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Story Time
Imagination: Thinking
Creatively
Problems & Solutions
Story Time
Objective
To explore the different ways teams can create a story using the same
designated word list.

Applications
½ Communication
½ Creativity
½ Diversity
½ Leadership
½ Problem Solving
½ Resource Use

Group Size
Six to forty participants, who will work in teams of three or four members
each.

Time Required
Twenty to thirty minutes

Materials
A pencil and one copy of the Story Time Worksheet for each participant.

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Process

1. Instruct participants to form teams of three to four members each.

Group leadership is assigned to the person with the most recent
birthday (or some other designation). Distribute a pencil and one copy
of the Story Time Worksheet to each participant.
2. Explain that each team will create a story that uses all of the words
presented in the table. Each word may be used only once; the only
words that may be added are verbs (e.g., elect, push, drove), articles
(e.g., of, for, from, with). The team leader is responsible for
coordinating the process and presenting the final story.
3. Signal for the activity to begin, and allow approximately fifteen minutes
for group work. Give a five-minute warning before time is up. Have
each leader read his or her team·s story before the total group and
compare stories for similarities and differences.

Discussion

‡ How do we account for the different story lines that resulted from the
exact same word base?
‡ How do these differences relate to diversity in the workplace?
‡ What problem-solving process did the team use to approach the task?
‡ Was it effective? Why?
‡ What role did perception play in this game?
‡ How did the leader feel about his or her role in the group?
‡ How difficult was it to complete this activity within the constraints
presented?
‡ Relate this activity to the use of limited resources in the workplace.

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Create a logical story that uses ALL of the words presented in the table below. You
are limited to adding only verbs, articles, and prepositions.

motorcycle ice girl police officer

sidewalk driver book ketchup

President tree boy teddy bear

computer shoes baby diploma

mouse radio lion parking lot

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 Imagination: Thinking
Creatively
Objectives: I. To encourage the team members to think creatively.
II. To be able to ´holdµ another persons frame of reference in light of
differing opinions.
III. To be able to support their answer and be curious about it.
IV. To be able to allow an ´ah-haµ which could be an insight into self, other
person, or group reaction.
Group Size: Unlimited, but best with a group of ten to twenty participants.
Time: Ten to fifteen minutes depending upon the size of the group.
Materials: For the leader, a copy of the Imagination List.
Setting: A room in which the participants can be seated comfortably.
Procedure: I. The leader asks the group members to let their minds expand in order to
allow for innovative ways of thinking and perceiving.
II. Next, the leader explains that in this activity the team members will be
asked to respond to some questions and then to explain why they
responded as they did.
III. The leader chooses a team member at random and asks him or her a
question from the Imagination List. When the group member has given his
or her response and has provided a rationale for it, the leader may ask
another member to answer the same question or a different question from
the Imagination List. This is continued until each member of the team has
responded to at least one question.
IV. The leader initiates a processing discussion in terms of the activity·s
relevance to problem solving, brainstorming, or the examination of basic
assumptions.
Outcome: I.

Adapted from S. Forbess-Greene (1983). The Encyclopedia of Icebreakers: Structured Activities that Warm-Up,
Motivate, Challenge, Acquaint and Energize. San Diego, CA: Pfeiffer & Company.

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Imagination List
1. What shape is a wish?
2. What does happiness look like?
3. What color is today?
4. What does purple taste like?
5. What does your self-image sound like?
6. What does a rainbow feel like?
7. What color is the smell of your favorite perfume?
8. What is the distance of your life?
9. What is your favorite sense?
10. What is the color of your favorite song?
11. What texture is your favorite scent?
12. What does inspiration taste like?
13. What is the shape of violin music?
14. What is the texture of the letter ´Pµ?
15. What is the texture of a whisper?
16. What color is the fragrance of soap?
17. What does a cloud sound like?
18. What is the weight of your anger?
19. What is the shape of your imagination?
20. What does your favorite book feel like?

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 Problems and Solutions
Objectives: I. To allow the team members to experience a creative form of problem
solving.
II. To emphasize diversity of thought.
Group Size: Ten to twenty participants.
Time: Ten to fifteen minutes.
Materials: I. Two sheets of blank paper and a pencil for each team member.
II. An empty box, such as a shoe box, for the leader.
Setting: A room in which the participants can be seated comfortably.
Procedure: I. The leader explains that the team members are going to solve the
problems that they consider important.
II. After giving each group member a pencil and two sheets of paper, the
leader asks that each member write a problem question on one of his or
her sheets of paper. The question may be personal, such as ´What can be
done about my family·s irritability in the morning?,µ or it may be more
political or social, such as ´How can the country of India solve its problem
of poverty?µ
III. When the members have written their questions, they give them to the
leader who will read them one at a time and solicit solutions from the
group. There should be at least two solutions for every problem.
IV. The activity continues until all members have shared their problem
questions and new solutions.

Variations: I. The leader can ask that the members· problems and solutions be about
work-related topics.
II. The members can exchange solutions instead of drawing them out of a
box.
III. The members can be asked to place their problem questions in the box.
The leader then picks a question out of the box, reads it aloud, and calls
on a member to share his or her solution. Several solutions can be
solicited.

Adapted from S. Forbess-Greene (1983). The Encyclopedia of Icebreakers: Structured Activities that Warm-Up,
Motivate, Challenge, Acquaint and Energize. San Diego, CA: Pfeiffer & Company.

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