Ice breakers are essential for the first day of school, especially when dealing with shy high school students. These activities are not only great for breaking the ice but also for promoting class interaction and team-building. Here are some interesting ice breaker questions, creative conversation starters, team-building activities, competitive games, and resources for high school students.
Interesting Ice Breaker Questions for the First Day of School:
High schoolers may find questions like “What’s your favorite color?” boring. Instead, try these engaging questions:
– What’s your go-to app when you open your phone?
– Describe your school day in a five-word story.
– What emoji, GIF, or meme describes you best?
– If you had to spend 24 hours with a family member, who would you choose?
– What hobby or activity have you quit in the past?
Creative Conversation Starters and Discussion Topics:
Move beyond simple introductions with these conversation starters:
– When do you send a text versus calling someone on the phone?
– Would you describe yourself as laid back or anxious?
– Where would you like to be in five years? What about ten years?
– How can you tell if a teacher is going to be nice or not?
– What do you hope your friends think about you?
Team-Building High School Icebreaker Activities:
Encourage teamwork with these fun activities:
– Guess That Song
– Guided Description
– Classroom Playlist
– Comic Strip
– Lines and Blobs
– Collaborative Story
– Student Survivor
– Copy me
– Group Clap
– Beat the Teacher
Competitive Ice Breaker Games for High Schoolers:
Add some fun competition to the mix with these games:
– Name That Name
– Common Traits
– Adjective Attack
– Backpack Scavenger Hunt
– Unpopular Opinion
– My Other Half
– Trivia Train
– First Day Bingo
– Snowball Fight
– Teacher’s Desk
Ice Breaker Resources for any High School Class:
For more ice breaker ideas, check out these resources:
– Ice Breakers for the First Day of School by Teaching from A-Z
– Conversation Starters Ice Breaker Activities for Team Building & Morning Meeting by Informed Decisions
– Back-to-School Ice Breaker & Getting-to-Know-You Activities for High School by Jenn Liu — Engaging to Empower
High School Ice Breakers for Specific Classes:
Integrate subject matter into ice breakers for specific classes like Math, Science, and Foreign Languages:
– First Day of School Algebra 2 Find Someone Who Ice Breaker by Strength in Numbers
– Chemistry Chat First Day of School Ice Breaker Lab Station Activity by Amy Brown Science
– Bavardons! An ice breaker game for novice (mid to high) French students by Mme B’s French Classroom
– Spanish Back to School Ice Breaker This or That | Beginning of Year Activity by MaestraInTheMiddle
These ice breakers and resources are perfect for starting the school year off right and building a strong classroom community. Try them out and watch your high school students engage and interact like never before!
