Tag Archives: Large group

New ideas!

How do we begin building group dynamics in the small or large group? Facilitators have shared with me some great ice-breakers and have left the supplies in the grey drawer:

a. Throwing ball competition (from Shaya and Emily bought the plastic balls): This is for the small group. You divide the mini-group into 2 and each group is one one side of the room with an imaginary line between the two. In 1 minute, each team will throw the balls to the other group (you get to time this activity). After the minute is over, the winner will have the least number of balls on their side.

b. Knots (from Kieran and the supplies are in the set up is already done): This is for the large group. You divide the large group into 3 (4 participants in each table). There will be four cups on the table and the participants has to use an orange string (each person holds one side of the string) to maneuver the cups in a certain pattern – i.e. as a row, stack up after another, or pyramid. The winning team will finish the task first.

c. Story-telling (Cole and Serb): This is for the small group. Each person gets to pick one word to write down on a piece of paper. A snowball fight begins and each individual receives one piece of paper. As a group, a story has to be formed as each individual contributes one/two sentences using the word they have picked.

d. Charades (Kieran): This is for the small group. The group is divided into two and each group 'presents' together. In the group of three people, two people will act out what is written on the powerpoint slides (i.e. Kolbs Cycle) and the other individual has to guess the word written.

e. Ninja (Deb, Kyle, Jeff): This is for the small group. Each individual gets one 'action' – to block/attack the other person using their arms. This is done in quick succession and the winner is the person who isn't 'hit'.

f. How would you describe me in 3 words (Rowshan): This is for the large group. Each person has a piece of paper and they will talk to 3 other individuals. When each chat is done, they will write 3 words to describe the individual.

As with any activity, these will require modifications based on the participants and grouping.

Ice breaker!

All My Neighbors

This could be a good large group ice breaker.

from the Cornell Trainer Network Icebreaker-Mini Conference held on July 2nd, 1996

This game is a distant cousin to “musical chairs”. Everyone begins by sitting on chairs in a circle with the facilitator standing in the middle. Facilitator explains that the person in the middle needs to find some “neighbors”. To do so, they’ll make a true statement about themselves and hope that it will be true for others. Everyone that “identifies” with the statement has to then stand up and go to the middle of the circle. When facilitator indicates (using chimes, etc.) everyone who is standing in the centre needs to find an empty chair and sit. This means that someone will be without a chair, and they get to go to the middle and find some “neighbors.”

After giving the above instructions, the facilitator begins with something like: “All my neighbors wearing blue jeans”. At this, everyone who is wearing jeans should jump out of their seats and go to the centre. When facilitator indicates, everyone in the centre will look for an empty seat. The odd person outgoes to the middle. And so on!

This game can easily last ten to fifteen minutes.

Next time

Last week’s ISW: I felt like my Lesson Basics theme sessions were not as strong as they could have been, and then felt like those aspects were lacking in my group’s mini-lessons. Could be anecdotal, but left me with a real motivation to have those theme sessions in good shape for my next ISW, and hopefully that will be reciprocated in the mini-lessons.

New ideas!

If you want to form some random groups, take paper clips in various colours (depending on how many participants you want in one group, count them in advance and pick the appropiate number of different colours). Then, go around the circle and ask everyone to choose one paper clip from the pile in your hands (or a small box) followed by announcing that everyone with colour x will be in one group etc.

Fun fact: Came up with it on the fly when I forgot to prepare my groupings and all I had available was one of our boxes with stickies, pens and other material, including paper clips!