Don’t drop my house:

• Materials Needed:
  • Big Sturdy Bucket
  • A few bricks or items weighing about 20-40lbs
• Fill the bucket with about 20lbs of bricks.
• Start by having older brothers in a separate room holding the bucket of bricks together.
• Have new younger members join the area and grab onto the bucket.
• One by one have the older brothers let go and leave the circle while saying an excuse “I have to go see my girlfriend”; “I have practice” etc
• Have a moderator pull some younger members out too.
• When only a few members left have all the brothers rush back in to help lift the house up
• When done spend 5-10 minutes reflecting on how it felt as brother left, how it felt when only 2 or 3 people were left holding the bucket (figurative house). Discuss how easy it is to do things with multiple people vs just a few guys. (EC doing work vs having the whole house)

Adding to the Fire:

• Estimated Time: 60 minutes
• Type: Discussion, Building Rapport, Develop Respect, Unity
• Materials Needed: Fire-starting materials, a stick of wood for each member. Fire extinguisher.
• Seat members around a campfire or firepit Give each member a stick of wood. Go around the circle, each member should state what the fraternity means to him and add his stick to the fire as he states what he will contribute to perpetuate the fraternity.
• Notice that the fire grows stronger as each member contributes his stick of wood. Comment on the symbolism of a roaring fire. When each member contributes his energy, the result is a powerful force. Yet the flames are not eternal, we must continually add fuel to the fire.
• Discuss: How can you take this energy home to the chapter and keep the fire burning so each member is motivated and happy to contribute?
• You may want to consider scheduling the whole evening for this activity. Take your time, and use the activity as a springboard for more informal discussion related to the finding their chapter.

Web of Brotherhood

• SUPPLIES: Ball of string, fraternity symbols (badge, coat of arms, etc.), pillow, scissors
• Ask participants to sit in a circle.
• Have the first participant hold one end of the string tightly. As he does have him explain what the fraternity/brotherhood means to him and one thing that he is going to do to contribute to perpetuate the brotherhood.
• When he is finished have him toss the ball of string to the opposite side of the circle, still holding tightly to one end. Have the person who catches the string wrap it around his finger and explain what the fraternity/brotherhood means to him and what he plans to contribute. When the second person is complete, have him pass the ball of string immediately to his right.
• Alternate how the string is passed: first across the circle, then to the right, then back across the circle until every member has tied the string around his finger.
• Once complete, have the members pull the strings taut to create the “web of brotherhood.” The facilitator places a pillow in the center of the web and puts fraternity symbols (badge, coat of arms, etc.) on the pillow.
• Then the facilitator gives hypothetical examples of times when fraternity principles were not upheld (e.g., inappropriate behavior at a party, poor scholarship, etc.). As each example is stated, cut one of the strings. Soon the web will become weak, and the pillow will fall to the ground.
• When this happens, discuss the importance of upholding fraternity principles.

Wouldn’t It Be Great If…

• This is a good beginning for a goal-setting session, or a unique way to close a chapter meeting or new member activity by planting seeds of action for the coming weeks.
• Assemble the brothers in a circle. Make a statement regarding the chapter or campus which begins with, “Wouldn’t it be great it..” Complete the statement. Continue to the right, having each brother complete a statement which begins “Wouldn’t it be great if…” Continue for three rounds so each brother makes three statements,
• Vary the instructions slightly for each round,
  • The first-round statements should be realistic and attainable things that your members can make happen (e.g., “Wouldn’t it be great if we could recruit 10 more men than last year.”).
  • The second-round statements should be very challenging but still humanly possible to attain (e.g. “Wouldn’t it be great if every member had a 3.2 or better GPA.”).
  • The final round statements should be whimsical and fun (e.g. “Wouldn’t it be great if every member of the chapter had superhero athletic abilities, and we won every intramural game we played?”).
• 10 Minutes: Discuss some of the things the brothers suggested. How can we make some of these happen? Did the whimsical suggestions give anyone else some creative ideas? How challenging are some of these? Can we attain them if we put our minds to it?
• Commit to accomplishing one of the great. things suggested as a result of the exercise or transition into a more complete goal setting and action-planning exercise.

