Community Building Activities!

Communities are everywhere around us and the importance of having community in your classroom is profound. It is the basis of which everything you do starts from. If there is no community then there is no trust and no learning. That is why I will start creating a community every school year right from the first day of school. I want students to be comfortable enough in the art room to share ideas and not be afraid to fail. Art is all about exploration, taking risks and using your unique experiences to create works of art. Having a community in the art classroom allows for these experiences to happen as students need to feel comfortable enough with me as well as their peers in order to take risks and not feel judged. To create a community like this, I have many activities that will take place within the first few weeks of school. Using the first few weeks for these activities ends up saving you time in the future because students will know what is expected and will trust that you have their best interest's in mind which will lessen any negative behavior issues.

Some of the best activities for community building are all ones that I have done personally and will do with my students. Even though they can be a little awkward or weird at times this uncomfortableness is what breaks the barrier and allows us to create new bonds. Listed below are a few of my favorite activities.

Community Building Activities:

1. All My Friends

All my friends is an activity in which you quickly learn what your student's are interested in and allows shows students that they may have more in common with their peers than they first thought. To play, students make a circle and you, the teacher, are in the middle. The teacher then says, "All my friends like...." and then students shout out something they like to do. If you say the same thing as someone else, you then switch places with them. If you don't have a match, you then become the middle person and it continues on. It is kind of like musical chairs except no one get's kicked out.

2. Art Reproduction Puzzle

This is a fun activity that also involves art! Student's are put into groups of 6 or 8 and are given an image. They then have to cut the image into the amount of pieces that there are in the group. Each student in the group receives a piece of the puzzle and then must draw that piece onto a blank piece of paper you give them. After everyone completes their drawing, you then have groups trade images and try to put the puzzle together. It is a fun but also useful way to get student's doing art while also teaching them how to work independently and together all at the same time.

3. Hey, me too!

I like this one because it is simple and is easy for every age group. It is similar to an auction but nothing is being sold. Instead, everyone makes a paddle with an emoji on it (smily face). This can be done with a paper plate and a popsicle stick. Then, the teacher writes out different activities, events or items onto the board. Any student who likes what was written on the board raises their paddle up. They can look around the room and see who they might have things in common with. It is easy, includes all students, and includes a little bit of art!

4. Paintbrush Pass

This activity is very simple and a great first day activity. All you need is a paintbrush , yourself and your student's! Everyone forms a circle and you can only speak when you have the paint brush. The teacher starts, to show how to do it and to ask the question, and then passes the brush. Each student answers the questions until it has gone all the way around. Usually you have each person say their name first, then everyone says "hello name", and that student continues to answer the question. For the first day the best question to ask is something fun you did this summer, one thing you are excited for this school year, or what your favorite color is. Having options gives each student the opportunity to say something, whether it is elaborate or simple.

5. Glow, grow, know

Glow, grow, know is a reflection activity that can be used at any point during the year to quickly review the content that was just covered. This can be done in a large or small group format. Each student shares a glow, something positive. A grow, something new. And a know, something that extending their thinking. Using this as a pair share activity can be useful as well as large group. It just depends on the amount of time you have.

6. Snowball fight

A useful activity to allow students to ask questions, give answers, etc. without anyone knowing who it was. Everyone gets a piece of scrap paper, writes their question or answer on it, without writing their name. Then they throw the paper's into a single location. The teacher grabs open's one at a time and read's it aloud to the class. Pick out a handful to read out loud.

7. Check in chart

Create a chart with with categories: I'm great, I'm okay, I'm meh, I'm struggling, I'm having a hard time and wouldn't mind a check in, I'm not doing great. Each student get's a sticky note and write their name on the back of it. Student's then place it onto the category that best fits their needs or the feeling's they currently have. Place this in a spot in the back of the room so you do not create a distraction.

8. Social Contract

At the beginning of the year with each class, have student's create guidelines and expectations they want to have in the classroom. 3-5 expectations is the perfect number to have. Allowing student's to create their own guidelines give's them the reins to their education. It also aids in behavior because they made the rules so they know what will happen if they break them.

9. Color splotch partner

One way to group student's without using how student's look or what they're wearing is by using color splotches from Home Depot or Lowe's. Student's can be grouped by matching with someone who has the same color as them, who is their complementary color, tertiary color or any other way you can think of. Not only is this any easy way to create groups but it is also a review activity on colors.

10. This or That

Student's stand in the middle and the teacher says a statement such as "Macaroni or Pizza". One side of the room is macaroni and the other side is pizza. Student's go to the side of the room with their choice. Teacher can do this as many times and student's learn about their peers likes and dislikes.