Whole Class > The Name Circle

  • Students form a large circle, either sitting on chairs or on the floor.  A student begins by looking to the left or right and making eye contact with the person beside them and stating, “I am Mary”.  The next student maintains eye contact and states, “This is Mary, I am Tom”.  The students continue in this pattern until the circle is completed. 
  • Instruct the students to reverse the process and allow student volunteers the opportunity to move around the circle and identify their fellow students.
  • Variation – Students sit in a circle as above.  The student to the left of the teacher states her name “Mary”.  The student to the immediate left of Mary states Mary’s name and then gives their name “Tom”.  The next student to the left of Tom says “Mary, Tom” and then gives their name “Rebecca”. 
  • This pattern is repeated all the way around the circle.  If a student cannot remember the name of someone in the circle they must look at the person and ask them for their name.  The game continues to the left all the way around the circle until it comes to the teacher.  The teacher is the last person to name all the students in the circle and then may wish to give their given name or surname.