Language Arts Ice Breakers

For both teachers and students, the beginning of the school year can be an exciting and challenging time of the year. Teachers prepare for students they have not met, and students are imagining a year of experiences that could be either negative, positive, or both. The way in which teachers choose to build rapport, or establish connections with their class, is a critical component in the level of success to follow. As a language arts teacher, I tend to choose rapport-building activities that both aide in establishing relationships between students and myself, and also provide a means of informal assessment of literacy skills.   

The first day of school is a hectic and nervous experience for my new sixth graders. They are in a new building meeting new teachers. Most students are too concerned about getting to their next class, or remembering their locker combination to focus on any serious topics. Therefore, the first activity that my students engage in is called a name share. Each student is given an index card to draw their name. Each letter in their name should resemble an object that would indicate something about their likes, hobbies, or a physical feature. I show the class a couple examples to get them started (i.e. the name "Tim" may have a golf tee for the letter "t", an ice cream cone for the letter "i", and a dog face with long ears for the letter "m"),and allow ten to fifteen minutes for students to work. If students have trouble drawing, they can make an acrostic poem instead.  After students have completed their index card, they share it with the rest of the class. This is a fun, relaxing ice breaker after fighting through the chaotic hallways!

Another activity I like to have the students complete is "A Letter to the Teacher". This is a three paragraph friendly letter that the students write to me. The first paragraph is about their life (i.e. likes, dislikes, hobbies, friends, and anything personal they feel I should know), the second paragraph is what they think and feel after completing their first week of middle school, and the third paragraph are goals students have for the school year. I collect the letter and give them back to students at the end of the school year. I not only learn a lot about my students, but have a chance to look at writing skills.

In addition to the letter, I also begin narrative writing at this time. Narrative writing is a great way for me to learn about my students while working on their writing skills. After a mini-lesson on narrative writing, I have had students create plays of a favorite memory (complete with play scripts), picture books of a personal experience, or even create a new character and create a story from a specific point of view. Students are able to create these writing assignments using their personal interests and experiences, which again help me to learn more about my students and their literacy skills. The following are other literacy-based activities that both allow students to introduce themselves, and their talents, to you!

Language Arts Lesson Plans:

Does a Picture Say a Thousand Words?: After reading and discussing an article about teenagers, students choose a photograph and create a first person narrative from the perspective of the picture. In this activity, students not only learn about first person narrative, but also have the opportunity to work in small groups. This lesson is a great way for students to both write about something that interests them, and begin working in a collaborative writing environment

Unforgettable: This is an independent activity in which students can relate a personal experience to others. Through learning about narratives and expositions, students retell a memorable experience. Students first read and discuss an article about sky diving, then focus on a personal event. Interviews are conducted to get other perspectives on the chosen experience.

If I Could Talk Like the Animals: In this lesson students read and discuss a review of the movie "Antz". Students then create a monologue for a selected non-human organism. Through this activity students learn about perspective, and can be given the opportunity to demonstrate their creativity.

Summer Shorts: Students are able to use multiple forms of media to create a narrative about their summer. After completing a sequence map to plot the necessary information, students create narratives through word processing. They also can create either a PowerPoint or add their narratives to construction paper shirt and shorts. Not only are students given the opportunity to share information about their lives, but they are also able to demonstrate computer and technology skills.