When approaching a new text, I’ve moved away from having everyone sit in a large group and opening with a broad question such as “What did everyone think of the reading?” or discussing something as complex as “Can you justify Nora’s departure from her family in A Doll’s House?” I’ve instead started to integrate some ice-breaker activities before the discussion. I’ve found having students stand up in class and line up based on their response to various questions or playing ‘cross the line’, an activity where students cross an imaginary line if they agree with a particular statement, to be really helpful generating an environment where the students feel comfortable engaging in a constructive way with each other in the more complex peer discussions that follow.

Below is a slide illustrating the cross the line activity and some example ice-breaker questions from Modern European Literature.

Warm-ups: Pineapples are just fine on pizza. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. ​

​Digging in: Family is the fundamental unit of society. 
There is never a good time or reason to lie. 
[A person’s first duty is to themself. OR: A mother’s first duty is to her children.]
Money is an important indicator of success.
Being in charge of other people is an indicator of success.​

Debrief can be simple: Based on the statements you heard here, what do you think might be some of the themes and ideas explored in A Doll’s House?