You always wanted to ask:

• Materials Needed:
  • Index cards
  • Pen/Pencil
• Take 5 minutes to have each brother write a question about the chapter that the has always wanted to ask on an index card. Collect all the cards and shuffle them. Have the brothers sit in a circle.
• Begin by reading the top card aloud. Answer the question, You may wish to allow a couple of minutes for a brother with a different response to give his answer. Do not debate the question or its answer.
• Place that question on the bottom of the stack and pass it to your left. Have that brother read the top card aloud and answer the question. Continue around the circle until every brother has read and answered a question.

Drawing the Perfect Member

• Estimated time 30-60 minutes.
• SUPPLIES: Paper and markers for each group
• This activity is great for introducing several important discussions with chapter members. Use it to discuss the type of person you are seeking in your membership recruitment effort or to create a common understanding of expectations for all members.
• Divide the chapter in groups of six or less.
• Ask them to use their artistic skills to draw the perfect fraternity member:
• Have the small groups share their artwork with the other groups.
• Once the sharing and explanation is complete, discuss the drawings. You may want to ask: Where can we meet this perfect member? How can we recruit members like this into our organization? What is he looking for in a fraternity experience? How can we demonstrate this to him?
• Or you can ask: How can we encourage all our brothers to be like this perfect member?
• Who already has many of these qualities?
• What other qualities does our membership need to improve?

Stick Up for Yourself

• SUPPLIES: Crayons, paper for each participant, post-it notes (optional), tape
• Have each participant draw a large human stick figure on a piece of paper.
• The leader then instructs them to do the following while he does the same on a large piece of paper or projector so the whole group can see. Make sure to allow time for participants to finish each step:
  • Next to the eyes, name or draw a picture of what you like to read or watch.
  • Next to the ears, name or draw a picture of music you like to listen to.
  • Next to the smile, name or draw things that make you smile.
  • Next to the heart, name or draw a picture of people you love.
  • Next to the stomach, name or draw a picture of food you like to eat.
  • Next to the legs, name or draw a picture of an athletic activity you enjoy doing.
  • Finally next to the feet, name or draw a picture of places you like to go.
• Have participants share their drawings to get acquainted. You may want to have them tape their drawings to their chest and then circulate silently around the room looking at each other’s interests. Have them make mental notes of people they would like to get to know better.
• For a group where the participants are already somewhat acquainted, you can post the drawings on the wall to create an art display.
• Have them silently determine which picture belongs to which participant. Once they think they have an idea, have them write the name of the artist on a post-it note and place it beside the work. Once everyone has selected, go through the “art display” as a group and reveal the artist.

Fraternity Jeopardy

• Time: 30 minutes
• Materials Needed: Q&A cards with fraternity history, ritual, traditions. Poster board set up like a Jeopardy board (Topics across the top, $ amounts down the categories)
• Divide participants into teams or have individuals participate. One member serves as the game show host and asks questions of the participants. Keep track of scores or point totals. This will take some preparation-get questions and answers from your fraternity history (e.g., In what year was the fraternity founded? Name the first founder to graduate.)
• Make sure to get questions from the local chapter history and traditions as well. If using “Jeopardy” format, make sure that answers are stated in the form of a question: “What is 1869?”

Privacy Circles

• SUPPLIES: Paper and pens for each member
• Have each participant draw five concentric circles on a piece of paper, writing in them respectively: intimates, brothers, chapter officers, family members, advisors. Read some of the statements below or others which depict common situations which occur in fraternal life. Have members write a key word from the statement in the circle of people they would tell first.
  • You observe a brother fighting with his girlfriend. Although he doesn’t hit her, he is verbally abusive. It’s not the first time you’ve seen his outbursts.
  • Your parents won $25,000 in the lottery.
  • The treasurer of your chapter is delinquent in paying bills. You find a statement from the bank, and it doesn’t appear that deposits have been made, but dues have been collected. You don’t know the treasurer well but have heard rumors that he has a drug habit.
  • Your grades are slipping. It doesn’t appear that you will reach your goal of getting into the College of Business. You’ve decided to switch to an easier program.
  • You have just been elected Student Body President.
  • You are feeling overwhelmed, stressed out, and/or depressed.
  • A brother tells you that he thinks he has an alcohol/drug problem.
  • You get the top grade in a difficult course.
  • You have two job offers and are uncertain of the choice to make.
  • While walking home one night, you observe another chapter conducting what appears to be a serious and potentially dangerous hazing activity.
  • Someone you have been wanting to date for weeks, but are too shy to approach, asks you on a date.
• Have members share their answers with each other in groups of no more than five.
• Then discuss as a large group pattern of self-disclosure. What things are we comfortable sharing with others? What do we not share with anyone? Who do we find ourselves approaching often? Why? Who can we approach more?

