September 2009
Table of Contents
SOUTH BURLINGTON HIGH SCHOOL MISSION STATEMENT ................. 3
SOPHOMORE ADVISORY MISSION STATEMENT .................................... 3
WHAT IS ADVISORY? ............................................................................ 4
ADVISORY STRUCTURE ........................................................................ 5
Year/Semester Outline ........................................................................ 5
Meeting Schedule ............................................................................... 5
Credit/Assessment ............................................................................. 5
ADVISOR ROLE ..................................................................................... 6
Who is an Advisor?.............................................................................. 6
Advisor Expectations .......................................................................... 6
What is/is not an Advisor?................................................................... 6
Advisor Support .................................................................................. 7
ADVISOR SKILLS ................................................................................... 8
Facilitation ......................................................................................... 8
Building and Maintaining Group Cohesion ........................................ 8
Discussing Tough Topics ................................................................. 9
Active Listening Skills ....................................................................... 10
Debriefing ........................................................................................ 13
GROUP DEVELOPMENT THEORY ........................................................ 14
Stages of Group Development ........................................................... 14
Characteristics and Activities ............................................................ 15
Forming ........................................................................................ 15
Storming ....................................................................................... 16
Norming/Performing ..................................................................... 17
Adjourning .................................................................................... 18
APPENDIX ........................................................................................... 19
Energizers ........................................................................................ 19
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SOUTH BURLINGTON HIGH SCHOOL
MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of South Burlington High School, a
community committed to excellence in
education, is to ensure that each student
possess the knowledge, skills, and character to
create a successful and responsible life. We will
do this by building safe, caring, challenging, and
diverse learning environments, cultivating family
and community partnerships and inspiring lifelong learning.
SOPHOMORE ADVISORY MISSION
STATEMENT
Sophomore Advisory is a place where we create a
safe and respectful environment in which to
promote student self-reflection that will engage
students as active and self-directed learners.
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WHAT IS ADVISORY?
During the spring of 2008, a group of faculty and staff met to prepare
themselves for the Sophomore Advisory program. During one of the
meetings, the participants came up with the following list of
characteristics to help define the program. This is by no means an
exhaustive list, but it certainly helps to paint a clearer picture of the
intent of the program.
Advisory is…
Bonding
A supportive and safe environment
Problem solving
An opportunity to develop social, academic and career goals
Establishing relationships/being a resource
Unconditional acceptance
An environment that promotes respect and risk taking
Helping students feel connected to community
Student-centered
Connecting, guiding
A graduation requirement
A structured, self-reflective process
Advisory is not…
Group therapy
Doing things to build “college résumés”
Case management
A tutoring session
Study hall
Simply social time
To apply pressure
SLAM
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ADVISORY STRUCTURE
Sophomore Advisory
Group Forming Activities
Sophomore Career Unit
Beyond Forming Activities
Intro of Exhibition
Goal Setting
Having Fun
Work on Portfolio
Quarter 3
Quarter 1
Year/Semester Outline
Work on Portfolio
Work on Portfolio
Sophomore Career Unit
Quarter 4
Quarter 2
Complete Portfolio
Practice Exhibition
May 21: Exhibition, Day 1
May 22: Exhibition, Day 2
Closing Activities
June 5: Exhibition, Day 3
Meeting Schedule
Sophomore Advisory meets on Monday and Tuesday during FACE
Time. The meeting runs for the entire period. Expectations in
terms of attendance and behavior for Sophomore Advisory are the
same as those for academic classes.
Credit/Assessment
Successful completion of the program, including the Sophomore
Exhibition, is required to attain Junior status and to progress
toward graduation. Students who have successfully completed
Sophomore Advisory have met attendance requirements, the
deadlines for Sophomore Exhibition, and have been assessed as
passing Sophomore Exhibition.
5
ADVISOR ROLE
Who is an Advisor?
Any member of the faculty/staff is eligible to be a Sophomore
Advisor. As the position of Sophomore Advisor is a duty
assignment, the Principal determines who will be assigned to an
advisory.
Advisor Expectations
The following is a list of minimal expectations for all advisors.
1. All typical procedural expectations (taking attendance,
classroom management, teacher presence, plans for
substitutes, etc.) are in effect for Sophomore Advisory.
2. Attend all professional development meetings.
3. Manage and support the Exhibition progress.
What is/is not an Advisor?
As an advisor, your primary focus is on the advisees in your care,
not on content and assessment. You are not a counselor or social
worker and should make referrals to the appropriate person should
such a need arise. As an advisor, you are not an academic coach,
nor are you a liaison between parents and teachers of any advisee.
Advisors are encouraged to interact with students in a more
personal, informal manner than is possible in the traditional
classroom setting. Often in small groups people tend to take more
risks when sharing personal information. It is important to note,
however, that although advisors are expected to be friendly, they
are not expected to be friends of their advisees. Advisors never
cease being professional educators.
