Icebreakers

Choose activities that best enhance the lessons, how well the new members know each other, and fit into your time frames. Time requirements are a suggestion.

I Like Me Because

Objectives: To enhance the new members’ self esteemTo establish mutual support and trust

Materials Required:None

Time Requirement:Ten minutes

Procedure:Ask the new members to find a partner-preferably someone that they don’t know well or would like to know better. Have them sit in chairs facing their partners.

Ask them to decide who will go first and then ask them to make eye contact with one another, become comfortable, maintain an open body position (arms uncrossed, etc.) and speak to their partners about the topic “What I like about myself.”

Each person in the pair may talk for two minutes. The passive partner cannot say a word, but through body language should express keen interest in the other person. At the end of two minutes, roles should switch.

Discussion Questions1. What kinds of things do people like about themselves? Were they surface issues (eyes, smile) or were they strengths (hard worker, positive attitude)?2. What kinds of things were noticeably not frequently mentioned?3. Are you reluctant to express a positive self-image to others? Why?4. What are some safe ways in which we can express our self-esteem at school or at work?5. What suggestions do you have for helping to build someone’s self-esteem?6. What was it like not being able to verbally respond to your partner?

Will the Real Ms. Jones please stand up?

Objectives:To allow people to introduce themselves by means of their drawing ability, rather than by words

Materials Required:3 X 5 index cards

Suggested Time Requirement:Approximately twenty minutes

ProcedureNew members are each asked to take on index card. On the front of the card, new members should write their name. On the back of the card, ask them to draw a picture that describes them in any creative way. These can be sketches of themselves, their hobbies, jobs, interests, or family. Anything that can describe them is fair game!

Collect all the cards and place them in a container. A volunteer is chosen at random to pick out a card and look at the drawing, not the name side. They introduce themselves and then tell the group as much as possible about the card owner by interpreting the sketch, making any assumptions or inferences desired. The group is then asked to guess who they think it is.

After each “introduction” the person who drew that sketch stands and clarifies, corrects, or more clearly completes her introduction. That new members then pulls out another card and the process is duplicated. Continue until all new members have been introduced.

Discussion Questions:1. Why do we stick so closely to “just the facts” in our self-introductions name, job, major?2. How comfortable was it disclosing other aspects about yourself through art?3. What was it like to interpret another new member’s drawing?4. What were some interesting things that you learned?

If you suspect that new members will be skeptical about interpreting others’ drawings, you can volunteer to be first and provide a richly developed, previously prepared interpretation of a sister’s drawing.

A Sharper Image

Objective:To become acquainted with your new members

Materials:Pen, Journal

Time Required:Five minutes

Procedure:In any Greek organization, one of the most difficult, yet critical, steps are to become acquainted with the other members. To make the job of introducing yourself a little easier, take a few minutes and consider the following statements. New members may jot down the answers in their journal. New members are asked to share their answers to these questions.

1. Who am I?2. What I value most is:3. What motivates me is:4. What I like most about school is:5. What I like least about school is:6. Money, time, and responsibilities aside, I would rather be doing ______ more than anything in the world.7. Excluding my parents, if I could choose any two people for parents, they would be:

Discussion should evolve from the answers provided.

So Much in Common

Objective:To demonstrate that people often have more in common than not

Materials Required:Copies of the Commonality Exercise Form

Time Required:10 minutes

Procedure:Distribute copies of the Commonality Exercise Form to each new member. Ask team members to find a partner quickly. When given the signal to begin, instruct them to find out as many things as they possibly can that the two of them have in common. Ask them to write down the partner’s name and jot down, in the first column, the items that have in common. At the end of 2-3 minutes, end the session and ask new members to find a new partner, and, at your signal, repeat the process.

Discussion Questions:1. How many of you found more than 15 things in common?2. What were some of the unusual items that you discovered?3. How did you uncover these areas of commonality?4. What implications does this have for us as members of a Fraternity? Of a diverse society?

Commonality Exercise

List the things that you find in common with three other people in the group.

Name: Name: Name:1 1 12 2 23 3 34 4 45 5 56 6 67 7 78 8 89 9 910 10 1011 11 1112 12 1213 13 1314 14 1415 15 1516 16 1617 17 1718 18 1819 19 1920 20 20

Graphics-Self-Disclosure Activities

Objective:To share personal information in a non-threatening way

Materials Required:PaperMarkersCollage materials (construction paper, glue, tape, newspapers, stickers, word cut-outs from magazines, etc)

Time Required:20 minutes per activity

The Road to LifeParticipants are given sheets of newsprint and markers. Each places a dot on the paper to represent her birth. Without lifting the marker from the paper, she portrays a series of critical incidents in her lifetime (birth of sibling, starting school, illness, etc).

