This activity was inspired by this resource: https://www.icebreakers.ws/medium-group/categories-or-similarities-game.html

Summary: Participants are divided into small groups and asked to find similarities and differences between group members.

Time: 20 minutes

Materials: None 

Context: This icebreaker activity works best with new groups where participants do not already know each other well. This activity can be adapted for any age group from elementary school to professional adult groups. 

Learning Objectives:

• Participants get to know each other and feel more comfortable with each other.
• Increase feelings of connection and understanding between participants.
• Participants gain insight into similarities within the group.
• Participants gain insight into diversity and difference within the group.

Activity Instructions:

• Step 1: Divide participants into groups with between 4 and 6 members in each group.
• Step 2: Tell the groups to find as many things as they can that every single group member has in common. Ask the groups to keep track of the number of things they have in common and what those things are. Tell the groups they have 5 minutes and set a timer for 5 minutes.
• Step 3: Ask each group to share how many things they found in common and what those things are. Plan approximately 5 minutes for this step although time will vary based on the number of groups. 
• Step 4: Tell the groups to find as many things as they can that no one has in common with anyone else in the group. If there are four group members, then there must be four unique facts or experiences for the chosen difference. Ask the groups to keep track of the number of differences and what the differences are. Tell the groups they have 5 minutes and set a timer for 5 minutes.
• Step 5: Ask each group to share how many things they found that are different for each group member and what those things are. Plan approximately 5 minutes for this step although time will vary based on the number of groups. 

Variations on the Activity:

• One variation on this activity is to ask groups to find a specific number of similarities in the first round and a specific number of differences in the second round. 5 similarities for the first 5 minute round and 5 differences for the second 5 minute round may be a reasonable request depending on the context of the group.
• Another variation on this activity is to make it a game where the group that finds the most similarities wins the first round and the group that finds the most differences wins the second round. Prizes and team names can be added to further competitiveness if appropriate for group context. 

Debrief: This activity can be used as a quick icebreaker before other activities, but it can also invoke deeper questions. The facilitator can add an additional 10 to 15  minutes to the activity to have a discussion about the activity. Debrief may be especially significant for teenagers and adults in activist groups, highly diverse groups, and educational settings.

Potential Debrief Questions: Pick a couple questions relevant to group context or prepare different questions.  

• Was this activity easier or harder than you expected?
• How did you feel during the similarities round? 
• How did you feel during the differences round?
• How, if at all, has this activity changed how you view other group members?
• How, if at all, did this activity challenge assumptions you had about other group members?
• Were you surprised by anything you found out? If you were surpirsed, what surprised you?