First Day Strategies...You have most likely talked to 3 people before class began. If you chose Jello, you are a firm minded student, ready to listen, ready to take notes. Square 3:

First Day Strategies

Table of Contents

Activity Name PDF Page Number • 6 Squares 3

• 6 Squares Handout 5

• All on the Same 12

• Birthday Line 13

• Class Interview 14

• Class Interview Handout 15

• Do you fit? 16

• Dream Concert 17

• Have you ever 18

• Have you ever Handout 19

• Introductions 20

• Jelly Bean Activity 21

• Jelly Bean Activity Handout 22

• Leave Them Alone 24

• Little Known Secret 25

• Little Known Secret Handout 26

• M&M Game 27

• Me, too 28

• My N.A.M.E 29

• Name Plates 30

• Numbers Game 31

• Perpetual Calendar 32

• Picture is Worth a Thousand Words 33

• Ready, Set, Reorganize 34

• Two Truths and One Lie 35


Title: 6 Squares

Time:

15 minutes

Activity Level:

Medium

Purpose: Build community by meeting classmates and learning names

Materials:

1 sheet of paper

Here’s how:

1. Fold paper into 6 sections. Write your name legibly in the middle of the paper on one of the folds.

2. Starting on the first row going left to right, choose which word best describes you today.

3. 1st row-Square 1: Are you feeling like a rose or a dandelion? Write your choice. Square 2: Do you feel like soda pop or Jello? Square 3: Do you feel like a spender or a saver? 2nd row-Square 4: If I were to turn you into a tree, would you like to be a willow tree, oak tree, or orange tree? Square 5: Think of a relationship you are in. Now think of a ping pong ball, a ping pong net, and a ping pong paddle. Which of these parts of a ping pong game are you in that given relationship? Square 6: Do you feel like bing, bang, or bong today? Stand up; read everyone's choices. If you find a person with 5 matches, each student copies the other student's name on his/her paper under his/her own name. Analysis: Square 1: If you chose rose, you are the type of student that needs a lot of care much like a rose bush that needs special pruning, fertilizer, etc. You probably have all the supplies for the class and have read the first chapter. If you chose the dandelion, you are spontaneous. Square 2: If you chose soda pop, you are a student who is effervescent. You have most likely talked to 3 people before class began. If you chose Jello, you are a firm minded student, ready to listen, ready to take notes. Square 3: If you chose spender, you are more likely to rely on luck. If you chose saver, you are more likely to be ready for class by having homework done, ready to ask questions, etc. Square 4: Choosing an orange tree means you are a producer, choosing a willow tree means you change your mind a lot, and choosing an oak tree means you are a strong student. Square 5: If you chose the ball, that means you let people tell you what to do. If you chose the net, that means you are very stable, and if you chose the paddle, you like to tell others what to do. Square 6: If you chose bing, you are shy but grow to be competent. If you chose bang, you are a quick starter but don’t follow through. If you chose bong, you are in a bad mood.


Example:

Tips:

Have blank paper ready for everyone.

Variations: Make up your own choices and reasons to support them.

Contact Person:

Lynda Wolverton ext. 6218 or [email protected]

Activity Sheet:

This is available as a PowerPoint if you would like a copy.

FlowersRose Dandelion

MoneySpender Saver

TreesOrange Tree Oak Tree

Pine Tree

NourishmentSoda Pop Jello

Relationships

Mood

BING

BANG

BONG


Title: All on the Same Page

Time:

15 minutes

Activity Level:

Low

Purpose: Understanding and defining academic expectations and experiences

Materials:

No Materials

Here’s how:

1. Instructor introduces class to syllabus. 2. Instructor prompts:

a. Write down five attributes of the best teacher you ever had. b. How old were you when you had him/her? c. Did you do well in the class? d. Now, list five attributes of a good student. e. Discuss similarities and differences between instructors’ and students’

attributes (you may want to write lists on board or let a student). f. Reinforce that learning is hard work and requires practice both

independently and together. Use the attributes to reinforce classroom guidelines on the syllabus.

