Experiential Education, Energizers, and Team Building

Last week I took a course on Experiential Education and Facilitation. It was a fantastic week where I learned many new games and activities to do in the classroom with my students. I created a list of activities that I wanted to share on my blog. I will be adding to this list throughout the year. Please let me know if you have anything to add!

Activity	Purpose
KeyPunch – using ABCs	Teambuild; have students work as a group to accomplish a common goal
Moonbounce	Hit ball around circle; discuss how to get better; parts of speech, vocab words, part of a story, prefixes/suffixes
Balloon Train	Communication, lead from behind, interdependence, “my success depends on your success”
Name Animal most like you	Write it in journal/partner/circle
Name Weather condition most like	Write it in journal/partner/circle
Name Instrument most like you	Write it in journal/partner/circle
Name and Action Game	Write it in journal/partner/circle
Name and Adjective to describe you	Write it in journal/partner/circle
When the Wind Blows/I Like People Who	Energizer, Commonalities,
Identify Your Peanut(rock,	Write first, partner work, descriptive writing, using adjectives
I Spy Writing	Choose object in classroom, write about share writing, practice fluency and communication skills
The Human Knot	“Everyone’s actions affect your own
Build a Tower	Planning, group work, communication (limit talking, blindfold someone)
Bridge	Teams build a matching bridge ½ the team builds left side, ½ on the right but the left and right can’t see eachother’s product until the end. They will have planned times to meet to discuss bridge.
Dragon Tail	Groups of 3 are formed. Goal is to protect your dragon tail.
Hidden Path	Great game to work on focus. Instead of numbers I might use vocabulary words, characters from stories, or letters
Goonie Likes/Green Glass Door	Double letters – start auditory move to visual
Impulse	Hold hands move a squeeze around a circle
Impulse – cross hands, cross feet	Move a squeeze or foot tap around a circle
Impulse Race	2 teams; send impulse at same time and see which team moves it faster by grabbing something at the end
Name Explosion	Use a name to make a list of things beginning with letter (animals, people, cities, states)
Speed Rabbit	Stand in circle, make animals (Rabbit, Elephant, Moose)
Zip Zap Zoom	Put word with motion practice focus
Magic Carpet	Make a plan, work your plan, perseverance
Everyone inside hula hoop circle	Make a plan, work your plan, think outside the box
Magic Squares	Count squares – perspective
Make a line to retirement	Working together towards a common goal, make a plan, work your plan
“Trashketball”	Review game for test, great activity may color code questions for difficult then assign point values
Adjective, Noun, Verb Point Value	Great way to show the importance of adjectives in our writing, create anchor charts of adjectives, and verbs
Masking Tape Timeline	Could create a story map as well – Beginning, Rising Action, Climax, Resolution
Space Shuttle Game	Work as a team to make it to the top of the space shuttle w/ questions
Everyone write an idea/term, put in middle of room, then group sort
Sparkle/Finito	Spelling words or homophones
Going on a camping trip	Focus, name association