AdvertisementsUsing collage materials participants create brochures advertising themselves.

Comic StripParticipants are given paper and pencils and draw lines to divide the paper into twelve equal-sized sections. In each section, they are to depict a significant event in which they were involved.

The Group and IAt the end of the first meeting, distribute paper and markers. Participants divide these papers into as many sections are there are meetings, and post these sheets. Each new member graphically portrays on her sheet her relationship with the group after each session.

Collaborative DrawingThe new member class uses collage materials to make a picture representing their group.

MuralThe new member class can create montage depicting itself. This can be made on a roll of paper using cutouts from magazines. The mural is affixed to the wall, and each new member briefly explains her contribution.

A What?

Objective:To energize a group, icebreaker

Materials Required:Two balls

Time Required:15 minutes

Procedure:Participants stand in a circle facing each other.

One of the new members starts by taking the ball and handing it to the person on their right, saying “This is a banana.” The person now holding the ball inquires, “A what?” The first person repeats, “A banana!”

New member number two then passes the ball to her right and says, “This is a banana.” New member number three then asks new member number two, “A what?” New member number two then turns back to new member number one and repeats the question. Person number one says again, “A banana.”

New member number three then gives the ball to number four and so on as the process above is completed each time the object is passed on.

While the above process is taking place in one direction, person number one takes another ball, hands it to the person on her left, and says, “This is a pineapple.” “A what?” is the reply, and the pineapple takes off to the left.

By the time the two balls collide somewhere in the circle, who’ll be able to say for sure what’s what?

Discussion Questions:1. Was this fun? Frustrating?2. What was it like to be person number one?3. What was it like to be in the area where the balls collided?4. How does this experience mimic real life?5. What are some ways to keep a handle on what’s what?

Best Friend

Objective:To offer opportunity for introductions in a non-threatening mannerTo develop a climate for group interaction by sharing personal information

Materials Required:A Best Friend Introduction sheet (make copies of next page) for each participantSheet of paper for every memberWriting utensils

Time Required:About 30 minutes

Procedure:After briefly discussing the objectives of this activity, the facilitator instructs the group members to “identify in your own mind that one person outside this group who you think knows you better than anyone else-it may be your mother, father, brother, sister, or a close friend. We will call this person your ‘best friend.’”

The facilitator then distributes the Best Friend Introduction sheets and pencils and asks the new member class to complete the sheets according to the instructions given (five to eight minutes.)

Using the data from the Best Friend Introduction sheet, each new member in turn is directed to introduce her as her “best friend” would do so. Other information not on the sheet may also be added to the introduction.

The facilitator leads a discussion of the experience, including relevant questions, comments, and feedback to the participants. The group then discusses what they learned about themselves, and then about each other, as a result of the activity.

Best Friend Introduction Sheet

Instructions: Answer the following questions as you would expect your best friend (outside of this group) to describe you.

I would like to introduce: ___________________________________ (your name)

She is the kind of person who likes:1.

2.

3.

She greatly appreciates and values:1.

2.

3.

Some of her dislikes or pet peeves are:1.

2.

3.

Someday she would like to:1.

2.

3.

Energizers-Group Starters

Objective:To quickly break the ice and engage a group

Procedure:Listed below are several brief activities that can be used at the beginning of a group session to prepare new members for the meeting. An “energizer” should be non-threatening, fun, involve physical movements, stimulate breathing, and provide a shared experience. It is important for the facilitator to indicate that persons with physical limitations need not participate.

The ScreamParticipants stand and close their eyes. They are told to breathe slowly and deeply. Then all members of the group breathe in unison. Continuing to breathe together, they reach up and down and then reach higher and higher. They are instructed to jump up and down in unison and then to scream as loudly as they can.

SongsParticipants stand on their tiptoes and walk about while they sing together to “Tiptoe through the Tulips.” The song and movement are then changed to “Walking through the Tulips,” then running, and stomping. (Other activity songs may be substituted)

MachineOne person goes to the center of the room and acts out the repetitive motion and sound of a part of a machine. Others ad parts to the machine, one by one, until the entire group is involved.

