you.
- Handing in your bag: Bring your filled bag to class during the homework term. You will present your objects to the class, showing each one and describing what it represents about you.
Scoring system: This is the last task. Full credit (25 points) will be awarded to students who present five assignments.
Due date: _______________________________________________________
Purpose: This task is designed to help students begin to introduce and express themselves in front of their peers. It encourages self-discovery, mutual understanding and a comfortable classroom environment, making it an effective icebreaker and a fun way to get to know each other better.
In conclusion, "ABCs of Me", "3 Facts and a Fib", and "Brown Bag Assignment" are interactive and engaging group speaking activities that promote a positive and enjoyable learning environment. Each activity encourages self-expression, creativity, and critical thinking while helping students facilitate presentations and discussions.
"ABCs of Me" encourages students to explore their identities in a creative and structured way. Meanwhile, "3 Facts and a Lie" engages students in critical thinking and offers an element of friendly competition. Finally, the "Brown Bag Task" invites students to share a part of their lives with their classmates, fostering a sense of community and mutual understanding.
Icebreakers like these can significantly improve the classroom experience, facilitate rapport between students, and make the learning process more engaging and enjoyable. Teachers can use these activities as templates and modify them to fit the specific needs and dynamics of their classrooms. The ultimate goal is to create a comfortable learning environment where every student feels seen, heard and valued. Good luck with teaching and learning!
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(Video) Name Game An Introduction Activity
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FAQs
Group talk topics - Introduction through ice breakers? ›
Arrange team members in a big circle and ask for a volunteer to go first. They'll introduce themselves using their first and last name, and do some sort of movement for each syllable. Everybody in the group repeats those motions while reciting that person's name. Repeat that with each member of the circle.
What are good icebreaker discussion topics? ›- Quirky Ice Breaker Questions. ❖ If you could hang out with any cartoon character, who would you choose and why? ...
- ❖ What would you like to be known/remembered for? ❖ What sport would you compete in if you were in the Olympics? ...
- ❖ If money and time were no object, what would you be doing right now?
Arrange team members in a big circle and ask for a volunteer to go first. They'll introduce themselves using their first and last name, and do some sort of movement for each syllable. Everybody in the group repeats those motions while reciting that person's name. Repeat that with each member of the circle.
How do you introduce a large group in ice breaker? ›A: Some good icebreakers for large groups include introductions (casual and formal), fun facts, common interests, and asking everyone to name one thing they're looking forward to in the next week. You can also try riddles, trivia, or other games. The important thing is to get everyone interacting and having fun!
How do you introduce yourself in ice breaker? ›When everyone has lined up, ask them to introduce themselves by saying their name, where they work (if relevant), and their birthday. This provides some team building as well as introductions. Tell participants that they are going to invent their stage name. Their first name will be the name of their first pet.
What is a fun question to ask a group? ›What's the weirdest food you've ever eaten? What's the most out-of-character thing you've ever done? What is your cellphone wallpaper? You can have an unlimited supply of one thing for the rest of your life, what is it?
How to do group introductions? ›- Create space for introductions, rather than letting them be rushed. Real relationships take time. ...
- Use activities with an appropriate amount of emotional depth. ...
- Be supportive and encouraging. ...
- Encourage the conversation to continue.
Dear team, I am looking forward to working with you! My Name is [NAME], and I have been working as a [JOB TITLE] for the last [TIME] years. I'll be working closely with [DEPARTMENT] on the [PROJECT], and I'm excited to contribute to what looks like incredible work.
What is the ice breaker 10 things in common? ›10 things in common
Each pair is responsible for finding 10 things they have in common with one another. Remember to tell everyone easy cop-outs aren't allowed, like "we both have hands". Once they find 10 things they have in common, they share their discoveries with the group.
- Two Truths and a Lie. Participants list three things about themselves, two are true, and one is a lie. ...
- The Envelope Please! ...
- People BINGO. ...
- The TP Game. ...
- 10 Things in Common. ...
- Organizing book club meetings and snacks with an online sign up. ...
- Would You Rather... ...
- Tall Tales.
How to do a fun introduction? ›
- Use a name tag. ...
- Share a unique fact about yourself. ...
- Express yourself through your clothing. ...
- Use a custom-made business card. ...
- Consider your surroundings. ...
- Uncover similarities. ...
- Identify a mutual friend or acquaintance. ...
- Offer your help.
- “Hi, my name is __, and I'm a [job title] at [company]”
- “Let me introduce myself, I'm…”
- “Nice to meet you, my name is…”
- “I don't think we've met before — I'm…”
- Brainstorm the Key Points Beforehand. ...
- Briefly Explain Your Current Job. ...
- Share Key Points from Your Job and Education History. ...
- Mention Key Accomplishments. ...
- Mention Any Hobbies or Interests. ...
- Say Why You're There. ...
- Add Personality. ...
- Add a Bit of Humor.
...
Example Questions
- How is ___ similar to/different from ___?
- To what degree is ___ similar to/different from ___?
- Is ___ better/worse than ___?
- What's the most interesting thing you've read lately?
- What's a fact about you that's not on the internet?
- Do you listen to any podcasts? ...
- If you were in charge of the playlist, which song would you play next?
- What's the best gift you've ever gotten?
- What was your childhood nickname?
