A Great Wind Blows…

Play a fun, movement-based game to help students learn more about each other!
Ages 11-18 / 15
min Activity
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Objectives

  • Participate in an ice-breaker in which they share personal characteristics about themselves, observe commonalities between themselves, and appreciate the unique qualities of their peers
  • Try an adaptation of the game in which they explore different experiences, emotions, and thoughts related to empathy and understanding

Supporting Research

Research shows that ice-breakers are an effective way to promote interactions between participants, facilitate self-disclosure and open communication, and create a safe and welcoming community. During this game, educators should encourage students to practice self-awareness as they share aspects of their identity with each other, and kindness and inclusivity to show curiosity and respect for each other’s perspectives and backgrounds. 

To learn more about these skills, and how they promote students’ healthy growth and the development of empathy, please check out our Empathy Framework.

Materials

  • Chairs (one less than the total number of students) arranged in a circle and facing an open space in the middle 

Activity Partners

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Instructions

  1. To set-up the game, gather chairs (one less than the total number of students) and arrange the chairs in a circle. Ensure that the chairs are facing an open space in the center, and that there aren’t any items on the floor that students might trip over (e.g., backpacks). 

    Then, select one student to stand in the center of the circle, who will start the game. 
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  2. The student should identify a characteristic about themselves, and then announce the prompt to the group, starting with: “A great wind blows for everyone who…”. 

    For example, if the student has a pet dog, they might say: “A great wind blows for everyone who has a dog at home.” 
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  3. All of the students who can also identify with the statement must get out of their seat and find a new seat that is at least two chairs away from them (i.e., not the chair right next to them). The student in the middle should also try to find a seat in the circle. 
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  4. If a student cannot find a new seat, they become the leader of the next round! They should also share a prompt about themselves starting with: “A great wind blows for everyone who…”. 

    Some ideas include: 
    • A great wind blows for everyone who has a younger sibling. 
    • A great wind blows for everyone who has family living in another country. 
    • A great wind blows for everyone who speaks a language other than English at home. 
    • A great wind blows for everyone who likes to play football / soccer. 
    • A great wind blows for everyone who is trying to learn a new hobby or skill.
    • A great wind blows for everyone who has had their name mispronounced. 
    • A great wind blows for everyone who plays an instrument. 
    • A great wind blows for everyone who has shown kindness to someone they didn’t know.
    • A great wind blows for everyone who has lived in more than three cities. 
    • A great wind blows for everyone who has a birthday in February. 
    • A great wind blows for everyone who can name three things (or people) they are grateful for.
    • A great wind blows for everyone who has watched an entire television series in a weekend.
    • A great wind blows for everyone who has learned an important lesson from a mistake.
    • A great wind blows for everyone who is trying to improve their mental or physical health. 
    • A great wind blows for everyone who is trying to become a better communicator. 
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  5. After playing a few rounds, ask the following questions to invite students to reflect on their experience:
    • How did you decide what to share about yourself when you were in the middle? 
    • How did it feel to share personal characteristics or experiences with the group during the game?
    • Did you discover any commonalities or surprising connections with your classmates?
    • Did you notice any changes in the atmosphere of the group as the game progressed? If so, how would you describe these changes?
    • Is there a specific prompt or moment from the game that stood out to you? Why?

Optional Extension: “Empathy flows…”

Consider adapting the game to focus more on empathy. Students should start the prompts with: “Empathy flows to everyone who…”, and share a personal experience, emotion, or thought that is related to empathy and understanding. 

For example: 

  • Empathy flows to everyone who has felt left out in a group. 
  • Empathy flows to everyone who has helped a friend in need. 
  • Empathy flows to everyone who has felt judged because of their appearance. 
  • Empathy flows to everyone who has taken the time to learn about, and appreciate, a friend’s cultural background. 
  • Empathy flows to everyone who has a hard time expressing their feelings to others.
  • Empathy flows to everyone who has given someone a compliment to make their day better. 
  • Empathy flows to everyone who has organized a surprise for someone’s birthday. 
  • Empathy flows to everyone who feels proud of something they have accomplished recently. 
  • Empathy flows to everyone who has misjudged another person, and learned from their mistake.
  • Empathy flows to everyone who likes to spend time in nature.
  • Empathy flows to everyone who feels anxious about climate change. 
  • Empathy flows to everyone who cries when they feel angry. 
  • Empathy flows to everyone who has sent someone a funny message or video to cheer them up.
  • Empathy flows to everyone who tries to be a good listener to others. 
  • Empathy flows to everyone who volunteers to help others in their community. 

If students in both classes have individual devices (e.g., mobile phone, tablet, laptop, etc.)...

Use a platform such as Google Meet, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams which allows you to screen-share during a video call. 
One educator should set up the Kahoot! game and share the code with students in both classes by following this tutorial about using Kahoot! in a remote learning environment, and share their screen so everyone can follow along.

If students in either class don’t have individual devices...

Follow the same instructions above, with one educator starting the game and sharing their screen so both classes can follow along.  
Instead of students joining the game to answer the questions, they can hold up their fingers, call out their answer, or use a paper template to indicate their response.

If you prefer not using Kahoot!...

Use this document (Spanish version) to prompt students.