Silent Line-Up Icebreaker

Grade: 3rd-5th Grade

Materials: Sign Language Alphabet

Introduction: I did this activity in my fifth-grade class and I remember how fun it was. I

rediscovered it on Scholastic’s website (https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/blog-posts/genia-

connell/10-fun-back-school-activities-and-icebreakers/ ). I love how they added the option of

sign language and different modes of communication to make this activity more diverse and

enriching for your students.

Instructions: Have all the students line up at random. Tell them that they will need to line up in

height order having the tallest at one end and the shortest at the other end. Before they can begin,

tell the students that they cannot talk while they do this activity. After they have successfully

completed sorting themselves this way, challenge them by getting in first name alphabetical

order. For this new task, supply the students with the sign language alphabet so that they can

communicate more efficiently. For a final activity, have the students sort themselves in

chronological birthday order, with January 1st at one end and December 31st at the other. For this

round, let the students talk with each other. To wrap up the icebreaker ask the students which

round was easiest and why. Stress how communication can make team work easier and how they

can reach the final product faster that way.