Goal Setting of the Stars

• SUPPLIES: Gold stars, paper, pens
• 5 Minutes: Conduct a brief discussion on the nature of goals and the importance of setting them.
• 5 Minutes: Brainstorm goal ideas for the upcoming term. Put three or four goals on each sheet of paper and leave room between each one. Place the goals around the room when completed.
• 10 Minutes: Give each member five gold stars. Have members circulate around the room and place a star next to the top five goals they think the chapter should strive to achieve.
• 40 Minutes: After tallying up the votes, discuss the top five goals as selected by the group. For each goal, determine what specific actions need to be taken to accomplish the goal. Ask for volunteers to commit to each action. Every member should be encouraged to commit to at least one action. Be sure to include a completion date.
• Follow Up Task: Give a brief report on the progress of the goals at each chapter meeting following the activity. Have the actions been completed on time? If not, choose a new completion date. Make sure members follow through on their commitments.

Unfinished Sentences

• Divide participants into small groups of five or less. Facilitator reads an unfinished sentence from below or makes up his own.
• Each participant should share with other group members how he would finish the sentence.
  • “I’ve made up my mind to finally learn how to…”
  • “I feel most bored when…”
  • “If I had no television, I would…”
  • “The next rainy day I plan to…
  • “On Saturdays, I like to…”
  • “I feel best when people…
  • “On vacations I like to…
  • “The happiest day in my life was…
  • “My favorite vacation place is…
  • “In a group I am…”
  • “When people depend upon me, I..”
  • “I get angry when…”
  • “I have accomplished…”
  • “What I want most in life is…”
  • “People who know me well think 1 am…
  • “I need to improve most in…”
  • “When people first meet me, they..”
  • “I feel most loved when…”
  • “When my family gets together…”
  • “I like people who…”
  • “The trouble with being dishonest;,
  • “Someday I am going to…”
• Discussion: What answers of others surprised you? Did you learn anything about yourself? Which questions were difficult to answer? Why is that? Is it important that we know these things about our brothers?

What Do We Expect?

• SUPPLIES: Markers, poster paper
• This activity examines what we expect from our brothers. It is a good exercise for reminding brothers of their commitment to the chapter and renewing energy and spirit. To be successful, remember to focus on future expectations. Do not complain about what members should have done in the past.
• 5 Minutes: Open with a reading from your ritual and/ or pledge/associate member ceremony Remind your members of the oath they have already taken. Announce that for the next hour you will examine what that oath means.
• Discuss what the chapter members expect from their brothers and ask the brothers to hold themselves accountable. Remind them to discuss both behavior and more specific concerns (e.g., “I expect brothers to behave like gentlemen at social functions,” or “I expect brothers to attend all chapter meetings.”)
• 20 Minutes: Divide members into small groups of no more than eight. Have the groups list what they expect from members of the chapter. Tell them to evaluate their expectations by the following questions: Are these expectations reasonable considering the other time commitments of our members? Are these expectations clear? Would I be willing to live up to these expectations? Would I be willing to confront a brother who is not living up to these expectations?
• 5 Minutes: Each group should present their expectations to the group. A facilitator records those expectations on which everyone agrees.
• 15 Minutes If there is a disagreement, two representatives of each group meet with the facilitator to work out a compromise. When complete, the expectations are read to the whole group. Each member is asked to commit to meeting these expectations.
• 15 Minutes: Conduct a large group conversation. How can we hold members accountable to these expectations? What should we do when members are not meeting these expectations?

Brother of the Week

• Estimated Time: 5 minutes
• Materials: Poster paper, recognition items
• Positive feedback and recognition is important. This brief activity offers good recognition of brothers who do more than their share to build a strong chapter:
• Post a large poster-sized nomination form for “Brother of the Week” in a high-traffic area such as the dining room, mail room, or bulletin board on campus. Encourage brothers to nominate other brothers who during the week have gone above and beyond normal expectations in supporting the brotherhood and exemplifying the fraternal values.
• During the chapter meeting or another large brotherhood gathering, read the list of nominees, and have the brother making the nomination give a 45-second or less explanation of why the nominated brother deserves to be called the “Brother of the Week.”
• You may wish to have the brotherhood committee select the winner or have the brotherhood vote by applause.
• Recognize the brother via social media
• This activity should be done every week.