NerfParticipants stand in a circle and bounce a Nerf ball or a balloon in the air as long as possible. Ground rules are as follows: no person may hit the ball twice in a row, the ball must not touch the floor, before the ball can be hit randomly, it must be bounced at least one by each person around the complete circle. The facilitator can count to see how many bounces the group can accomplish.

HumThe facilitator announces that on her signal the group will begin humming. Each participant hums any song that occurs to her. Members are encouraged to interpret their spontaneous choice of songs.

Famous PairsEach member of the group has the name of one-half of a famous pair on her back. Examples include: Abbott and Costello, Laurel and Hardy, Jack and Jill, Batman and Robin, Peanut Butter and Jelly. Each person must find out who she is by asking one question per group member about her identity, using only questions that can be answered with “yes” or “no.” Once the participant discovers her identity, she locates her partner. The object of the game is for the pairs to find their match and then to introduce each other to the group.

M+M gameEach member of the group is instructed to take as many M+Ms as they desire. The group members then reveal something about themselves for each M+M that they took. This can also be done using toilet paper-for each square a person takes, they reveal one thing.

Most Proud ExerciseThe group members are seated in a circle. Each participant is asked to take three minutes to think of one thing in their life of which they are particularly proud. Each participant shares her experience with the group.

New member BingoThe Membership Educator will fill out a sheet of paper with five columns and five rows. The center square is a free space-each new member may place her own question or statement in their free space. Other square examples include “I am left-handed, I was born out of state, I have traveled abroad, I am an only child, I have siblings, etc. The new members then approach each other; new members who meet the requirement may place their initials on the correlating square. Limit the number of initials that can be placed by one person according to the size of your new member class.

Activities

As with Icebreakers, Time Requirements are a suggestion. Other than Dear Amelia, which is utilized in week 1, you may use your discretion in selecting an activity.

Compass: Finding Your Way

Objectives:Establish goals for self and groupGain personal insight

Materials Required:One white candleOne lighter

Time Requirement:30 minutes

Procedure:Ask new members to sit in a large circle. Pass a lighted candle around the circle. As each sister receives it, ask her to answer the questions, “In which direction does Theta Phi Alpha point you?”

Discussion Questions

1. Did anyone have difficulty answering the question?2. Why do we sometimes deviate from the direction in which we are pointed?3. Who can help you find your direction, if need be?

Do I Live My Creed?

Objectives:To set personal goals for improving lifestyleTo realize the impact of Theta Phi Alpha in your daily life

Materials Required:Writing utensilsNewsprint (large sheets of paper)

Time Requirement:Ten minutes

Procedure:Each new members takes one line of the creed at a time and writes about the ways in which they follow it in their daily lives.

A variation of this activity is to focus on the way that they demonstrated that line on the day in question.

Discussion Questions:1. Did you have trouble thinking of an example for every line?2. What can you do differently in order to follow the creed more?3. Do you have an awareness of the creed when you pursue your daily activities?

Positive Self-Concept

Objectives:To demonstrate that it is acceptable for sisters to be proud of themselvesTo stress that it is okay to express self-pride

Materials Required:None

Time Requirement:Approximately ten minutes

Procedure:Have the new members divide themselves into pairs. Ask everyone to write on a sheet of paper 4 or 5 things they really like about themselves. After 3-4 minutes have passed, ask new members to share with their respective partners the items that they identified. Have each person list 4-5 less desirable things about themselves. Again, after 3-4 minutes have passed, ask them to share these items with her partner.

Discussion Questions1. Did you feel comfortable with this activity? Why?2. Were you honest with yourself, or did you hold back on your good traits? Your bad traits?3. Which list was easier to develop?4. What reactions did you get from your partner when your disclosed your strengths? Did the reactions differ when you disclosed your bad habits?

Since most people tend to be overly modest and hesitant to write something nice about themselves, some light encouragement on your part may be needed. For example, you may spontaneously disclose your list, such as “enthusiastic, honest, serious, intelligent, graceful.”

Sayings

Of all the things you wear, your expression is the most important

Nothing keeps a person’s feet on the ground like having a little responsibility placed on her shoulders

Failures are divided into two classes: those who thought but never did and those who did but never thought. - Jon Salak

We are all manufacturers. Some of us make goods, others make trouble, and still others make excuses.

The only people with whom you should try to get even are those who have helped you. -John E. Southard

The best way to forget your own problems is to help someone else solve theirs.

There is a time to let things happen and a time to make things happen.

