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Developing icebreakers

These lessons are for use by JEA member teachers and their students. Here are the explicit terms for using this resource:

  1. You may NOT post this lesson, the link to it or the links within it anywhere online. If you are using this material digitally, only your own students may have access. Items are linked as view-only Google docs, so you are encouraged to copy them and add them to your own personal Google Drive to use and adapt. While we encourage you to use and/or adapt these for posting in your own LMS (e.g. Schoology, Canvas, Google Classroom), please do not post these on a personal website or to social media groups.
  2. You may NOT share this resource with others. Colleagues, administrators and other teachers must purchase their own JEA memberships.

Overview

Students will research icebreakers and develop a goal for using their ice breaker with the class. Ice breakers can be used to learn names of staff members, discover personality types of staff members, define the hierarchy of the staff, increase the bond among staff members or to teach a specific journalism skill.

Note: Ideally, use the chosen icebreakers throughout the school year.

  • Students will use research skills to find ice breakers that can be used in class.
  • Students will define the goal/purpose of their ice breaker.
  • Students will execute their ice breaker with the class and evaluate its effectiveness.

Objectives

Common Core State Standards

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CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1�

Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9-10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

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CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.4�Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.

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Links:

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  1. Full lesson narrative – A link to the full lesson narrative.

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  • Examples: Sample icebreakers (zip drive folder; you will need to click to download the contents)

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Approx. two or three 50-min. class periods

Here’s how we’d use this:

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  • Use the slideshow and examples from the zip drive folder to generate ideas about why icebreakers are important and how they can be used effectively to build community.

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  • If you do not have the time for a full research project, you could hold an idea-generating discussion with your students based on the slideshow and sample icebreakers. Alternatively, you could provide the list to a small group of students and have them create a plan with your guidance.

Leadership and Team Building

JEA Curriculum Team

Follow-up or connect with more JEA curriculum:

Set up / materials

  • Computers for research
  • Class set of handouts
  • Current icebreaker materials