four wonders of the world activity

      There are many more than four man-made "wonders"of the world and I have listed just a few below for teachers to research prior to this activity. These particular wonders are man made so they are appropriate for an art class. For this "icebreaker," the teacher will need to print out four distinct locations for each small group students participating in the activity.

• Stonehenge
• Colosseum
• Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa
• Great Wall of China
• Porcelain Tower of Nanjing
• Hagia Sophia
• Leaning Tower of Pisa
• Taj Mahal
• Cairo Citadel
• Ely Cathedral
• Cluny Abbey

      This activity not only introduces students to amazing architecture from across the globe, but it gives them incentive to think about how they might personally relate to art, architecture, artifacts, and their peers. Because the students are expected to interpret their neighbor's opinions and thoughts to the large group discussion, they should be asked to be careful listeners as well as express their own opinions. I have included below, a worksheet. Copy as many as you need for the students in your classroom.

Four Wonders Worksheet by Grimm

All written and jpg. materials copyrighted by Grimm

the photo scavenger hunt

      My teen daughters have played this "icebreaker" game many times during youth activities at our church. The game requires an adult to accompany each small group in order to drive the teens to particular locations. It is also a game that lasts two to three hours, if done off campus. Every team must have a digital camera to play it. The teacher or youth leader supplies each team with a long list of people, places, or things that they must photograph for points. The adults in the team may fully participate in the game as well and at least one team member should also be present in the majority of the photos. The team that returns to the beginning location on time, with the most photographed subjects on the list wins. Timing, practical choices, teamwork and fun are all important objectives of the game. Hopefully, students will learn to build lasting friendships and unique experiences with team members during the game. I've included two additional listings of captions for photograph that will help teachers adapt the game for different circumstances. 

1. giant food
2. justice will prevail
3. friendly police officer
4. evidence of a flood
5. coffee, need we say more?
6. not very smart
7. rest stop
8. food court in the mall
9. peach pits again?
10. keep brushing
11. invented by Romans
12. the best menu in town
13. neon glow
14. bad timing
15. the thing is dedicated to...
16. pealing plaster
17. i found it inside the museum
18. i think this was first built by Egyptians?
19. gum in the parking lot, gum on my shoe
20. bird feeder
21. dedicated baby sitter
22. the wrong side of the tracks
23. a haunted house
24. an interesting grave marker
25. a room with a view
26. one hot ride
27. city hall 
28. fountain
29. graffiti 
30. paved with bricks or cobblestones
31. archway

The photo scavenger hunt on campus must be approved of by the school principle. Students must be trustworthy and careful to keep noise to a minimum while walking through halls where classes are still in session. After reviewing the results, teachers may decide to display the top three team photos in an exhibit.

1. an unusual view of the school lockers
2. deep knowledge of truth
3. employees working in the cafeteria smile, when students aren't present
4. secretaries rule, students drool
5. an empty turf
6. the haunted hall
7. something suspicious
8. sound mind and body
9. my teacher wants texture . . . again?
10. emphasis, lighting
11. ladies man
12. fever
13. from below...
14. school spirit
15. a dedicated student
16. just passing through or hall pass

The photo scavenger hunt in the classroom requires students to solve problems with limited space and it also challenges them to interpret photo suggestions creatively in order to take interesting pictures. Teachers and peers should reward creativity to the winners; the winners of this challenge may even be determined by a show of hands or the loudest applause.

1. "seeing double" portrait
2. textured and tacky
3. random collection
4. a bug's life
5. as seen from above
6. take a picture of me and you'll be sorry
7. you'd have to be starving to eat this
8. photos don't lie
9. against school policy
10. my perfect teacher
11. o.k. this guy is...human?
12. get me out of this place

the never have i ever...game

       Give every member of a small group ten objects. These objects could be paperclips, pencils, crayons etc... Place a large paper bag in the center of the group. During this game, one student is selected from a circle of friends to speak aloud random activities and events. These activities and or events may be normal or ridiculous. Each person sitting around the circle must admit truthfully to having done or seen the particular event read aloud and then toss one object into the paper bag. The object of the game is to keep as many of the ten possessions as possible without lying. Other team members may tattle on their peers and offer up proof of their participation in an event or proof of the persons observation of a person, place or thing if they wish. The narrator who is listing the events or actions must try to list those things in which he is certain some of his peers have done or seen but also to list things that only a few people are most likely to have experienced. The person who stays in the game longest and who has the most objects wins. Below are just a few examples of statements that could be read aloud during the game. The teacher may decide to play the first round of the game as the narrator so that the students will better understand how it should be played.

