FIRST DAY ACTIVITIES - ICE BREAKERS AND MORE! • Getting to know your new students The first day of class is a great opportunity to get to know your new students and find out a little more about them. This Is Me: This is a very simple worksheet for very young learners who may not be able to write. They draw a picture of themselves and several of their favorite things. After they’ve completed their worksheets ask them to stand up and show their pictures to the class. If possible, you may ask them to describe or name some of the things in English. This Is Me (for older students): This one is similar to the above worksheet but for students who are already able to read and write in English. You may also ask them to share the information they’ve written down with the class. The last part of the worksheet is particularly useful for teachers. It asks students basically how much they like certain activities like singing, coloring, playing games, etc. and it will give you an idea as to what type of learner each may be. • In common (Elementary +, 10-20 minutes) Ask students to sit in pairs. Tell them to find five things they have in common and three things they don’t have in common. When they are done, set each pair with another to do the same (five things the two pairs have in common, three they don’t have in common). • Variations on the Name Whip (All levels, 5-15 minutes) The Name Whip is a quick activity for everyone to get to know each other’s names. One person starts by saying “My name is…”. The next person continues, naming the first person and then themselves, “His name is …, my name is …” and so on until the last person has to name everybody. You can vary this by adding more information at the end. Here are some ideas. 1. My name is Maria and I like… 2. My name is Carlos, when I was a child they called me Carlitos (nicknames) 3. My name is James and I am … (job) 4. My name is Pavel and I am … (dream job)* * When you finish this name whip get students in pairs to find out from each other what their real jobs are and why they would like that dream job. • Silent Identification Each participant is asked to write words or draw pictures that describe themselves. This is done silently. They pin he picture on their chests, walk around and have everyone look each other over. Pictures are then shuffled and participants are asked to identify the person to which the picture belongs. • Me Puppets… On the first day of school (unlike the remaining days of the school year), the children are usually reluctant to talk about themselves. We make "me" puppets using paper plates for the head, yarn for the hair, and construction paper facial features, with a popscicle stick for a handle. Upon completion, we stage a puppet show. The children hide their faces with the puppets and tell their classmates all about their families, hobbies, pets, etc. • FIND SOMEONE WHO: 1. had eggs for breakfast ________________________________________ 2. has a younger brother or sister _________________________________ 3. went swimming this summer ___________________________________ 4. likes anchovies on pizza ______________________________________ 5. is an only child ____________________________________________ 6. plays soccer ________________________________________________ 7. is wearing new shoes _________________________________________ 8. loves to draw _______________________________________________ 9. knows how to skateboard _____________________________________ 10. has a pet __________________________________________________ 11. says Reading is his/her favorite subject _________________________ 12. says their favorite color is orange ______________________________ • Guess Who? On the first day, I have students write three unique facts about themselves (a pet's name, favorite sport, talents, and so on). I collect the papers and read a description aloud to the class. The students then guess to whom I'm referring. I continue until all descriptions have been read. I include myself, too! • You can sit down if … 1. Ask the students to stand up. 2. Say 'You can sit down if ...' and finish it according to the level of the group. (For example: ... if you've got a brother; ... if you've never been abroad; ... if you prefer cooking to washing up; etc.) 3. Students sit down if the sentence is true for them. 4. After a few sentences, prompt students to make up their own sentences; or, if you've done the activity before, they can start right away. 5. The activity ends when all pupils have sat down. • Freeze! This game is ideal for little ones! Practice vocabulary with flashcards. First, teach students the meaning of “Freeze!” as stop. Students sit in a wide circle with a set of flashcards in the center. Students pass the ball around the circle. Tell them they can’t hold the ball for more than a second. Cover your eyes while they do this and say, “Freeze!” The student who has the ball must stop and take a flashcard from the pile. Depending on your students’ ages and level, ask them to either say the word or use it in a sentence. • SAUSAGE Any question that you, or the students, ask must be answered with 'sausage' as the subject. For example: What's your name? My name is sausage. This activity always brings a laugh. Try and get your students to think of the best questions that they can. • Introducing oneself First, i write 10 things about myself on the board. I write some easy ones like: 'Bob', '30', 'swimming', etc... And then i write some more obscure ones like: ,'Sage', 'Yes', '8/12/2005', etc... Then i get the students to guess the question to the answer that is on the board. So they would ask: whats your name? how old are you? whats your hobby? whats your dog's name? are you married? when did you get married? after they have figured out the question for each answer, it's their turn. they write down 3-5 things about themselves that maybe their classmates don't know. then they come up to the front of the class, i write their info on the board and the class guesses about the student. • It’s a bomb! This is a great way for students to introduce themselves and learn their classmates’ names in a first lesson. Also a fun way to practice or review possessive pronouns! Have students sit in a circle. Give one of them the ball, and say, “It’s a bomb! The timer is ticking (use an egg timer!)” Tell them they have to say their name, pass the ball, and say their classmate’s name: My name is Juan. Your name is Maria. The student who has the “bomb” when the timer goes off, leaves the circle. Have students re-arrange themselves in the circle so they’re sitting next to different students, and start again. • Who am I? For this activity you will need one sticky note per person. On each note write the name of a celebrity, political figure, cartoon character, book character, etc. You can choose one category or mix them up. Use a different person for each note. Place a sticky note on the back (or forehead) of each participant. The participants are to figure out who they are, but can only do so in the following manner. Find a partner and read each other's sticky notes. You may ask the other person three questions to which there are yes or no answers. Once your questions have been asked and answered, make a guess as to your identity. If you are correct, move the sticky note to your chest and you become a "consultant" who gives clues to those still trying to figure out their identities. If you are not correct, find a new partner and repeat the process. • A word book Create a personalized dictionary that each student will keep for the duration of the course. Hand out a few blank sheets of paper to each of your students, as well as a piece of poster board of the same size. The poster board will be the front cover of their dictionary, which they can decorate as they please. The blank sheets of paper will be the pages of their dictionary. They should write down new words in their dictionaries, with a short definition, example, or drawing. • Funny Holidays (Intermediate +, 30 minutes) Use the cards below. Make enough copies so that each group of 12 students have a set of cards. Students take a card in turn. If it says truth then they must tell a true story about a past holiday. If they choose a card with a destination or holiday already on it, they must talk about an imaginary holiday they took there. Encourage them to make it as fanciful and detailed as possible. The group must guess which is true and which is false. • My Classmates! How well do you know really know your classmates? Find someone who fits each sentence and let that person sign his or her name in the space. 1. ___________________________ has a telephone number that ends with 5. 2. ___________________________ lives more than two hours from school. 3. ___________________________ plans to go to New York this summer. 4. ___________________________ went skiing during winter vacation. 5. ___________________________ rides a motorcycle to school. 6. ___________________________ will go to a movie on Saturday. 7. ___________________________ has two younger brothers. 8. ___________________________ rides a bicycle to school. 9. ___________________________ `s favorite color is blue. 10. __________________________ likes to play volleyball. 11. __________________________ has a birthday in June. 12. __________________________ eats bread every day. 13. __________________________ has a dog for a pet. 14. __________________________ likes to read books. 15. __________________________ can play the guitar. 16. __________________________ does not like cake. 17. __________________________ plays baseball. 18. __________________________ enjoys swimming.