Example:

Attributes of the best teacher: patient, friendly, knows the subject, fair, fun I was in the 4th grade; I did great in the class. Attributes of a good student: study hard, come to class, complete homework, participate, make good grades on tests. “One of the attributes of a good student that we all agreed on is that good students come to class. You will have an advantage to learning the material if you are here. The syllabus says that if you miss more than three classes, then you will be dropped from the class. So set a goal to come each class time so that you will have every advantage to pass this class and get closer to your degree.”

Tips:

See if students can come to a consensus on the best attributes of both instructor and students.

Variations:

Contact Person:

Courtlann Thomas, ext. 6267 or [email protected]

Activity Sheet:

None


Title: Birthday Line

Time:

You give the group a time limit – the shorter, the more fun!

Activity Level:

Low

Purpose: Icebreaker

Materials:

No Materials

Here’s how:

Have the group stand in a line. Then, have each person rearrange the line based on the month and day of their birth WITHOUT talking. You must give them a time limit to complete this task.

Example:

Line should start with folks born in January

Tips:

Have folks talk about their experience at the end.

Variations: N/A

Contact Person:

Kim Pearsall, ext. 6111 or [email protected]

Activity Sheet:

NONE


Title: Class Interview

Time:

15 minutes

Activity Level:

Medium

Purpose: Everyone knows everyone else’s name and some interesting things about each other.

Materials:

Class Interview Sheet

Here’s how:

1. Have students complete prompts: Name, job, degree goals, my dream vacation, If I had a million dollars, I would, and I’m most proud of.

2. Fold paper in half and collect papers and place in a box. 3. Have students begin selecting a paper at random out of the box. Ask

each student to introduce the students whose sheet they selected. 4. Once everyone has been introduced, redistribute papers and have

students complete the bottom portion of the prompts that only you will see: Other courses, 1st time in college, phone number, e-mail, class list.

Example:

Name: Jackie Jacobson Job: Hostess at Applebee’s Degree Goals: Associate of Arts Dream vacation: Europe especially Spain If I had a million dollars, I would: Buy a new house and pay off all my student loans. I’m most proud of: Being the first in my family to go to college.

Tips:

Personally complete the class interview sheet and share it as an example of how you would like the class to complete the information.

Variations: You may modify or add information that you want to collect about your students by changing the prompts.

Contact Person:


Activity Sheet:

Attached to photocopy

Class Interview

Name:_______________________ Job:_________________________ Degree Goals:______________________ My dream vacation:_____________________________ If I had a million dollars, I would ____________________ I’m most proud of:_________________________________________________ Other Courses I am taking this term: _________________ _________________ 1st time in college: ___yes ___no _________________ _________________ ____________________________________________________ (After each student is introduced by a peer; then return the sheet to the original owner and complete the following information for the Professor) Phone number:________________________ Polk State Email: ____________________________ Alternative Email:____________________________ Check may or may not in the below sentence. (Professor’s name) __may or __may not add my email to a class list.


Title: Do You Fit?

Time:

15 minutes

Activity Level:

Medium

Purpose: Help students get to know each other

Materials:

Activity Sheet

Here’s how:

1. Have students mill around and try to locate a person that fits one of the different descriptions listed on the activity sheet. 2. Have students record the student’s name beside the description. 3. Use each student twice at the most.

Example:

Tips:

You may add or subtract to the information listed. Make sure that you do not have more questions than twice the number of students in the class.

Variations: (For Math) Create several different math problem sheets and distribute randomly to class. Have students work in pairs to complete the math sheets. Once the sheets have been completed, create a master sheet that has a least one question from each of the practice sheets. Have students circulate to find others that completed the problems correctly.