- Are you a night owl or an early bird?
- What food describes your personality?
- What's your funniest family tradition?
- Did you have any injuries on the playground as a kid?
- Do you believe in aliens?
- What about ghosts?
- Show them you've been expecting them. ...
- Provide a grand tour of the office. ...
- Provide plenty of on-the-job training. ...
- Set them up with small, manageable tasks at first. ...
- Give them a mentor. ...
- Get the paperwork done as soon as possible. ...
- Ask for their feedback.
1) Three Things in Common in Three Minutes
Each pair has three minutes to discover three things they have in common. They can't be obvious things one could discover without having a conversation (e.g. “We're both in this conference room” or “We're both wearing glasses”). The conversation has to go deeper.
Just Five Things - This icebreaker is so versatile and can work for any group. Break up into groups of four or five and tell them they'll be coming up with a list of five things to answer a prompt. Create a question that relates to your group.
How do you introduce to your team? ›- Learn about your team. Before officially introducing yourself to your new team, gather information about them. ...
- Exhibit positivity. ...
- Dress professionally. ...
- Observe your team. ...
- Tell your story. ...
- Set expectations. ...
- Prepare for questions. ...
- Send a follow-up message.
What is the best ice breaker greeting? ›
1. “How are you doing today, miss?” A genuine hello accompanied by a heartwarming, three second smile is one of the most basic, highly effective ice breakers there is. Often, we brush simple things aside as being too simple not realizing the simplest things can have the biggest impact in life.
What are icebreaker speeches? ›An icebreaker speech is any kind of speech that introduces yourself to an audience. You can give an icebreaker speech in a lot of different contexts: when you're accepting an award, toasting a couple at their wedding, or making a business pitch.
What is the one question icebreaker activity? ›Ask participants to come up with just one question each. They must then walk round and ask the same question to everyone in the group. Once everyone has completed the questions. Go round the room and ask a number of questions relating to the icebreaker.
What do I say in an ice breaker? ›- Introduce yourself. This is the most obvious way to start a conversation. ...
- Comment on the surroundings. ...
- Find something in common. ...
- Give a compliment. ...
- Ask a question.
Greatest Common Factor
Organize your students into groups of your choosing. Tell students that you put them together because the members have one thing in common. Their goal is to identify that one thing. After each group has discovered what its members have in common, they'll present it to the entire class.
“Yermak” became the first icebreaker worldwide, which was able to sail in the condition of heavy ices. It was already in April 1899 that the icebreaker released icebound steamships near Revel, and in summer 1899 Makarov sailed on “Yermak” to the Arctic, reaching 81° 28'N.
What are some funny office icebreakers? ›- What is the worst fashion decision you ever made?
- If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life what would it be?
- If you could change gender for a day what's the first thing you would do?
- What's your biggest irrational phobia and why?
An icebreaker is a facilitation exercise intended to help members of a group begin the process of forming themselves into a team. Icebreakers are commonly presented as a game to "warm up" the group by helping the members to get to know each other.
What is a good topic for team building? ›For example, communication represents a common team-building topic that helps your team members understand how to convey information to one another. Non-work-related topics, such as personal hobbies, can also build relationships between team members.
What are strong questions to ask? ›- What is on your bucket list?
- What are you most thankful for?
- What is your biggest regret in life?
- What are you most afraid of?
- What do you feel most passionate about?
- How do you like to spend your free time?
- What would your perfect day be like?
What are ice breakers in conversation? ›
An ice breaker is an activity, game, or event that is used to welcome and warm up the conversation among participants in a meeting. Ice breakers range wildly, from simple one-question answers to elaborate team games.
What are some good 21 questions? ›- What's the weirdest dream you've ever had?
- If you could travel to any year in a time machine, what year would you choose and why?
- If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
- What's one of the most fun childhood memories you have?
The most powerful nuclear icebreaker in the world was the Soviet Arctika. It was the first surface ship to reach the North Pole in 1977.
What makes a good icebreaker activity? ›Ways to make an icebreaker interactive include having the group move around the space in some way; talking to each other, either in pairs or small groups; or giving them a brief assigned task to complete. They are memorable.
What are the 5 C's of team building? ›A great way to help your team come together is to strive for the five C's, which stand for communication, camaraderie, commitment, confidence and coachability. When you begin working on each of these areas, you will notice significant changes to your teammates and yourself.
What are the 4 C's of team building? ›If you want to establish a team identity, you have to give your team an opportunity to openly discuss the 4 C's of a Team Identity: clarity, commitment, contribution, and concerns.
What are the three C's of team building? ›For our teams to succeed under any circumstance, we must always prioritize communication, team coordination, and cooperation.
What are the 5 powerful questions? ›- What do you think? Not rocket science is it? ...
- What makes you think this? ...
- Can you tell me more? ...
- How can I support you with this? ...
- What do you think are the next steps?
- If you could be any animal, what would you be and why?
- Do you eat or drink soup?
- How many pairs of shoes do you own?
- What is the best gift you have ever received?
- If you were a superhero, what powers would you want to have?
- What is your favorite animal?
- What's your favorite family recipe?
Killer interview questions are general questions that interviewers ask to make you open up and demonstrate your true thoughts and behaviour. These questions help them encourage honesty because they're often unconventional and candidates may simply not expect to hear them during the interview.