Hi all! Before explaining the activity below, I wanted to let you know that I’ll be posting from Kigali, Rwanda, for the next month and a half. I’m conducting dissertation interviews and interning with the National Research Center on Genocide; if you’re interested, you can follow the travels here. Thanks!
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With the start of classes right around the corner, we thought it’d be useful to post a potential activity for the first day. This activity, human bingo, was developed by some University of Minnesota graduate students and can easily be modified. Essentially, it’s a good way to get students talking to one another and start creating a positive environment in the classroom. In addition, the survey attached to the activity allows you to get to know your students right away. Here you can find a copy of the activity, Human Bingo.
I’ve also asked students to share the most interesting place they’ve been, which has resulted in some fun conversations. We’d love to hear your first day activities as well!
Comments 2
Jennifer J Reed — September 1, 2012
Thank you for posting this topic and Human Bingo activity! I originally saw the following activity used for activist organizing to get people to know each other. Pass out skittles and instruct students to each take three. Write on the board what category each color represents. For example, yellow=food, orange=music, green=role model, purple=activity/hobby, red=place to go. Have students introduce themselves, tell their major, where they are from, and their favorites in the categories based on the colors of their skittles. In a smaller class, you can go around the entire room (I have done this with up to 60 students). In a larger class, break students into groups for introductions.
Students have fun with this activity and it's amazing how excited they get when they hear classmates say they share some of the same favorites as their own. I also use this to briefly discuss the importance of recognizing diversity and showing respect for each other's differences.