Contact Person:

Matina Wagner, ext. 5244 or [email protected]

Activity Sheet:

Attached


Title: Dream Concert

Time:

20 minutes (for a class of 30)

Activity Level:

Low

Purpose: To make the students feel that class might be fun while introducing themselves to the class and professor. Also, this takes roll on the first day and distributes the course documents.

Materials:

Class roster, index cards, course documents

Here’s how:

1. Hand out index cards to the students and tell them to write their name, contact info, and three things about themselves on the cards. 2. Tell the class a little about yourself and put all the course documents on the table in front of you. 3. Tell the students that you will call their names off the roster. When their names are called, ask them to stand up and tell the class one thing about themselves. Also, they should say if they could bring back one musician or singer from the dead along with his or her band for a concert tonight, which one would it be and why. 4. Next, have the students bring the cards up to you and take the course documents. 5. Keep the cards (which should be in alphabetical order) so that you can contact a student and read the cards to learn about them.

Example:

Tips:

Some students might say that they do not know who to bring back. For these students, ask them a silly question like, “What is your favorite planet or dinosaur, or who is your favorite Ninja Turtle or Nintendo character?”

Variations:

Contact Person:

Richard Decker, ext. 6252, LLC 2247, [email protected]

Activity Sheet:


Title: Have You Ever…

Time:

5 minutes

Activity Level:

Low to Medium (stand up/sit down at desk/table)

Purpose: Learn about each other; get energy circulating

Materials:

Have you ever sheet (attached)

Here’s how:

Instructor reads, “Have you ever” and then completes the sentence with the various statements on the sheet. If it applies to the student, then the student stands beside desk. Instructor reads the next statement, and if it applies, the student remains standing; if not then he/she sits down.

Example:

“Have you ever taken a math course before this one at Polk State College?”

Tips:

You can use this half way through the class to help students refocus.

Variations: You can ask questions that are content related. True-stand; False- sit: “It is true that a negative multiplied by another negative equals a positive?” Do you fit?

Contact Person:

Kim DeRonda, ext. 6256 or [email protected]

Activity Sheet:

Activity sheet attached.

Have You Ever…

Lived overseas Changed clothes in a car

Ridden a horse Ridden a mechanical bull

Gone skydiving or bungee jumping Lived alone

Sung karaoke Been in a play

Broken a bone Do you have brothers/sisters

Played an organized sport

Won a radio contest Been in a mosh pit or crowd surfed

Been to a concert Dyed your hair

Can you speak more than one language Played an instrument

Been ice-skating Seen snow

Do you have a child/children Fist fight

Been on TV Seen a play on Broadway

Eaten goat Fallen asleep at the movies

Fallen down the stairs Met a celebrity

Milked a cow Tried to skateboard

Experienced an earthquake Shaken hands with a monkey

Hitchhiked


Title: Introductions

Time:

10 minutes

Activity Level:

Low

Purpose: Learning names through repetition

Materials:

No materials

Here’s how:

1. Have first student introduce him/herself. 2. Second person introduces him/herself and then reintroduces the first

person by name. 3. The third student introduces self and then reintroduces the second

student. .. and so it goes…. Until everyone has introduced him/herself and the person prior to him/her.

Example:

First student: “Hi, my name is Lisa.” Second student, “I’m Nancy, this is Lisa.” (points to Lisa or has Lisa stand) Third student, “Hi, I’m Matt, and this is Nancy.”

Tips:

Instructor may want to be second to introduce him/herself so that he/she can model progression.

Variations: You may modify or add information that you want to collect about your students by asking for additional information.

Contact Person:


Activity Sheet:


Title: Jelly Bean Activity

Time:

5 – 10 minutes

Activity Level:

Low or medium depending on if you have them seated and sharing with students around them or mixing around the room to locate a partner

Purpose: Team building/Class building – learn something about others in class and have fun

Materials:

Jelly beans Handouts of the jelly bean color and characteristics

Here’s how:

1. Student picks favorite color jellybeans from a bowl on table/desk when entering classroom. Consider color and task before selecting.

