Here is a great activity for helping your team or class find common ground and celebrate their differences. Free downloads and printable available in the blog below!
The Purpose
An activity that will give students the opportunity to gain perspective about those in their class or on their team. Great for bonding on a personal level. You are welcome to combine this activity with a lesson on perspective, empathy or kindness.
What You Need
Participants Will Need: blank paper and something to write with
Instructions
Have participants divide their paper into three columns with the headers of "Name, Similar, Different"
Divide participants into small groups of 4 or 5. If you have squads, this would be a perfect activity for that group. You could also divide a team up by class/grade.
Give them time to see how many things they can find in common/different with each individual in the group.
Then allow each group time to find 3 common things between all of them.
Have each group select one representative to share their 3 common things.
If you have time, do some self reflection or journaling with the following questions:
What was the most surprising thing I had in common with someone?
What was the biggest difference I have with someone?
How has this changed my perspective about the people in my group?
Hints For Humps
Have an example ready with topics so that they have a starting point.
Encourage participants to not duplicate any answers. So if they use music as a similarity, maybe they would use food for the next person.
Utilize background music while they are chatting to keep it from being awkward.
Prepare one group to be the first to share so they are ready when that time comes around.
Take the Next Step
Read the following quote and see if anyone wants to share from the self-reflection time.
Reference: Adapted from the book Quick Team-Building Activities for Busy Managers by Brian Cole Miller