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Different advisors will have different personal limits and
boundaries as to what is appropriate information to share with
advisees within the usual confines of the student-teacher
relationship. This is as it should be; we are all different as people.
The following ideas can be used to further your understanding of
your role as advisor.
1. It is always acceptable to tell an advisee or the group that
you simply are not comfortable discussing the particular
issue at hand. If you choose to do so, please refer him/her
to the appropriate resources for additional support.
2. Whenever you are considering sharing something of a
personal nature, you should always ask yourself “Whose
needs are being met?” and “What is the purpose of sharing
this?” Unless sharing creates a safer environment, promotes
learning or growth, or helps solve student problems, it is
probably not advisable. If comfortable answers to these
questions are not evident, the information should not be
shared.
Advisor Support
The following structures are in place to support all Sophomore
Advisors. Please use them as you see fit.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
An advisory coordinator
Guidance counselors
SBHS Advisor Manual
SBHS Sophomore Exhibition Manual
SBHS Sophomore Advisory Activities Addendum
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ADVISOR SKILLS
Facilitation
Facilitation is about process- how you do something- rather than contentwhat you do. A facilitator is a process guide, someone who makes a
process easier or more convenient…Facilitation makes it easier to get to
an agreed destination (from The Art of Facilitation).
Facilitation is the art of opening doors and windows for
others…facilitation helps the group discover its own wisdom and learning
(from The Appreciative Facilitator).
Building and Maintaining Group Cohesion
 Make sure everyone in the group knows everyone else’s
name
 Foster a collaborative environment
 Develop a set of norms and expectations, and stick to them
 Respect the group development process (see page 14)
 When partnering/grouping students, be creative (avoid
having students just choose their partners/groups)
 Set aside time for fun
 Establish positive and specific habits for all group work
 Debrief when appropriate
 Celebrate success
 Take time to integrate new members
 Set individual goals for participation
 If a group member leaves or is out for an extended period of
time, facilitate the group through a supportive gesture (sendoff, card, etc.)
 Revisit norms and expectations periodically
 Reflect the dynamics of the group back to the group for
consideration
 Encourage full and (reasonably) equal participation
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Discussing Tough Topics
Such topics may arise as the result of the day’s activity, or from an
issue currently facing a group member. A group that is willing to
address difficult topics is a group that is comfortable with itself.
How you facilitate the discussion will dictate whether or not the
group will be willing to tackle another difficult topic. Be open and
honest; maintain a safe and respectful environment. Remember
your role and that you are not expected to discuss anything outside
of your comfort zone. Following are a few more suggestions to
help you process tough topics.
 Be available; show you are paying attention
 Listen and invite participation
 Avoid polarized debate by encouraging students to generate
a list of questions/consider various point of view
 Have a wait time between speakers
 Use a talking object
 Have advisees write down their thoughts and put them in a
hat. Pass the hat around and have individuals pull out a slip
of paper and read what is written. Give the group time to
respond verbally.
 Quickly intervene and diffuse verbal aggression
 Be aware of participants who are especially quiet or acting
out of character; check in with them
 Remember that you are not necessarily the expert on the
topic at hand; make a referral or bring in an expert to help
the group debrief. You can also use the group as a resource
to compare perceptions and find information.
 Be aware of your own biases and how they may influence the
conversation.
 Make sure you are listening and not lecturing.
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Active Listening Skills
1.
S.O.L.E.R. (five steps to attentive listening)





2.
Squarely face the person
Open your posture
Lean towards the speaker
Eye contact maintained
Relax while attending
Paraphrasing: Restating a message, usually with fewer words and
more to the point
 To test your understanding of what you heard
 To communicate that you are trying to understand what is
being said. If you’re successful, paraphrasing indicates
that you are following what the speaker is saying and
you’re beginning to understand the basic message.
When listening, consider asking yourself:
 What is the speaker’s basic thinking message?
 What is the speaker’s basic feeling message?
For example:
S:
L:
S:
L:
I just don’t understand. One minute she tells me to do
this, and the next minute to do that.
She really confuses you.
I really think he is a very nice guy. He’s so thoughtful,
sensitive, and kind. He calls me a lot. He’s fun to go
out with.
You like him very much, then.
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3.
Clarifying: Bringing vague material into sharper focus




To
To
To
To
untangle unclear or wrong listener interpretation
get more information
help the speaker see other points of view
identify what was said
For example:
I’m confused. Let me try to state what I think you were trying
to say.
You’ve said so much, let me see if I’ve got it all.
4.
Perception Checking: Request for verification of your perceptions
 To give and receive feedback
 To check out your assumptions
For example:
Let me see if I’ve got it straight. You said that you love your
job, and that it is very important to you. At the same time,
you can’t stand being there. Is that what you are saying?
5.
Summarizing: Pulling together, organizing, and integrating the
major aspects of your dialog. Pay attention to various themes and
emotional overtones. Put key ideas and feelings into broad
statements. Do NOT add new ideas.
