1. Icebreakers

2. What are icebreakers? Icebreakers are tools and/or short exercise that enables interaction, stimulate creative thinking, challenge basic assumptions, illustrate new concepts, and introduce specific material.

3. Icebreakers are used in group processes or projects to: Icebreakers are used in group processes or projects to: Help a group get acquainted and feel more comfortable with each other. Creates a non-threatening environment and trust within a group. Provide a preview of topic for discussion. Teach a skill. Encourages people to have fun and participate.

4. Icebreakers are also used to: Evoke a response Create awareness Move a team forward in a project

5. How are icebreakers used? Used anytime during the meeting Appropriate to the group, application, or content Structured

6. Icebreakers work best when participants are given: rationale for the activity. objectives of the activity. structure of the activity. opportunity to ask questions. permission to participate at their own level of comfort.

7. Examples of Icebreakers: Change: Warhead Exercise

8. Examples of Icebreakers: Awareness: Recall Exercise “DE-X-ES”

9. Examples of Icebreakers: Introduce topic for discussion: Cartoon Qualities

10. Icebreaker Resources: http://www.odportal.com/training/icebr eakers.htm http://www.humanpingpongball.com/in dex.htmlhttp://www.humanpingpongball.com/in dex.html http://www.astd.org Local Library