Nothing great is ever achieved without much enduring. -Saint Catherine of Siena

Sayings

Objective:Getting acquainted, self-disclosure, discussion

Materials Required:NewsprintWriting utensilsCopy the preceding sheet-provide to everyone

Time Required:30 minutes

Procedure:The purpose of this activity is to have group members examine some famous and some not-so-famous sayings, discuss the meanings of them, and see how they apply to their individual experiences and lives.

Divide the new member class into small groups. Give each group one saying from the list (you may also add appropriate inspirational quotes) and have the group discuss the meaning of the quote and how it may be personally applicable. Record the ideas and comments on paper. After 10-15 minutes, reconvene. Each group then shares their statement and comments.

Discussion Questions:1. What did the statement mean to you?2. Did any have a personal meaning for anyone?3. Do any statements have different meanings for different people? Situations?4. Did everyone in the group agree on the meaning?

Personal Scrolls

Objective:Building rapport

Materials Required:Large sheets of paperPens, pencils, markers and/or crayonsMasking tapeYarnScissors

Time Required:Approximately 30 minutes (large new member classes will need more time)

Procedure:Write the name of each new member on a separate sheet of paper.

Hang the sheets of paper on the wall. Give everyone an opportunity to wander around the room and write positive comments or notes to each participant on her sheet of paper.

The sheets are then rolled into scrolls, tied with the yarn and kept by the new members as a keepsake.

Discussion Questions:1. What is it like to see so many positive comments shared by others?2. What is it like to share positive comments for others?

Partner Stretch and Stand

Objectives:Realization of the need for effective communicationTo experience success and a sense of accomplishmentRecognize the positive effects of encouragement

Materials Required:None

Time Required:15-30 minutes

Procedures:Ask participants to find a partner. The presenter and her partner should demonstrate sitting and facing one another, with knees bent, feet flat on the ground, toe to toe. The two should clasp hands. The presenter and her partner should stand up at the same time, still holding hands.

Each set of partners is challenged to do the same. They will find this very easy to do. Now, combine two sets of partners so that there are four people on each team. Again, ask the participants to clasp hands, sit toe-to-toe, and as a foursome, stand up.

After they successfully complete the task, combine the teams into groups of eight to attempt the task.

Discussion Questions:1. How was this exercise?2. What was harder-standing up with two, four or eight people?3. What was significant about the different body sizes in the group?4. How did the roles change as the groups got larger?5. What worked in making it possible to complete the task?6. In what ways did your strategies changes as the group got larger?7. How does this exercise relate to our chapter?8. What can we learn about planning and communication?

Do You Know These Logos?

Objective:To explore a deeper understanding of Ever Loyal, Ever Lasting

Materials Required:Examples of company logosNames of companies (laminated, if possible)

Time Required:10 minutes

Procedure:Have new members match company names to their logos. Possibilities include: Apple Computer, Nike, MasterCard, General Electric, Warner Brothers, Microsoft, Converse, Mercedes-Benz, etc.

Discussion questions:1. Are the logos accurate representations of their companies?2. Was this an easy task? Why or why not?3. What does the Ever Loyal, Ever Lasting logo mean to you?

Personal Coat of Arms

Objective:Self disclosure of values

Materials Required:Pencils, pens, markers and/or crayonsBlank sheets of paper

Time Required:Approximately 20 minutes

Procedure:Distribute blank sheets of paper for each member. Ask each sister to drawn her own personal coat of arms. It is up to her creativity, imagination and artistic ability to develop her personal rendition. The drawing should include symbols which represent her personal values, how the Fraternity fits into her life, and significant influences in her life. A motto should accompany her picture.

Please allow some time for each new member to describe her personal coat of arms and symbols to the new member class.

Discussion Questions:1. What significant things did you learn about others as a result of this exercise?2. Was this difficult? Why?3. What types of symbols were used-did you see a pattern?4. Did anyone use non-fraternity symbols? Did that surprise you?5. What were some similarities and differences seen in the coats of arms?

Acknowledgments

Theta Phi Alpha is grateful for the following organizations, from where some activities were drawn: NIC, Phi Mu Fraternity.

As well, the following publications provided additional resources:

Fluegelman, A. (1981). More new games-and playful ideas from the New Games Foundation. New York: Dophin Books/Doubleday.

Pfeiffer, J.W. and Jones, J.E. (1976). A handbook of structured experiences for human relations training. (3rd Ed.) University Associates.

Stumbo, N.S. and Thompson, S. (1986). Leisure Education: A manual of activities and resources. Pennsylvania: Venture Publishing, Inc.