Web-based Resources for English Language Teaching & Learning
ICE BREAKERS

Leslie Opp-Beckman, University of Oregon
Email: leslieob@uoregon.edu


Lesson Plans, Teaching Tips and Interactive Web Sites

The following web sites contain ideas for ice breakers and community building. Your task is to:

  1. Rate the web sites for use by age group / grade level. Put your recommendation in the "Grade" column.
  2. Indicate whether the ice breaker ideas at each web site:
    • Can be used as-is.
    • Require adaptation (what kind of adaptation).
    • Can not be used at all (why not).
    Put your recommendation in the "Use" column.

Grade

Use

Web Site

 

 

1) ESL Café’s Idea Cookbook, Ice Breakers

http://www.eslcafe.com/ideas/sefer.cgi?Ice:Breakers

Notes:

 

 

2) Games and Activities for the ESL Classroom, Internet TESL Journal

http://iteslj.org/c/games.html

Notes:

 

 

3) Icebreaker Games

http://www.christysclipart.com/ice_breakers.html

Notes:

 

 

4) Icebreakers and Getting-to-Know-You games, from Girl Scouts

http://jfg.girlscouts.org/How/Games/Startinggames.htm

 

 

5) Icebreakers, from Tailor Made Mysteries

http://www.tailormademysteries.com/tmm/partytips/icebreakers.htm

Notes:

 

 

6) Icebreaking Games

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Acres/6690/icebreak.htm

Notes:

 

 

7) Meeting Wizard

http://www.meetingwizard.org/meetings/icebreakers.cfm

Notes:

 

 

8) Open Concept

http://www.openconcept.ca/index.php/Facilitation/30

Notes:

 

 

9) Tell Me More, Chapter 1, Teacher’s Notes

http://iteslj.org/t/tmm/01t.htm

Notes:

 

 

10) University of Hawaii, Break the Ice

http://www.hcc.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/breakice.htm

Notes:

 

 

11) University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Student Organization Advising and Resources

http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/SOAR/Lead/Icebreak.html

Notes:



Directories

Optional: these are additional directory-style resources with lists of other web sites you can visit and evaluate in the future.

Group Skills, from Carter McNamara
http://www.mapnp.org/library/grp_skll/grp_skll.htm

NW Lincs Teachers Toolbox
http://www.nwlincs.org/NWLINCSWEB/teachtool.htm
Look under the category "Fun Stuff."

Teacher Talk Forum, Lesson Plans

http://education.indiana.edu/cas/ttforum/lesson.html
Look under the category "Icebreakers."