Funny Pages

Purpose. An enjoyable way to form groups that doubles as a light mixer.

When to use. Whenever you need to split a large group into smaller working teams quickly and fairly.

Best for. Any group size, in person.

• Gather: several comic strips, cut into individual panels (a 4-panel strip makes groups of 4, and so on).
• Choose strips with visually distinct art styles, so panels from different strips aren't easily confused with each other.

Room setup. Enough open space for participants to mingle and compare panels.

Virtual setup. Not well suited to virtual; use a random breakout-room assignment instead.

Hybrid setup. Not well suited to hybrid; assign remote participants to groups separately using a random method.

Materials. Comic strips cut into panels, Cut-up comic strip panels

1. Before the session, cut up several comic strips into individual panels, one strip's worth of panels per group you want to form.
2. Shuffle all the panels together and hand one to each participant as they arrive, or at the start of the activity.
3. Explain the challenge: each person must find the others holding panels from the same original comic strip.
4. Let participants mingle, comparing panels, until each group has reassembled their full strip in the correct order.
5. Once a group has their complete strip, that becomes their small group for the next activity.

Learning outcome. Participants leave in new, self-organized groups, having shared a quick laugh over the comic strips along the way.

• Comic strips, cut into panels
• Panels shuffled and ready to hand out
• Debrief questions ready
• Timer set for 15 min Closer / Reflection & Action Planning