 To give a sense of movement and accomplishment in the
exchange
 To establish a basis for further discussion
 To pull together major ideas, facts, and feelings
For example:
A number of good points have been made about rules for the
classroom. Let’s take a few minutes to go over them and
write them on the board.
We are all over the map this morning. If I understand you
correctly…
The three major points of the story are…
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6.
Primary Empathy: Reflection of content and feelings
 To show that you’re understanding the speaker’s experience
 To allow the speaker to evaluate his/her feelings after
hearing them expressed by someone else
 Basic Formula: You feel (state feeling) because (state
content)
For example:
You’re really scared of losing your relationship if things don’t
get better.
It’s upsetting when someone doesn’t let you tell your side of
the story.
7.
Advanced Empathy: Reflection of content and feeling at a deeper
level
 To try to get an understanding of what may be deeper
feelings
For example:
I get the sense that you are really angry about what was said,
but I am wondering if you also feel a little hurt by it.
You said that you feel more confident about contacting
employers, but I wonder if you also still feel a bit scared.
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Debriefing
During the course of the year, you will facilitate activities that require
some processing, or debriefing. During this time, individuals are
encouraged to reflect, describe, analyze, and communicate what they
have recently experienced. As the facilitator, your main role is to ask
questions that help the group reflect and transfer their insights to other
areas of their lives. The model below can be used to help formulate your
questions. When leading a debriefing session, less is more. As the
facilitator, you should speak the least; let the group respond and own the
learning process. Have a few open-ended, focused questions that get at
your desired learning outcome. Those questions should follow the model
listed below.
WHAT/HOW?
What happened? How did the group operate?
SO WHAT?
What did you learn from this?
NOW WHAT?
Now what will you do differently?
It is important to note that despite a well-planned debrief, the group may
need to unpack the activity in a different manner. Flexibility is an
important characteristic of a good facilitator. If the group seems to be
going in a different direction than you had intended, go with them if you
feel it is a productive one. The following model will help you maintain a
focus in such a situation.
 Ask broad to specific questions about the activity to reel in the
topic
 Ask questions that move away from the activity and put the focus
on the topic
 Ask questions that get individuals to think about how they can
apply what they have learned
Elements of a good debrief







Clear ground rules are established and followed
Participants feel safe to share
The group is ready to work on the desired learning outcome
Participants do the most talking
Facilitator keeps the debrief focused and on track
Participants have closure and are ready to move on at the end
Facilitator remembers topics that may need to be revisited
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GROUP DEVELOPMENT THEORY
Stages of Group Development
Forming




Getting acquainted, being polite
Is it safe to be myself? Who is a member? Who is in charge?
Group relies heavily on facilitator for direction
Give information rather than solutions
Storming




Individuals voice opinions, disagreements arise
What are the rules when we don’t agree?
Group may resist ground rules, facilitator input
Redirect as necessary; watch out for frustration overload
Norming




Group develops its own rules, begins to show support
I’m comfortable…How can I maintain the status quo?
Most groups never rise above this level
Acknowledge successes; invite group into the “stretch zone”
Performing




Team mentality: member goals merge with team goals
How are my choices for the good of the team?
Members are more flexible, resourceful, cooperative
Invite group to dream big/challenge themselves
Adjourning (added about 10 years after the initial model was developed)





End of the day or end of the group
How can I get a sense of closure? Will I see you again?
Members focus on relationships, not tasks
Recap the learning
Co-create an ending ritual
Bruce Tuckman, 1965
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Characteristics and Activities
Forming
Characteristics
What Needs to Happen
Eager, excited
High expectations
What’s my role?
What’s our purpose? Goals?
How will I fit in?
Who’s who? Checking things out
Cautious, hesitant, nervous
Dependence on leader
Low task productivity
Low group skill competence
Quick satisfaction important
Clarify goals and purpose
Set boundaries
Include all members
Demonstrate acceptance
Encourage participation
Get to know each other
Active listening
Develop decision making
process
Advisor sharing of him/herself
Create security
Find commonalities
Activities to Do
Activities to Avoid
Name games
Blind walks
Line-up games
Anything “heavy”
Brainstorming
Problem solving
Be silly
Discuss beginnings…how people get to know each other
Discuss trust and lack of trust
Goal setting
Time capsules, letters to future self
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Storming
Characteristics
What Needs to Happen
Reality sets in
Low morale
Enlist rebel leader?
