Ditch the Boring Icebreakers: 7 Tech-Fueled Ways to Build Classroom Community

By Dana Fontaine

I am one of the few people who actually likes icebreaker activities during the first week of school. I love getting to know not only my new and veteran colleagues, but also my students and their families. While I know I’m in the minority—and that many icebreakers are eye-roll inducing—here are seven “get to know you” activities that have been really successful using technology.

1. Create Your Own Museum Using Canva, you can create a slide deck where every student gets a slide to design their own museum page. I work at a high school, but we serve all reading levels. Here is an example of a slide I use with my Special Needs class on the first day of story time:

It features three “artifacts”: my favorite travel destination, my daughter (Luna), and my favorite book. Students can choose any three things they would like to include. It’s a really fun activity!

2. “Get to Know You” Frayer Model (Adapted from Matt Miller) Matt Miller is the king of Google Docs and finding innovative ways to use tech tools beyond their intended purpose. He originally created this activity for Google Slides, but I adapted it for Canva purely for aesthetic reasons. Below is a Frayer Model with four quadrants:

• Quadrant 1: Favorites

• Quadrant 2: Least Favorites

• Quadrant 3: What do you want to be when you grow up?

• Quadrant 4: Two things you want to accomplish this year

The center, of course, is a photo of the student’s or teacher’s choosing. It makes for a fantastic collaborative activity.

3. “Would You Rather?” (180 Questions!) Using ChatGPT, SchoolAI, or Gemini, ask the AI to generate 180 “Would You Rather” questions—one for each day of the school year! Add parameters to ensure the prompts are fun and school-appropriate.

Next, head over to Superstructures (which is currently free with zero ads!), log in, and build a debate or discussion canvas. Superstructures is super easy and fun to use—students join seamlessly just like in Kahoot.

4. Instagram Icebreaker / “My Life in Pictures” Another popular activity popping up on my feeds lately is the “Instagram Icebreaker.” This relies on your school allowing access to Instagram during the day, though you can also ask students to prep beforehand by bringing in photos.

• Have students choose 3–5 photos from various points in their life.

• Ask them to explain each picture or share why it is important to them.

Not only do they get permission to look at Instagram, but they also get to talk about themselves (which they love!). You can display the photos on screen or dedicate a corner of your classroom wall to them.

5. Emoji Biography This is honestly one of my absolute favorites! Even if students think emojis are “cringe,” I love them.

• Directions: Have students pick 3 to 5 emojis that represent their life, paste them into a doc or presentation, and share them with a small group of classmates. You can also do this with Bitmojis, though that requires creating an account.

6. Interactive Timeline Starring YOU! (Using ThingLink) ThingLink is one of my favorite tech tools—the possibilities are endless. Since today’s students were born in the digital age, their parents or guardians likely have baby videos and photos stored on their phones or social media.

Students can use ThingLink to build an interactive digital timeline of their life, starting whenever they feel comfortable. They can attach family photos, videos, and notes. If a student prefers not to share personal photos, they can create a timeline about a historical figure, mentor, or someone they admire.

7. Digital Time Capsule This is a fun, low-stakes twist on the photo activities. Have students look through their phone or social media to find the oldest (school-appropriate) photo and the newest (school-appropriate) photo they’ve taken, then share the stories behind both. Students can share in small groups, individually, or with the whole class.

With all the incredible technology developed over the years, there are endless ways to make getting to know your students engaging and interactive!