2. Find someone with the same combination – (Instructor asks questions depending on objective for students).

Example:

Questions (select 1 – 3 questions to ask students) Who they are and what they do? Was the description of the jellybean valid for their personality? In what ways are they like the jellybean color description they selected? In what ways are they not like the jellybean color description they selected? In what ways are they alike or different from their partner?

Tips:

Let students know that no one is just one color, but one color is dominant. All of us have the various traits associated with other colors. This is important to realize when dealing with others. We should be able to empathize with those who see things differently and deal with problems differently than we do.

Variations: Student selects two jelly beans instead of one. Selecting a partner: Student could find someone with a different jelly bean color rather than the same color to discuss questions with.

Contact Person:

Nelson Marquez, ext. 5751 or [email protected] and Beverly Woolery, ext. 5403 or [email protected]

Activity Sheet:

Activity sheet attached.

mailto:[email protected]�

Jellybean Activity With a large mixed selection of each color of jelly bean, ask each person to take two, considering the color of the jelly bean and, to some extent, the taste of it, but given a decision, to go with the preferred color. Tell them to hold the beans and not to eat them. Pass around the bowl(s) of jellybeans and then give the following explanation:

1. Pick 2 jellybeans representing favorite color. 2. Find somebody with same combination. 3. Find out (these questions can be changed depending on your objective):

a. Who they are and what they do. b. What they would like to accomplish during this workshop.

The jellybean colors you have chosen tell us something about your personality.

or Black • This individual is highly structured and organized. • Surroundings are neat. • If given an assignment such as a paper of bibliography; wants to know how many pages, exact

requirements, and number of entries. • Always wants to know the rules. • Memorizes things well. • Can't stand unorganized, sloppy people. • Deliberates before making decisions. • Sometimes appears to others to be aloof or standoffish. This is often a perception, not realty.

Green • Loves recognition. • These people are seen as leaders, usually in highly visible positions. • They are respecters of authority and tradition. • They are decisive, directive, and focused. • They love white or black jellybean people to organize their projects for them - then they take all of

the credit.

Yellow • Not usually outspoken. • Always in a state of transition, whether they are 8 or 80. • Usually smart, and innovative, often artistic. • Sometimes confused in making decisions, not sure where they are supposed to be. • Hard workers. • Exciting to be with-will try anything as long as it's safe. • Spiritual aspects are usually important to them. • They look at things with perspective and respect other people's opinions.

Blue • Cheerful and good-natured. • Have the ability to get along well with almost anyone. • They are friendly and have a ready smile. • Usually have a quick wit. • Fluent, often eloquent and profound in speech. • Do not like to be left alone. • Enjoy life and inspire others to reach their highest potential.

Red or Pink • Those who choose red are courageous and their energy seems boundless. • Smile much of the time. • If they see someone not smiling, they will ask what the problem is. • Genuinely care about people and become involved in other's problems. • Highly influenced by others, share their sadness or grief. • Makes their decisions with feelings, acts on the impulse of the heart, spends a great deal of time on

the phone, usually listening to others. • Quality communicators. • Sensitive, enthusiastic friends and lovers.

Violet • Flirty and passionate. • Highly creative, highly excitable. • Have new ideas and are visionaries. • Short attention spans-can't stay in one place for very long. • Disorganized, often choosing to close doors rather than deal with the organization. • Procrastinators who thrive on chaos, enjoy the challenges of different problems. • Have a problem dealing with highly structured time. • Questioning-when given an assignment, asks why it must be done a certain way, want to do it

differently. • Set high standards for themselves and those who work for them – hard to work for.

Ask for a show of hands of those who think the color description of the jellybean they chose is valid for them, as they perceive themselves. This is statistically 70% valid (about 3/4 of the participants should raise their hands).

Emphasize the following: No one is just “one color,” but one color is usually dominant. All of us have some of the various traits associated with other colors. This is important to realize when dealing with others. We should be able to empathize with those who see things differently and deal with problems differently than we do.


