I’m Cool Because...

By Aneta Spasova

Overview

The participants get to know each other and realize global

relations in their everyday lives.

Goal

Get to know each other

find commonalities

Reduce personal barriers

get in some good laughs

Introduction to the thematic topic

Type of Activity: Introduction exercise; icebreaker

Time Requirements: 15 – 20 minutes

Group Size: 10 – 30 people

Age Group: 11+

Materials needed

Chairs (one chair fewer than the number of players).

Enough space

PROCEDURE

Preparation:

 Count the number of persons who will play the game

 Arrange some chairs in circle, in the centre of the room, allowing one chair fewer than the number of players.

Step 1. Have all of the students seated in a circle and you as a teacher stand in the middle.

Step 2. To start off the activity, you will say “I’m cool because...” and then finish that sentence with something that’s true about you, for example, you’re wearing blue jeans, you speak 3 languages, etc...

Step 3. Every student who shares that fact in common with you must stand up and find a new seat. You also will need to find a seat meaning that one student will be stranded in the middle.

Step 4. The student in the middle continues in the same way.

This game is great for finding commonalities and getting in some good laughs!

Variation: Play “I have never....” instead. When students are in the middle, have them call out things they’ve never done and have the students move who have done those activities.

Debriefing and Reflection:

When all or most of the participants have been I the middle ask the group to sit down in a circle. Ask

them if they liked the exercise and:

Was it fun to get the task doneDid you learn something new and what?

Did you get interesting information about the other participants in the group? What was the

most common statement? What was the rarest?

Did you realize something you knew before but never reflected on?

Follow-up:

The exercise is a good appetizer and could easily be an introduction, followed by many other

activities..