• Never have I ever ridden a roller coaster.
• Never have I ever searched for a missing dog.
• Never have I ever flown in outer space.
• Never have I ever visited the Grand Canyon.
• Never have I ever watched a scary movie on the television.
• Never have I ever shared my french fries with a gold fish.
• Never have I ever turned my homework in late.
• Never have I ever drawn on the wall with a purple crayon.
• Never have I ever made an A on a test.
• Never have I ever showered with my cloths on.
• Never have I ever kissed my sister on her forehead.
• Never have I ever eaten oysters raw.
• Never have I ever stapled papers together
• Never have I ever worn pretend butterfly wings.
• Never have I ever asked my mother for a dollar.

tell two truths icebreaker game

      In this game, students are introduced to one another and then each student will tell two facts about himself, plus one more piece of information that is not true. The student should act sincere and should not speak this information in any particular order. It is then up to his peers to determine which of the three statements is not a fact.

"icebreaker" artist trading cards

      Although the concept of this trading card icebreaker is relatively self-explanatory, the amount of success and effort involved with it is not. I've included it here because I feel it to be a uniquely ambitious idea for building community and interests around the arts. Young people love to collect things, as do some of their parents but, to collect something small that is original, without expense is not frequently done in public school environments. The additional fact that the creations are also the result of a fellow art enthusiast adds even greater interest to their collectibility. If your students take so much time and interest in collecting stamps, sea shells and baseball cards, just think of what they could collect in terms of genuine friendships through ATCs. I think their family members would find the activity fascinating as well.

      Go to the Home of the Artist Trading Cards: A Collaborative Cultural Performance, to review the history of ATCs and some design ideas too. 

      ATCs may be produced under a wide variety of categories and with almost any medium. There are a few rules, however. 

"Artist Trading Cards (or ATCs) are miniature works of art about the same size as modern baseball cards, or 2 ½ X 3 ½ inches (63 mm X 89 mm), small enough to fit inside standard card-collector pockets, sleeves or sheets. The ATC movement developed out of the mail art movement and has its origins in Switzerland. Cards are produced in various media, including dry media (pencils, pens, markers, etc.), wet media (watercolor, acrylic paints, etc.), paper media (in the form of collage, papercuts, found objects, etc.) or even metals or cloth. The cards are usually traded or exchanged rather than sold." Wikipedia.com

      Art teachers or even other faculty members may wish to establish a trading card club or an event that hosts trading card sessions twice to three times during the school year. It would be a unique way for students to maintain friendships over the summer break or to meet new student artists during the first week of school. Make sure your students sign their cards on the back, date them, and include a bit of interesting information about themselves on the reverse side of their cards.

      ACTs are kept in 9-Pocket Trading Card Pages that tuck neatly into a large three ring binder. Collect cards from your peers, your teachers, church youth group and local artists. The possibilities are endless.
      Card Swaps for adults are now hosted at the Red Lead shop in Webster Groves. Sharon and Chris are the paper artists who sponsor these events.

More links about ATCs and ACEO cards:

• ArtTrader Magazine: Free online Magazine
• Art-Cards.org : Information about ACEO's and Gallery of artists
• ATCsForAll.com: Trading Site
• IllustratedATCs.com: Trading Site
• Altered Arts Magazine
• ATC Quarterly
• Artist Trading Cards at The New Gallery, Calgary, AB
• LTCs
• Original Art Trading Society (OATS)
• atc artist
• aceo Figure Artist
• HUGE gallery of ATC examples
• Art Cards of the Timeless Woman

mingle madness icebreaker game

      "Mingle Madness" is played a bit differently from "Sort of Fun" because the students are expected to participate more in the discussions. You might call this exercise an advanced form of "Sort of Fun." In this icebreaker exercise, the teacher calls out categories of discussion. These topics often include the kinds of interests that students might talk about during a party. In fact, the teacher may choose to circulate about the room with a tray or two of "appetizers and punch" during this icebreaker as well. As the teacher calls out the topics of discussion, he or she will point to the area of the class where these topics will be shared. The students will then move to that new location as the party progresses. It is up to the teacher to determine when topics become boring or "over discussed" and change them. There may be four or five topics being discussed at the same time. However, the rules should be observed to prevent straying from the purposes of the game. Rule #1. Once a student selects a topic of discussion, he or she must remain in that location until a new topics are called out. Rule #2. Students must also remain "on topic" for as long as there is more than one person present at the location. Rule #3. Students must also prove to be polite and sociable during this icebreaker event. I've listed some fun topics to begin your next Mingle Madness event.