Title: Leave Them Alone

Time:

15-20 minutes

Activity Level:

Low to high depending on the students

Purpose: Students learn each others’ names. This activity reinforces active learning as well as accountability for learning.

Materials:

None

Here’s how:

1. Tell students that you are leaving the classroom for 5 or 10 minutes. 2. Tell them that during that time they each need to figure out a way to learn 5

or more of their classmates’ names. 3. Do not give instructions on how they are going to proceed—let the students

figure it out. 4. Instructor leaves the classroom for the allotted amount of time. 5. When instructor returns, ask for volunteers to introduce 5 peers. 6. As each individual is introduced, instructor repeats name and welcomes

them to class. 7. Ask additional volunteers until everyone has been introduced and instructor

has repeated the name and greeted every student in class. Example:

Tips:

Students will use various methods to get the information; some will write down names, others will memorize names and some will not participate. The point is to get them active and have them decide at what level they will participate. Another “carrot” is to give each successful (5 or more names) volunteer something, such as pencil or chocolate. This will help motivate additional engagement.

Variations: Contact Person:


Activity Sheet:

None


Title: Little Known Secret

Time:

10 minutes

Activity Level:

Low- medium

Purpose: Instructor and students learn each other’s names.

Materials:

Name Roster; 3 x 5 cards

Here’s how:

1. Ask each student to write one thing about him/herself that no one or very few people know on a 3 x 5 card.

2. Take submissions and create a chart. 3. Have the group find the student for each unique item (little known secret).

Example:

Attached

Tips:

Ask students to submit information that they are comfortable sharing with the group, nothing too personal or embarrassing.

Variations: If using video source, then have student speak name.

Contact Person:


Activity Sheet:

None

Example --

Little Known Secret Submissions:

Secret Name

I’ve been skydiving twice.

I hate carrots and green beans.

I have twelve sisters and brothers.

I’ve seen the “Last Supper” in person.

This morning I ate my favorite candy bar for breakfast, Milky Way.

My mom was born in China.

I didn’t buy any textbooks last term and made straight A’s.

I like to fix cars.

My children graduated from college; now it’s my turn.

I like to ballroom dance.

I own a horse and work on a ranch.

I used to cook and sell boiled peanuts.

I was born and raised in Florida, and I hate orange juice.

I’ve swallowed a goldfish.

I have 29 tattoos.

I’m the only one in my family that has gone to college.

My first job was working at a carwash.

I love to sing Karaoke.


Title: M&M Game

Time:

5 – 10 minutes

Activity Level:

Low – small groups of 4 -6

Purpose: Team building activity - Introduce students to each other - Chocolate lovers

Materials:

Bowl full of M&M candy

Here’s how:

1. Student selects a couple of M&M’s from a candy bowl 2. Instructor has students divided into small groups 3. Instructor will call out an M&M color/question or will have color/question on

overhead or board for students to see 4. Students will go around the table/ group (4-6) and answer question 5. Instructor repeats a different color/question until all colors are selected

Red candy: favorite hobbies

Green candy: favorite foods Yellow candy: favorite movies Orange candy: favorite places to travel Brown candy: most memorable or embarrassing moment Blue candy: wild cards (they can share anything they choose)

Example:

Instructor calls out red M&M and students that have a red M&M share their favorite hobbies with their group.

Tips:

Tell students to not eat candy until after the activity.

Variations: You can be creative and select any questions that you think would be fitting for your group. You could also use skittles, jelly beans, or other colored candy. You might have to change the color names/questions according to candy color.

Contact Person:

Beverly Woolery, ext. 5403 or [email protected]


Title: Me, too

Time:

5 - 10 minutes

Activity Level:

Low – small groups

Purpose:

Team building

Materials:

Box of paperclips

Here’s how:

1. Everyone in group gets 3 - 5 paperclips. 2. The first student states something he/she has done. 3. Everyone that has done the same thing admits it and puts a paperclip in the

middle of the table. 4. Continue around the group until someone has run out of paperclips.

