What it is
This activity can be used as an icebreaker or as a way to move students into pairs or small groups for content-related discussion.
The teacher asks (or projects) a question on a light or funny topic that forces students to select one of two options. Once students choose a position, then physically move to the side of the room that most closely represents their opinion and then talk with one or two other students in that same group about why they chose that option. You may choose to call on one or more groups on either side to explain or defend their choice before the next round.
Sample questions:
- Would you rather live in the country or the city?
- Should all students be required to learn a second language?
- Which is worse: bad breath or body odor?
- Would you rather be indoors or outdoors?
- Which is better: Playing sports or watching sports?
- Would you rather travel every single day or never leave home?
After a few rounds of questions, students will be warmed up for discussion and you can start asking content-related questions.
Gonzalez, Jennifer. "Icebreakers That Rock." Cult of Pedagogy, 23 July 2015, https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/ classroom-icebreakers/
Resources for Questions
A simple Google search will turn up thousands of sites with Would You Rather questions, not all of them approproate for school. Here are a few that you might consider for classroom use. If you don’t see something you like here, you can also try the iPhone app “Would You Rather?”.
Ready-Made Slides
If you are looking for pre-made slides or just want a template you can use to build your own, check out Cult of Pedagogy’s resrouces on Teachers Pay Teachers: “This or That 1” and “This or That 2.”
