Here is a list of 20 fun and engaging first-week activities for high school students:
1. **Two Truths and a Lie:** A classic icebreaker where participants share two true facts and one false fact about themselves, and others guess the lie.
2. **Human Bingo:** Create bingo cards with facts like "Has traveled to another country" or "Loves to cook." Participants mingle to find people matching the facts.
3. **Speed Networking:** Short, timed interactions where students introduce themselves and discuss their interests and goals.
4. **Photo Scavenger Hunt:** Teams take creative photos around the campus based on a list of prompts, like "Take a picture with something red."
5. **Escape Room Challenge:** A problem-solving activity where teams work together to "escape" a locked room using clues and puzzles.
6. **Team Banner Creation:** Groups create banners representing their team name and values, which they present to the class.
7. **Digital Storytelling:** Students create a short digital story or slideshow about themselves using photos and music.
8. **Media Show and Tell:** Students bring a piece of media (video, article, photo) that inspires them and explain why.
9. **Group Juggle:** A fun game where participants throw balls to each other in a specific order, adding more balls as the game progresses.
10. **Creative Drawing Exercise:** Each student contributes to a collaborative drawing, adding elements based on a theme.
11. **Role-Playing Scenarios:** Teams act out workplace scenarios to practice communication and problem-solving.
12. **Tech Jeopardy:** A quiz game using a Jeopardy format with categories related to media, technology, and soft skills.
13. **Vision Board Creation:** Students create vision boards using magazines and other materials to visualize their career goals
14. **Podcast Recording:** In small groups, students create and record a short podcast episode about a chosen topic.
15. **Social Media Profile Swap:** Students pair up, swap social media profiles, and introduce each other based on what they learned.
16. **Personality Quiz:** Students take a fun personality quiz (like Myers-Briggs) and discuss their results with the group.
17. **Group Puzzles:** Teams work together to complete large puzzles, fostering collaboration and teamwork.
18. **Debate Club:** Hold mini-debates on fun and relevant topics to practice public speaking and critical thinking.
19. **Workshop Rotation:** Short, hands-on workshops introducing different media tools and techniques, rotating through stations.
20. **End-of-Week Celebration:** A casual event like a pizza party or outdoor picnic where students can relax and reflect on the week.
These activities are designed to be engaging and foster a sense of community, teamwork, and excitement about the journey ahead in media career training.