Example:

Examples of things students would say 1. Eaten frog legs 2. Visited another country

Tips:

If students are sitting at individual desks, have them turn desks inward to have groups of four.

Variations: Could use toothpicks, pennies, small pieces of candy, etc. Could use more paperclips for extended time.

Contact Person:

Beverly Woolery, ext. 5403 or [email protected]


Title: My N.A.M.E.

Time:

10 minutes

Activity Level:

Medium


Materials:

No Materials

Here’s how:

1. Give students 5 minutes to think of interesting facts about themselves that correspond to the letters of their first name.

2. Have each participant share his or her acronym.

Example:

“Hi, I’m Logan. L is for Led Zepplin, my favorite rock group; O is for Ohio, where I was born; G is for German, the only foreign language I know; A is for Aunt Wendy, my favorite aunt; and N is for Nice because I’m a nice guy.

Tips:

1. If students get stuck, tell them they do not have to follow the rules strictly. L could stand for “loving chocolate.”

2. Be prepared to share your own acronym as an example for the class.

Variations: Instead of acronyms about themselves, have students make acronyms corresponding to their work or a current project that they are working on.

Contact Person:


Activity Sheet:

No


Title: Name Plates

Time:

15 minutes

Activity Level:

Medium


Materials:

8.5 x11 Cardstock paper folded horizontally to make a “tent.” I also take colored pencils and markers.

Here’s how:

1. Have students create a name plate. 2. Have students draw 2 or 3 symbols that represent something about them or

interests. 3. Have each participant share his or her interests.

Example:

“My name is Jill.” I drew an orchid because I raise orchids at home, and it’s my favorite flower; the three little children represent my three children at home, ages 14,12, and 5; and I drew a mortar because eventually I’d like to be a pharmacist.”

Tips:

1. If students get stuck, tell them they can draw anything, such as their favorite candy bar.

2. Be prepared to share your own name plate as an example for the class. 3.

Variations: Create specific instructions such as a symbol that represents their degree or advising track, current job, and hobby.

Contact Person:

Richard Decker, ext 6252 or [email protected]

Activity Sheet:

No


Title: Numbers Game for Math - How Fast Can You Count?

Time:

5-7 Minutes

Activity Level:

Low

Purpose: This activity helps students relax and realize that there are ways to make learning easier and quicker. It also is an introduction to using numbers that is non-threatening and fun.

Materials:

Handout sheet

Here’s how:

1. Give each student one (1) How Fast Can You Count sheet. 2. Have them find the number 1 and put their pencil on it. 3. Tell them they will have 30 seconds from the time you say “start” to circle

as many numbers as they can in numerical order: 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. 4. When the 30 seconds are up, each student shares with the class how many

numbers he/she found. 5. Now have the students divide the paper into 4 quadrants (see example). 6. Repeat the activity after you have told the students when looking for the

numbers to start in the top right quadrant, top left quadrant, bottom left quadrant, bottom right quadrant. Continue the pattern until the 30 seconds are up. This time they will be putting an X on the numbers.

7. When the 30 seconds are up, each student tells the class how many numbers they found.

Because the brain locates patterns and uses smaller “chunks” of information more quickly than random direction, most students should be able to locate more numbers when using the 4 quadrants.

Example:

See attached.

Tips:

See provided examples.

Variations: Math begins with the top right quadrant and moves counterclockwise. Reading begins with the top left quadrant and moves clockwise (Different handout for reading).

Contact Person:

Karen Greeson, ext. 6215 or [email protected]

Activity Sheet:

Two sheets: one is the activity, the other an example. The sheet with numbers only is the one that you give to the students. The second sheet is an example of where to have the students draw their lines to create 4 quadrants.

