Staff Ice-breaker

[ccwombat]

Hi Everyone,
I need your help. Does anyone have some ideas for an "ice breaker" type activity for staff? My principal has asked that I use the activboard to do some kind of fun activity for our staff before we begin a long day of meeting. I will have a limit of about 20 minutes (could be a bit longer). I want it to be fun, not to sappy, and show off the wonderful board. I have asked my principal to let me begin usergroups as well as do some training for the class. I would really appreciate any ideas any of you may have. I've been looking around the planet, but have not found something of this nature. I appreciate your help!
Thanks,
Cheryl????

[LisaD]

Here is a simple one-page flipchart that I have used often with adults. It works a little like the game "Password."


Basically you divide the group into two: A Red Team and a Blue Team.
Each group sends a "volunteer" to sit in a chair with their back to the Activboard so that they cannot see it.
One team goes first. You remove the "Drag this Away" box and a word will be revealed. The team gave give only one word to their "volunteer" as a clue to the hidden word. If they "volunteer" doesn't get it, the other team tries with the same word.
They go back and forth until someone guesses the word. If they get it right, use the arrow to add a point for that team.
Then the other team can go first to give a clue. You can tell them that you will do only 5 or so words. You can change any of the pre-created words to something else.
Each round, the volunteers change so more folks can have a chance to play.
This can show off the Activboard and Activstudio software while showing how it can be used as a way to create exciting whole group activities.
This can take at least 10-15 minutes, I think to play.
It is called "Hot Seat" and it is located here:

http://www.prometheanplanet.com/server.php?show=ConResource.7754

Lisa

[ccwombat]

Thanks Lisa, it sounds fun and a good way to show of the board a bit (which is my goal). I really appreciate your help.
Cheryl[clap]

[Cindy H]

Cheryl, since you're trying to show off the board, you could add a tickertape to go while playing the game. I play Hot Seat quite a bit with our vocabulary words and use the countdown timer with a funny sound. That might show another feature of the board to your staff. Sounds like fun!

Cindy

[cvj]

Last year at the faculty/staff Christmas Party we played Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? We didn't play it like the show...it's really just a quiz. We used a couple sets of Activotes and every table voted as a team. After each question was introduced the table had time to discuss their answer together before putting in one table vote. The goal was to beat the highest scores my fifth graders received, and while they had a lot of fun, the adults were very serious about getting the correct answers! In the flipchart are photos of three of our teachers...it was fun to point them out.

Because we introduced Chinese language classes last year, the theme of the dinner was China, as is the topic of the flipchart. We had Chinese food, and a Chinese dance troupe performed. It was a nice evening.

It would be fun to put together a similar flipchart about your school and the people who work in it.

Have fun!
Carrie

PS The adults did, indeed, beat the fifth graders. Phew!

[ccwombat]

Thanks Cindy and Carrie. Carrie great flipchart! Cindy love the idea of the timer with a sound. I so appreciate your help and am taking all the suggestions and ideas I can get. Carrie that is neat that your staff did a theme Christmas staff party, another fun idea. Again, thank you both very, very much!