Create a Country

Description

Groups use create a new country based off of common country components (like national food dish and top export), and if needed, borrow from existing elements from existing countries (such as their home country). Using an online whiteboard like Miro is recommended for collaboration and visuals.

Check out the similar “Create A Holiday” activity here: https://knowmium.com/tools/2020/12/11/create-a-holiday

Why we like it

This creative activity makes a great ice breaker for individuals and includes some artistic design for making a new country flag. It can lead into deeper discussions of cross-cultural communication, cultural traditions, and, when done as a team, collaboration.

Process

1. Determine if you’re going to use an online whiteboard and create templates for this activity. This guide will assume a whiteboard is being used. If not, the activity could be done verbally or with simply chat functions within small groups.

2. Build your whiteboard canvas including instructions, examples, and blank templates. Here’s an example of what it might look like.

3. In the main room, brief participants on common country elements. 5 easy-to-understand components to consider:
a) Name of country
b) National sport
c) National food dish
d) National holiday
e) Top export

4. Show participants a blank and a completed template. Here is Robert’s new country Robertistan. 

5. Give participants instructions on how they will create a new country, whether individually or in groups. In the above example, individual members were asked to choose one component each and then discuss how it added to their new country. Alternatives would be discussing each component together, or even coming up with new country elements not listed. Just be cautious that in groups, one member might take over the new holiday design on their own, which can be mitigated by bringing in collaboration lessons and practices.

6. Send small groups into breakout rooms with the instructions, a time limit, and any debrief/sharing instructions they should prepare.

7. Back in the main room, debrief and share as needed.

Daisy chain options

A. History: ask participants to research and share the true history of existing countries.
B. Creative writing and/or storytelling: ask participants to create and share new origin stories for their completed countries.
C. Collaboration: discuss and use collaboration practices and roles. For example, having a scribe to write ideas and/or control the whiteboard.
D. Visual design: slide design, color effects, and layouts are all possibilities.

Share using the icons below or direct link to this activity: https://knowmium.com/tools/2021/3/10/create-a-country