Perpetual Calendar Instructions:

1. Find the column for the year and the row for the century to the corresponding letter. 2. From the month, read across to the letter above (second chart). 3. From that column and the row of the date, read the day of the week. Example: February 15, 1992: century digit = 19, year 92 = letter B (this is a leap year) Leap February letter B = column 6, column 6 with 15 = SA (Saturday)

Numbers in bold are leap years. 00 01 02 03 04 05

06 07

08 09 10 11

Centuries divisible by 400

12 13 14 15 16 are also leap years.

17 18 19 20 21 22

That is: 2000 was a leap year, 23 24 25 26 27 1900 was not.

28 29 30 31

32 33

34 35

36 37 38 39

40 41 42 43 44

45 46 47 48 49 50

51 52 53 54 55

56 57 58 59

60 61

62 63

64 65 66 67

68 69 70 71 72

73 74 75 76 77 78

79 80 81 82 83

84 85 86 87

88 89

90 91

92 93 94 95

96 97 98 99

Century Digits

26 22 18 a b c d e f g 25 21 17

c d e f g a b

24 20 16

e f g a b c d 23 19 15 f g a b c d e

Leap Year January g a b c d e f Leap Year February d e f g a b c

January

f g a b c d e

February

c d e f g a b

March

c d e f g a b

April

g a b c d e f

May

e f g a b c d

June

b c d e f g a

July

g a b c d e f

August

d e f g a b c

September

a b c d e f g

October

f g a b c d e

November

c d e f g a b

December a b c d e f g 1 8 15 22 29 M Tu W Th F Sa Su 2 9 16 23 30 Tu W Th F Sa Su M 3 10 17 24 31 W Th F Sa Su M Tu 4 11 18 25

Th F Sa Su M Tu W

5 12 19 26

F Sa Su M Tu W Th 6 13 20 27

Sa Su M Tu W Th F

7 14 21 28 Su M Tu W Th F Sa

Name Strategies

Title: Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Time:

10-15 minutes

Activity Level:

Low

Purpose: Learn names of students with pictures

Materials:

Flip cam; digital camera; or phone with camera capabilities

Here’s how:

1. Take each students picture holding up a piece of paper with their name on it.

2. Study the photographs to learn students’ names.

Example:

Tips:

Ask permission and tell students that you are not posting their pictures anywhere (internet, PAL) unless they give permission. Once you learn names you can delete the pictures.

Variations: If using video source, then have student speak name.

Contact Person:

Lynda Wolverton, ext. 6218 or [email protected]

Activity Sheet:

None


Title: Ready, Set, Reorganize

Time:

15 minutes

Activity Level:

Medium


Materials:

No Materials

Here’s how:

1. Divide group in half; lines face each other. 2. Announce category (first name). 3. Both teams reorganize themselves alphabetically by first name as quickly

as possible. 4. Repeat for different categories (favorites foods, chronological birthdays,

pet’s name, alphabetically by degree, etc.)

Example:

Tips:

1. Think of more categories than you will use. 2. Stop the game when the energy or enthusiasm starts to fade.

Variations: If group is larger, separate students into three groups instead of two. Give small

prizes for the fastest team. After teams sort by name, have class sort by name as one team.

Contact Person:


Activity Sheet:

No


Title: Two Truths and One Lie

Time:

10 -15 minutes

Activity Level:

Low

Purpose: Help students get to know each other

Materials:

Paper and pencil/pen

Here’s how:

1. Ask students to write down two truths and one lie about themselves. 2. Have each student introduce him/herself and then read the three

statements. 3. The class tries to decide which statement is the lie.

Example:

“Hi, My name is Mary. I was born in Puerto Rico; I just moved into my own place, so I don’t live with my parents any longer, and I ran a marathon last December.” (One of these statements would be false)

Tips:

Ask students to think of unique things about themselves.

Variations: Add more truths and lies

Contact Person:

Matina Wagner, ext. 5244 or [email protected]

Activity Sheet:

First Day Strategies...You have most likely talked to 3 people before class began. If you chose Jello, you are a firm minded student, ready to listen, ready to take notes. Square 3:

Documents