Wondering How To Control The First Few Minutes With Your New Student?

The first few minutes of class, kicking off the new school year can be awkward and nerve-wracking for you and your new students. You do not know these students well, and they do not know you, and they probably do not recognize each other. Breaking ice and getting the conversation going so everyone can get to know each other is an important thing to do.

Check out these popular Ice Breaker activities that you can use with high school students when school is open. Fun and easy activities for students. Most importantly, they lift the mood and help melt away the first day of school jitter.

1. Human Scavenger Hunt

To prepare, select approximately 30-40 interesting traits and experiences and write them on a worksheet with slightly outlined spaces next to each item. Next, have students wandering around the class asking each other to sign lines that relate to them.

For example, some of your lines might be, "Out of this country in the summer" or "Has braces" or "Loves pickles." Therefore, if a student goes to Turkey this summer, they may sign a line on someone else's worksheet. Depending on the size of your class, it may be OK for each student to sign the two blank spaces each other.

The goal is to fill out your worksheet with a signature for each category. This may seem like a regular mess, but students will usually be on duty and having fun with this one.

Also, these activities can be entered in Bingo board format instead of a list.

2. Two Truths and a Lie

At their desks, have your students write three verses about their lives (or their vacation). Two verses must be true and one must be a lie.

For example, your statement might be:

• This summer I went to Alaska
• I have 5 siblings.
• My favorite food is Brussels sprouts.

Next, have your class sit in a circle. Everyone gets a chance to share their three verses. Then the whole class takes turns trying to figure out what lies mean. Obviously, the more realistic your lies (or your mundane truths are), the more difficult people will have to think about the truth.

3. Same and Different

Organize your class into small groups of about 4 or 5. Give each group two pieces of paper and a pencil. On the first paper, students write "Same" or "Shared" at the top and then proceed to look for the qualities shared by the group as a whole.

Be sure to point out that these shouldn't be silly or straight-up traits, such as "We all have toes."

On the second paper, label it "Different" or "Unique" and give students time to define some aspects that are unique to only one member of their group. Then, set a time for each group to share their findings.

Not only is this a great activity for getting to know one another, it also emphasizes how classes have shared the unique similarities and differences that make up an interesting and fully human whole.

4. Trivia Shuffle Card

First, define a predefined set of questions about your student. Write it on the board for everyone to see. These questions can be anything from "What is your favorite food?" to "What did you do this holiday?"

Give each student an index card numbered 1-5 (or as many questions as you ask) and write their answers to the questions above it. You also have to fill out a card about yourself. After a few minutes, collect the cards and share them back with the students, making sure no one gets their own card.

From here, there are two ways you can complete this Ice Breaker. The first option is to nurture students and mingle as they brag and try to find out who wrote the cards they are holding. The second method is to start the sharing process by modeling the student how to use the card to introduce classmates.

5. Sentences Circles

Divide your students into groups of 5. Give each group a piece of paper and a pencil. On your cue, the first person in the group writes a word at the top of the line and then passes it to the left.

The second person then writes the words of the two verses that develop. Writing continues in this pattern around the circle - without speaking!

When the verse is complete, students share their creations with the class. Do this several times and watch how their collective sentence gets better each time.

References

Pemecah Ais untuk Hari Pertama Sekolah Rendah