1. the last sporting event played at your school
2. the greatest event of your life
3. the person you admire the most
4. the time period that you are thankful to have not been born in and why
5. the greatest artist that has ever performed
6. dumb dog stories
7. touching moments with your true love
8. I'm worried that my boss may fire me
9. I can't believe we are talking about this during art class
10. I can't believe he or she tweeted that...
11. My parents just don't understand me
12. how will you study for the next test in...
13. who will win the next championship game?
14. the people that I really like in this school are... and why
15. staying out of trouble
16. there isn't enough time in the day to...
17. I would be afraid to be the last person to leave this place
18. What will you wear here?
19. the best camp trip ever
20. our school play (theater)
21. the best field trip ever
22. when in Rome...
23. what I hope to do this weekend
24. I can't believe I saw this at the mall.
25. expert opinions
26. the latest facebook post
27. have you seen this movie...

"sort of fun" icebreaker game

      "Sort of Fun" children shift back and forth across the room in accordance to their preferences. This icebreaker gives them ample time to talk to one another and communicate what they share in common. The teacher calls out two ideas, things, places etc... and the students stand either to the left end or right end of the classroom according to their preferences. For example, the teacher may point to the left end of the room and say, "If you prefer to eat popcorn at the movies stand in to the left of my desk," and then she would point to the right side of the room and say something like; "If you prefer to eat chocolate candy bars at the movies stand to the right of my desk," and so on. This game includes all students in the room, there are no right or wrong answers to worry about and students learn new information about their peers. Teachers may even have third or fourth categories as the game progresses. Listed below are just few suggestions for the teacher to call out in order to get the game started.

you have brothers vs. sisters vs. brothers and sisters vs. no other siblings

you live in a house vs. apartment vs. a campsite

you prefer to snack on carrots and celery vs. pretzels vs. candy

your friends like to play basketball vs. video games

your favorite subject in school is art vs. gym vs. lunch vs. recess vs. math vs. reading

"lost inside this painting" icebreaker

      Divide your classroom up into small groups and give each of these small groups a photograph of a unique painting. Ask students to discuss, among their peers, what each person would do if they were to be "lost" inside of the painting. After ten minutes, have a large group discussion about each artwork. Give the students more information about the artist while sharing the ideas that were generated during their small group time. I've included below a few artwork suggestions for this icebreaker below.

Salvador Dali's "Les Montres Molles" 1968

"An experiment on a bird in an air pump" by painter Joseph Wright, 1768

"Mill Hand's Lunch Bucket" by Romare Bearden

 By Giorgio de Chirico

"The Sierra Divide" by Edgar Payne, died 1947.

"improve this collection" icebreaker

      The teacher divides up his or her classroom into small groups of about four to five students and then gives each small group either a handful of objects or 3 to 4 pictures of objects. Then the instructor asks the students to improve their collection by finding additional pictures, collecting additional objects or by drawing additional suggestions. Give each group class time, a visit to the library, a visit to a computer lab, or additional drawing paper with drawing tools to complete the assignment. Give students a generous amount of time to complete this icebreaker activity. After the students have improved their collection, share their results with the rest of the class and have a constructive discussion about their choices. Give students time enough to explain why they chose to improve the collection with the items they either discovered or imagined.

icebreaker questions for the art classroom

1. If you could be any artist in the world, who would you choose to be?
2. If you spent all day working with your hands, what would you do?
3. If you could have a super hero power, what would it be?
4. If you could visit any place in the world, where would that be and why?
   What is the one kind of art you would collect from that place and why?
5. What is the one substance you would like to build a home out of?
6. If you lived the life of a cartoon character, which one would you select and why?
7. What kinds of hobbies do you have and how could these relate to the subject of art?
8. What is the most artistic hair style you have ever seen?
9. If you could redecorate your room, in any way you wish, what would it look like?
10. What is the one thing that surprised you about visiting someone else at their home?
11. Who is the most artistic person in your family and why?
12. What is the strangest piece of artwork you have ever seen?
13. If you had to write a magazine article about an artist, how would you begin to do it and why?
14. If you had to build a tree house to live in, what would it look like?
15. Let's pretend that your parents or guardian is going to give a big party. He or she is expecting you to decorate some cupcakes and to set up a decorated area. What are some of the ideas you would use?
16. What is the one activity that you hope to do before you turn fifty five years old?
17. If you could have any job in the world, what would it be?
18. If you woke up tomorrow morning and found that your hair had changed color, what color would embarrass you so much that you would wear a hat on your head during the entire school day?
19. If you have a pet or if you were to have a pet and you had to dress him in human clothing, what would he or she wear?
20. If your parent had to make artwork to sell from your home, what do you think they could create in order to survive as an artist?