Degree of resistance equates
desire for advisor attention
Revise and clarify rules
Identify and acknowledge
conflict and frustration
Maintain open communication
Frustration with group procedures
Poor decision making
Power struggles, competition
Slow increase of skill development
and task accomplishment
Focus on “I”, not “we”
Inappropriate behavior
Polarizations, cliques
Members withdraw physically
and emotionally
Feeling of being stuck
Pecking order established
Blaming
Activities to Do
Teach conflict resolution
Support and encourage
participation
Foster relationships
Share feelings
Share leadership
Break up cliques
Activities to Avoid
Individual skill development
Sensitive personal issues
Tasks that emphasize personal
Overstimulation
and group success
Basic trust games
Value differences
Rely on each other
Discuss and practice conflict resolution
and problem solving
16
Norming/Performing
Characteristics
What Needs to Happen
Increasing
Increasing
Increasing
Increasing
Increasing
Acknowledge; celebrate
Revisit norms
Manage conflicts
Identify differences
Use differences to solve
conflicts and resolve problems
Include all members
Revisit goals
Focus on skill development
Identify next steps
Allow quiet time
task accomplishment
moral and harmony
shared leadership
inclusion
skill development
Increasing humor
Decreasing tension/frustration
Increasing trust, respect, optimism
Increasing group cohesion
More honest sharing of feelings
Advisees ask for help from
each other
Unpacking of emotional baggage
Successful conflict negotiation
Effective use of time
Group diagnoses/solve problems
Plan for closure
Support open communication
Activities to Do
Activities to Avoid
Establish traditions
Trying something new
Keeping all control
Interfering with
group/individual growth
Let advisees be the experts
More complicated problem solving
Community service
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Adjourning
Characteristics
What Needs to Happen
High task accomplishment
Shared leadership
High morale
Evaluate and celebrate
Identify closing process
Discuss issue of closure; how
people say goodbye
Debrief tasks
High skill development
Feeling of appreciation
High inclusion
High trust/respect
High esteem/confidence
Activities to Do
Activities to Avoid
Plan final celebration
Strength bombardment
Minimizing closure
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APPENDIX
Energizers
1. SPEEDBALL: The group is instructed to form a large circle. A ball is then
thrown from one person to the next based on the following rules: You may not throw to
the person to your immediate left or right. You may not throw back to the person who
threw to you. Throws must reach their target above the waist and below the shoulder.
Throws must be caught. If a player fails to do any of these, she is eliminated. When only
four players remain, the first two rules are dropped. When only two players remain,
throwing and catching is done with only one hand.
2. CATCH/NO CATCH: A variation on speedball. The thrower says “Catch”
or “No catch” when the ball is thrown. The target must do as instructed or he is
eliminated.
3. SIT IN THE EMPTY CHAIR: The group sits in a large circle. One
member stands in the center. Her goal is to sit in the empty chair. The group’s goal is to
keep her from doing so by sliding one chair to the left or right.
4. THE GREAT FINGER GRAB: The group stands in a circle. Each
member holds his left hand out, palm up. Each member also holds his right hand out,
index finger pointing down into the palm of the person on his right. On the count of 3,
everyone tries to grab the index finger of the person on their right while trying not to
have their index finger grabbed by the person on their left.
5. AARDVARK: The group sits in a circle with the soles of their feet pointing
towards the middle. One member (the Aardvark) stands in the middle with a (large)
stuffed animal or other soft object. Each member chooses an animal as her call name.
One person then calls out another’s animal, who then calls out another’s animal, etc. The
middle person must whack the feet of the animal called out before she calls out another
animal. If some one calls out the middle person’s animal or an animal that is not a
member of the circle, she must move to the middle. Once the middle person is
successful, she switches places with the animal she caught.
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6. YEE-HAW: The group stands in a circle. One person starts the activity by
yelling out “Yee--Haw” and swinging their left arm towards the person on their right.
That person then does the same to the person on their right. Add in the following:




Hay Barn: Make a roof over your head with arms - skip next person in circle
Hoedown: Honk semi truck horn with arm - reverses direction of signal
Alternating Gear Box: Call out on your turn, ALL yell “1-2-3-4” while punching
forward with arms in alternating fashion.
Stampede: Use your index fingers as horns on either side of your head, wander
around the circle and poke the person of your choice. That person will continue
sending the signal around the circle.
7. WAH: Participants stand in a circle with one person in the center. The center
person begins the energizer by saying “WAH” and making one of the following hand
motions:



Antlers with hands…Moose
Paws out with hands…Bear
One arm up to form an “S” with other hand under elbow…Snake
Circle-standers then respond by saying “WAH” and making one of the two remaining
motions that the center person did NOT. Anyone making the same motion as the center
person is out. This should be done very quickly, and participants need to self-select
themselves as out when they slip up.
8. LEAN IN, LEAN OUT: You need an even number of people for this
energizer. Participants stand in a circle and join hands. Keeping your body stiff, every
other person leans in to the middle of the circle. To balance this, the other participants
lean back.
9. SLOW TAG: Participants spread out. The person who is it calls out “step”, at
which point everyone takes one step in any direction. All the rules of regular tag apply.
Try SLOW FREEZE TAG as well.
10. COLD WEATHER CANDY BAR: Participants are split into two
teams and stand around separate tables. On each table is a die; an unwrapped candy bar
on a plate with a fork and knife; a winter hat, coat and mittens. When directed, each team
begins rolling the die. When the number 2 is rolled, the roller puts on the winter gear,
runs around the table once and begins eating the candy bar with the fork and knife (bitesize pieces, please). While this is happening, the team continues to roll the die. If the
number 2 is rolled, that person must then don the winter gear, run around the table once
and begin eating the candy bar with fork and knife. The energizer continues until the
candy bar has been eaten.
