During class a few weeks ago, one of my fellow pre-service teachers discussed the benefits of using icebreakers in the classroom. She talked about how she would use icebreakers in her elementary class, and it made me want to research icebreakers that would be effective in a middle school setting. Below are three icebreakers that I would like to use in my middle school math classroom.
1. Blobs & Lines
In this icebreaker, students either line up or get in small groups (blobs) according to a certain prompt. I have seen this done both with and without talking. This is a great activity to use because it allows students to quickly see what they have in common with their peers without creating too much anxiety. Some example prompts are:
- Line up alphabetically by your first names.
- Gather with people who get to school in the same way as you.
- Gather with people who have the same favorite holiday as you.
2. This or That
In this icebreaker, students must pick a side between two options. They then must discuss with the group they are in that picked the same side as them and share out to the class as group why they picked this side. This game encourages students to work on both small group and whole class discussions while also getting to know something about each other. Some sample prompts are:
- Would you rather be outdoors or indoors?
- Would you rather live in the country or the city?
- Would you rather travel every single day or never leave home?
3. Giant Jenga
I really like the idea of creating a giant Jenga with random questions on every block because it creates a very relaxed, interactive atmosphere in the classroom. Most students already know how to play Jenga, which should relieve some of the anxiety, and it will make students feel nostalgic if they used to play it when they were little. It will also create many laughs, which is the best form of breaking the ice.
Miss Wieberg 