Traditional icebreakers often fail to capture the interest of older students, leaving educators searching for more effective ways to engage their classes. If your goal is to cultivate a collaborative classroom culture, then opportunities to engage really matter. Here are six engaging first-day-of-school activities that are perfect for middle and high school students! These activities are designed to help you get to know your students and foster connections among them, without the cringe factor.
For more resources for teachers, follow us on Pinterest!
BUILD A CLASSROOM PLAYLIST
You can discover a lot from a person’s favorite music. Ask students to write down their favorite songs then compile them into a classroom playlist. Play the playlist during free time or quiet work periods to create a fun and relaxing atmosphere.
CREATE VISION BOARDS
Encourage students to create a poster or vision board that represents their hopes and goals for the school year. What do they hope to accomplish? What experience are they looking forward to? This activity will help your students set intentions and visualize their personal growth from the first day!
‘SAY IT IN SIX’
Ask your students to tell a real-life story in just six words. Have them describe their summer or tell the class about themselves. Once their stories are complete, have students read them aloud or display them for the class to read. This is a unique way for students to learn more about each other!
BORING FACTS ICEBREAKER
Start by going around the room and introducing yourselves with the most boring fact possible. For example, someone might say, “Hi, I’m Anna, and I can walk.” The next person would introduce themselves and repeat the previous person’s name and fact: “Hi, I’m Jack, and I have a nose. That’s Anna, and she can walk.” This continues until the last student has to remember everyone’s boring facts. It may seem silly, but it’s hilarious to hear what students come up with and also takes the pressure off students as they introduce themselves!
DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN EMOJIS
Invite students to introduce themselves by drawing emojis. Students can share information about their families, pets, hobbies, and more. After the student has drawn 3-5 emojis, let the class guess what they think the student is trying to share about themselves.
UNO TOURNAMENT
Kick off the school year with some friendly competition! Divide the students into groups of 4-5 and have them play Uno. Whenever a player has to draw 2 or 4 cards, they must share 2 or 4 facts about themselves, respectively. After each group has a winner, the winners will play against each other (and continue sharing facts about themselves) until a classroom champion is determined.