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11. ZIP ZAP: Participants stand in a circle, with one person in the center. At
random, the person in the center points at some one in the circle and says ZIP. That
person ducks and the two people on either side point at each other and say ZAP. The
slower of the two zappers is out and the energizer continues until there are only 2 people
left.
12. CLICK CLICK BANG BANG: The object of this energizer is to figure
out the rule. Some one in the group says CLICK CLICK BANG BANG accompanied by
any motions desired. The question posed to the group is “Who was shot?” The rule is
THE FIRST PERSON WHO RESPONDS WAS SHOT. As group members figure this
out, try to keep it a secret to allow others to figure it out as well.
13. ONE UP ONE DOWN: The object of this energizer is to figure out the
rule. Participants sit in a circle and are instructed to say “one up, one down,” “two up,”
or “two down” on their turn. Some one who knows the rule of the energizer tells each
person whether or not she is correct. The rule is THE PERSON IS DESCRIBING THE
POSITION OF THEIR HANDS AT THE MOMENT OF THEIR TURN. As group
members figure this out, try to keep it a secret to allow others to figure it out as well.
14. THE OTHER PEOPLE LIKE: The object of this energizer is to figure
out the rule. Participants sit in a circle and are instructed to say “The other people like
” on their turn (each person fills in the blank with something they think the other
people like). Some one who knows the rule of the energizer tells each person whether or
not she is correct. The rule is THE OTHER PEOPLE ONLY LIKE THINGS WITH
DOUBLE LETTERS, LIKE BOOKS (EVEN THOUGH THEY DON’T LIKE TO
READ), JOOGGING (ALTHOUGH THEY DON’T LIKE TO JOG). As group members
figure this out, try to keep it a secret to allow others to figure it out as well.
15. CIAO: Participants stand in a circle. The group counts to 10 as follows: on his
turn, each person is allowed to say one, two or three numbers in succession. The person
who is stuck with saying ten says “ciao” instead and backs out of the circle. The next
person starts over at 1 and the energizer continues until one person remains.
16. WHACKY: Participants sit in a circle around a large table. Each person puts
their hands on the table, palms down, with her right hand over her neighbor’s left. To
start, one person taps the table with his right hand. The next hand to his right then taps
and so on. If some one taps out of order or waits to long, he must remove the offending
hand from the table. Add in the double tap (reverses the direction), the fist pound (skips
the next hand in order) and the double fist pound (reverses the direction and skips the
next hand in order).
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17. COUNT TO 20: The object of this energizer is for the group to count from
one to twenty. There is no planning or communicating during this activity…members of
the group simply call out the next number in order. If more than one person calls out the
same number, the group must start over at one. Everyone in the group must say at least
one number.
18. HUMAN KNOT: Participants stand in a circle and reach in their right hand.
Everyone grabs a hand. Repeat the process with left hands, but make sure that two
people don’t grab each other’s right and left hands. The group must then untie
themselves…no letting go of hands. If the group is large (more than 10) try splitting into
two groups to make the task more manageable.
19. STINGER: Have participants close their eyes and secretly select one person to
be the stinger. Participants then open their eyes and mingle, shaking hands with each
other. The stinger tickles participants’ palms with her index finger during a handshake,
signaling a sting. The stung participant is then out, and signals this by falling to the
ground (the more dramatic the better). The stinger is not required to sting during every
handshake, and the stung should not immediately fall, so as not to give away the identity
of the stinger. Participants may guess the identity of the stinger, but are out if they guess
incorrectly.
20. WINK: Have participants sit in a circle with one person in the center. The circlesitters (there must be an even number of them) should turn to their right so that they are
looking at the back of the person to their right. Every other person then turns only their
head to look at the person in the center. The person in the center then winks at one circle
sitter of his choosing. The winked-at then must get up and run once around the circle, at
which time the circle-sitter looking at her back must tag her before she returns to her
initial spot. If the runner is caught, she moves to the middle. If not, the chaser moves to
the middle.
21. KILLER FROGGY: Everyone sits in a circle. One person is chosen to be
the detective. He leaves the room or goes to a place where he cannot see or hear what is
going on in the circle. Everyone in the circle closes her eyes. A leader walks around the
circle and taps someone’s shoulder who now becomes the Killer Frog. But no one knows
who the frog is at first. The detective comes back in. The frog sticks its tongue out at
random people around the circle, trying not to be noticed by the detective. If the frog
sticks its tongue out at you, you just lay down. The detective gets three tries to guess the
killer frogs identity. If he succeeds, someone else is chosen for the next round. If he
doesn’t, then he is the detective again. It’s okay if other players know who the frog is.
