Ice Breakers

Most icebreakers are not easy to use in college classrooms often because they're too cheesy. Here we try to provide some icebreakers that are easy and fun to use. Ideally, icebreakers will get students engaged and interacting with one another to help dissolve social tension. This also sets a tone for your classroom. 

 

Statistics icebreaker

• Ask students to jot down their answers to various questions that you pose in class. For example: What percentage of Americans are foreign-born? Has the crime rate increased in the past decade? After asking a few questions, present the correct answer and discuss with the class why their answer was (most likely) incorrect. This is a great way to get students thinking sociologically, highlight social norms, and challenge preconceived notions. 

 

Syllabus icebreaker

• Before distributing the syllabus, have students get into small groups (4-5 students). In groups, students write a list of questions they have about the class. After their questions are written down, hand out the syllabus and have the students find answers to their questions using the syllabus. This is not only an icebreaker but can also show students that many of their questions can be answered by reading the syllabus. Afterward, the class “debriefs” as a large group and discusses any questions that were not answered in the syllabus. 

 

Classroom BINGO

• This is a pretty easy activity that is not class-related but allows students to start interacting with one another and forces them to move around the classroom. Using a premade (check google for tons!) or self-made BINGO sheet have students walk around the room attempting to find students have done the various things listed on the BINGO sheet (e.g., never broken a bone, plays a musical instrument, wears fun socks). Once a student has found enough people to get a BINGO, they win and the game is over. Simple enough and takes the pressure off of you if you're nervous about facilitating your first day of class. 

 

Quick and Easy

• If you don't want to hold an activity on the first day it is perfectly fine to stick with just student introductions. There are a number of questions that you can have students answer in pairs, small groups, or as a class. One of my favorites is having students tell the whole class their name, major (helps me get a sense of who is in the room), what year they are in school (again, same thing -- it's important to know your audience), and their favorite way to procrastinate. We all procrastinate so this is a fun way to learn about your students and also keep things lighthearted. This is an easy way to get students talking and sets a particular tone for the class. Feel free to vary the questions to what you think is interesting/important and to your course content!

  • Other questions to include:

    • What's your claim to fame?

    • What superhero power would you most like to have and why?

    • Where did you grow up?

 

 

 

 

Have an icebreaker that worked for you? Send it to us! 

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