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22. SMILE TOSSER: Players can sit in circle or through out the room as long
as everyone can see each other. All players are to keep a straight somber face while one
person that is chosen to be the Smile Tosser, smiles. No one is allowed to make any
noise. The Smile Tosser will smile a big smile at all players one at a time - trying to get
them to crack a smile or laugh. If anyone smiles or laughs they become smile tossers
also. The Smile Tosser can wipe off his smile with his hand and throw it to another
player if he wishes. The receiving player will put on the smile and be the new Smile
Tosser. You can set a time limit on how long your Smile Tosser is allowed to keep his
role.
23. BLOB TAG: One person is it. Each person she tags joins hands with her as
they continue to tag other people. The “it” group continues to grow as they tag more
people until one is left. That person is the new “it.”
24. FOOTHOLD: Split the group into two teams. Define a start and finish line.
Both teams must move from the start to the finish line in the following manner: Only one
person has both feet on the floor. Everyone else on the team has one foot on the floor and
the other held up by the lone biped. The winning team crosses the finish line first.
25. MINUTE MYSTERIES: One of the leaders describes a situation with
little detail. The group members must discern what transpired to cause the described
situation by only asking yes or no questions.
1. A woman lives on the top floor of a high-rise building. Every day she takes the
elevator to the ground floor to leave the building for work. Upon her return home, she
will take the elevator to the top floor on rainy days. On clear days, she will take the
elevator halfway up and walk the remaining flights of stairs to her apartment on the top
floor. Why?
The woman is very short. She carries an umbrella on rainy days, and is therefore
able to reach the top button in the elevator. On clear days she has no umbrella,
and therefore is only able to reach halfway up the panel of buttons in the elevator.
2. A man is lying dead in a bar surrounded by 53 bikes. What happened?
The man was playing cards (with Bicycle brand cards) in the Wild West. He
cheated (hence the 53 bikes) and was shot by another card player.
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3. A man is lying dead in the middle of a field. He is wearing only his boxer shorts and
is clutching a straw. What happened?
The man was part of a group of people in a hot air balloon, which was about to
crash. The passengers dumped as much weight as possible (including their
clothes) to no avail. They drew straws (taken from the basket of the balloon) to
decide who would jump from the balloon to dump more weight. The man in the
field is the passenger who drew the shortest straw.
4. Batman and Robin are dead on the floor of a room in a puddle of water. There are
shards of broken glass all around them. What happened?
Batman and Robin were goldfish. Their bowl was knocked off the table by an
earthquake. The bowl broke and the fish died.
26. ARM IN ARM: This energizer looks at the idea of cooperation vs.
competition…but don’t tell your group that until they have completed the activity. Have
participants pair up and stand on opposite sides of a table facing each other. Have one
person put his hands out, left palm up and right palm down. Have his partner do the
opposite so that their palms are touching. The goal for each participant is to touch his
partner’s knuckles to the table as many times as possible by pushing down with his right
hand. (Usually pairs will compete with each other directly rather than cooperate. Use
this to bring up discussion.)
27. LEG BALL CIRCLE: Have the group sit in a tight circle with legs straight
out pointing to the center. Each participant must have her hands on the floor behind her,
palms down. A ball is placed in the lap of one participant and must be moved around the
circle. Participants must keep their heels and hands on the floor. The ball is not allowed
to jump over anyone. Have the group set a time goal for successful completion. Add
another ball and have it travel in the opposite direction for an added challenge.
28. TRIANGLE TAG: Split the group up into fours. Three of the four people
join hands to form a circle (or triangle, I suppose) and one of the three people is the
chosen one. The fourth person must then tag the chosen one while the circle protects the
chosen one by moving in any way necessary.
29. BIPPITY BIPPITY BOP (Make an Elephant): The group stands
in a circle with one person in the middle. That person closes her eyes and spins in a
circle saying “bippity bippity bop”. When she says “bop,” she stops spinning and points
to the person in front of her. That person and the two people on either side of him must
make an elephant as quickly as possible. The middle person is the trunk, the people on
either side are the ears.
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30. TOUCH MY CAN: All participants must touch a can with only one finger at
the same time. Works best with larger groups and smaller cans. Add a challenge by
having all participants stand only on one foot.
31. PULSE: Split the group into two teams. Have the teams hold hands and sit in
two lines facing each other. At one end, a non-participant is flipping a coin or rolling a
die. The two people at that end of each line have their eyes open. All other team
members have their eyes closed. At the other end is a ball, set on the floor equal
distances from the two people at that end. When the coin lands (or the die rolls) on the
desirable outcome, the open-eyed end folks squeeze the hand of the person next to them,
starting the pulse. That signal is sent down the team lines by hand squeezes (no talking,
eyes still closed). Once the last person feels the pulse, she grabs the ball.
32. ELBOW TAG: An even number of people is required. Everyone partners up
and hooks an elbow with her partner. Have the pairs spread out in the space. Each
person in the pair must put his free hand on his hip. Select one pair at random to unhook
elbows. One person of that pair is it and must tag the other person, who runs away and
may hook elbows with any pair at any time. The person on the free end of the newly
formed trio must then unhook and run away from the “it”.
33. TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE: Each member of the group comes up with
three statements about himself, two of them true, the other false. He then presents them
to the group. The group will then decide which of the three statements is untrue. A great
get-to-know-you activity.
34. ZAPPER LOOK: The group sits in a circle with heads down. At once,
everyone looks up at one person. If two people are looking at each other, they say each
other’s first name. The slower person is out. Repeat.
35. BITE THE BAG: The team is instructed to form a large circle. The facilitator
then places a brown grocery bag in the center of the circle. Each member must pick up
the bag with his/her teeth while standing on one foot with both hands held behind his/her
back. After the entire group has successfully completed this task, the facilitator cuts one
to two inches off the top of the bag. If a team member touches the floor with his/her foot
(or any other part of the body), the member is disqualified. After each round, more of the
bag is cut. The last team member who successfully picks up the bag without falling,
wins! This exercise, similar to a reversed limbo contest, can be a lot of fun and a great
icebreaker for new team members.
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36. CATCH ME IF YOU CAN: Players should be paired up. All players
divide into two lines (facing in) shoulder to shoulder, with partners facing each other.
Participants should be given approximately 30 seconds to look at their partners, taking in
all details about the individual. The leader then instructs the two lines to turn and face
away from the center. One or both lines has 15-20 seconds to change something about
their appearance (i.e. change a watch to different wrist, unbutton a button, remove a belt,
etc.). The change must be discrete, but visible to the partner. The players again turn in to
face each other and have 30 seconds to discover the physical changes that have been
made. Players get to interact with each other and have fun!
37. HUM THAT TUNE: Each person in the group is given a small piece of
paper with the name of a nursery rhyme or other song written on the paper. (i.e. “Row,
row, row your boat,” “Rock-a-bye baby,” etc.) All of the people who are given the song
must hum that tune and fine everyone else singing the song. They then form a group.
38. SOLEMN AND SILENT: The instructor explains that this exercise will
take self control. Members pair back to back. On the count of three, everyone must face
their partner, look each other in the eyes, and then try to remain solemn and serious. No
speaking! The first to smile or laugh must sit down. All who remain standing then take a
new partner and the activity continues until only one person has not smiled or laughed.
(Second round of playing can involve two teams competing to outlast each other.) If you
get a pair at the end who are both keeping a straight face, the rest of the group can act ask
hecklers to disrupt them.
39. LINE UPS: Have the group line up in order of birthday, alphabetical by name,
etc. Up the ante by doing this mute, blindfolded, or perhaps both.
40. PRUI: Everyone stands in a group, closes their eyes and starts milling about.
When you bump into someone, shake their hand and ask “Prui?” If the person asks
“Prui?” back to you, then you have not found the Prui. Keeping eyes closed, continue
milling until you bump into another person and repeat the handshake/Prui process. As
the group continues, the facilitator whispers to one of the participants that she is the Prui.
This person opens her eyes. When someone bumps into her and does the handshake/Prui
process, she does not respond. Thus, the person inquiring becomes part of the Prui by
opening his eyes and clasping hands with the original Prui (a line of people holding
hands). Make sure to thoroughly explain the directions before you begin.
41. TEAM ROCK PAPER SCISSORS: Split the group into two teams
and have them sit in two lines. Each person should be facing one (or two, if you have an
odd number of people) person from the opposite team. At once, everyone faces off in the
rock, paper, scissors fashion. The loser in the face-off moves to the other team. Repeat
and continue as long as you wish.
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42. BLACK MAGIC: Two leaders conference secretly before the group meets.
The group then sits in a circle and one of the leaders leaves the room. The group quietly
chooses an object in the room and the person outside the room must figure out what the
chosen object is. The outside person is then invited back into the room and the other
leader points to an object and asks “Is this the object?” Because of the initial conference,
the outside person knows that when the other leader points to a BLACK object in the
room and asks “Is this the object?” the NEXT OBJECT is the chosen one.
43. STORY LINE: The group sits in a circle. The first person starts telling a
story…but only one sentence. The next person continues the story with another sentence
and so on. Continue until everyone has gone at least once and the story comes to an end.
44. WARP SPEED: A fast version of the group juggle…group stands in circle,
one person has a ball. Throws to some one and says “Hi (catcher’s name), I’m (thrower’s
name).” Repeat until the ball is thrown back to the starter. For Warp Speed, see how fast
you can go, throwing the ball in the same order. If you aren’t learning names, do it
silently.
45. UP CHUCK: Participants stand in a circle, each holding a balled-up piece of
paper. At the same moment, everyone throws her paper into the air. The goal is to have
each person catch one paper (that is not his).
46. CIRCLE THE CIRCLE: The entire group forms and circle and holds
hands. A hoola hoop is placed between two people (so that the hoop is part of the group).
The object is to pass the hoola hoop around the circle as quickly as possible. Try two of
three times, with the goal of decreasing the time that it takes to complete the task.
47. HEY CAPTAIN: One blindfolded person sits in a chair in the middle of the
circle. A participant in the circle states "Hey Captain ...(adds a line such as "what time is
it" or "when is the ship leaving?" The blindfolded student guesses who belongs to the
voice. Once guessed, that person becomes the blindfolded captain.
48. QUESTIONS: Participants stand in a circle. The first person begins by
turning to his right and asking a question…any question (that is appropriate). That
person then turns to her right and asks a DIFFERENT question and so on. A question
may not be repeated, and there must not be a pause between questions, otherwise the
offending participant is out.
49. BACK TO BACK: Every group member must find a partner of
approximately equal height and weight, if possible. The partners will lock arms with
their backs to one another. With arms remaining locked at all times, the partners will sit
down on the ground, kick their legs out straight, and try to stand back up. Then groups of
four will try the same thing. Then groups of eight, sixteen, and eventually, the entire
group together. This is the perfect activity to begin a trust sequence.
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50. CHALKBOARD SENTENCES: This exercise asks the participants,
working in teams, to race against one another to formulate a sentence to which each team
member has added a word. The facilitator begins by explaining that the participants will
be competing to see which team is the first to complete a group sentence. Next, the
participants are asked to divide into two teams. If the group contains an uneven number,
one participant may compete twice. The group leader sets up blackboards or newsprint
for each team. The teams then are to line up 10 feet from their board. After giving the
first person in each team’s line a piece of chalk or marker, the leader explains the rules of
the game. The rules are as follows: Each team member is responsible for adding one
word to the sentence. The players take turns; after they go to the board and write one
word, they run back to give the next player the marker, and then go to the end of the line.
(The sentence must contain the same number of words as there are members on the
team.) A player may not add a word between words that have already been written. The
group leader may wish to process the activity with a discussion on the most serious
aspects of the exercise (i.e. the value of anticipatory thinking, the individual cooperating
in a group task, etc.).
51. HA, YUK, HAR, TEE HEE: Stress that this is a very serious energizer.
The group stands in a circle and the first person says HA (or YUK, HAR or TEE HEE).
The second person says HA twice, the third says HA three times, etc. Start over if some
one says the wrong number of HA’s or if anyone laughs.
52. WALK & TALK: On the signal “Walk”, everyone walks around in the room.
When the leader says, “Talk”, participants stop and talk to the closest person about the
topic the leader gives them to discuss. When the leader says, “Walk”, they continue
walking.
53. THE LAST WORD: The participants should stand in a circle. One
participant moves and stands randomly in front of another. He/she makes a statement
(e.g., “It is such a lovely day”). The person spoken to will move to another person and
make a statement starting with the last word in the statement he/she received (e.g., “Day
one of the course was very tiring”). Each participant takes turns to ensure that everybody
gets a chance to participate.
54. FOLLOW THE LEADER: The participants sit in a circle. One
volunteer leaves the room. One of the circle-sitters is secretly appointed the leader. That
person then begins an action while seated (clapping hands, stomping feet, etc) and the
others do the same action. The volunteer is then invited back into the room and asked to
guess who the leader is in 3 tries. The leader is allowed to change the action at any time,
and all others must follow that action. The leader and followers should change their
action in a manner that makes it difficult for the volunteer to identify the leader.
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55. INNY/OUTY: The participants form two circles, one inside the other. The
inner circle faces the center of their circle, the outer circle faces out. A ball is given to a
member of each circle. On command, the circles hand the ball around their circle. The
circle to send their ball all the way around three times is the winner.
56. LADDER: The participants sit in two lines facing each other. The bottoms of
each person’s feet should be in contact with the bottoms of some one else’s from the
opposing line. Each pair is then given a number. When the facilitator calls the number
of a pair, the two participants get up run to the top of the “ladder”, around the outside and
then back up the middle to their original spot.
57. DRAGON TAIL: Split the participants into two teams. Each team should
join hands. The person at one end is given a long piece of fabric that serves as the tail of
the dragon. The person at the other end is the head. The object is for the head of one
dragon to grab the tail of the other without a break in the chain of hands.
58. BRIDGE BALL: Players are in circle formation, facing in. Each is in wide
straddle step with the side of the foot against the neighbors. The hands are on the knees.
Two balls are used. The object of the game is to throw one of the balls between the legs
of any player before they can get their hands down and stop it. Each time the ball goes
between the legs of an individual, a point is scored against that individual. The players
having the least points against them are the winners. Be sure the players catch and roll
the ball rather than bat it. Players must keep their hands on their knees until a ball is
thrown at them. Once mastered, a variation can be played. Variation: Player is in the
center with a ball and is it. The other players are in the same formation as above. One
ball is used. The center player tries to roll the ball through the legs of any player he or
she chooses. They should fake their intent, using feints and changes of direction. Any
player that allows the ball to go through their legs becomes it. All players start with hands
on knees until the ball is thrown.
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