Left Right Left Zombie Game | Two SEL Icebreakers

The Description

Need a back-to-school icebreaker that doesn't make teenagers cringe? 🧟 This hilarious Left Right Zombie Game gets middle and high school students laughing, listening, and connecting without forced sharing or painfully awkward introductions. Print the story, grab a few prizes, and start reading. Every time students hear LEFT or RIGHT, they pass their prize in that direction. As the zombie story gets increasingly ridiculous, the directions come faster, somebody inevitably passes the wrong way, and suddenly the whole room is laughing.

This resource includes TWO complete stories: the original Back-to-School Zombie Game and a sequel for the first day back after winter break. The second story brings back the wonderfully inconvenient WRIGHT family, giving students who played in September a chance to recognize familiar characters and running jokes in January. Both stories also work independently.

I've used this activity for more than 10 years, and it remains one of my favorite low-prep SEL icebreakers. Students don't have to share anything personal or be the center of attention. They simply get to have a ridiculous experience together—and sometimes that's exactly what a classroom needs.

What Students Will Do

Students work in small groups, introduce themselves, and determine the oldest and youngest group members before the game begins. Then the chaos starts!

1. Pass their prize LEFT whenever they hear LEFT.

2. Pass their prize RIGHT whenever they hear RIGHT or WRITE.

3. Listen carefully as the story gets increasingly ridiculous and the directions become trickier.

4. Whoever holds the prize when the story ends gets to keep it!

🧟 Story #1: The Back-to-School Zombie Game

TEACHER wakes from a nightmare about brain-eating students, only to discover it's the first day of school. Between worrying about leaving the iron on, navigating a chaotic morning, and encountering her chatty neighbor Mr. WRIGHT, getting to school becomes an adventure of its own.

❄️ Story #2: Left, Right, and Back From Break

The zombie dreams are back. Unfortunately, so is school.

TEACHER faces the first morning after winter break, complete with a forgotten lunch, questionable leftover coffee, and another encounter with the WRIGHT family. This time, Mrs. WRIGHT takes center stage! Students who remember the original will recognize the characters, but the sequel works just as well on its own.

Why This Resource Is Different

These stories weren't generated by AI. They were written, tested, and refined by a real teacher over more than a decade of classroom use.

The LEFT and RIGHT cues aren't randomly sprinkled throughout. Their placement is intentional, helping prizes circulate around the group while building just the right amount of chaos. I've adjusted the pacing based on watching actual students play—when they lose track, when they stop listening, and when the ridiculousness gets everyone laughing.

You can even ad-lib extra LEFTS and RIGHTS to increase the chaos or skip a few to slow things down.

And the SEL happens naturally. Students start with a little structured conversation, then build connection through shared laughter rather than forced personal sharing. Bringing back familiar characters after winter break also turns a simple icebreaker into a shared classroom joke.

What's Included?

• Original Back-to-School Zombie Game — complete Left/Right story featuring TEACHER and the WRIGHT family.

• Three versions of the original story — male, female, and non-binary teacher options.

• Left, Right, and Back From Break — complete winter-break sequel featuring Mrs. WRIGHT and returning characters.

The Details

Grade Levels: Middle School and High School

Focus: SEL, Classroom Community Building, Icebreakers, and Listening Skills

Preparation: Minimal—use Find and Replace in Word to personalize TEACHER with your name, then print and play.

Materials: Printed story and small prizes or classroom objects for each group.

Best For: First Day of School, Back From Winter Break, Advisory, Homeroom, and Low-Prep Classroom Games.

Two stories. One ridiculously simple routine. Two awkward classroom-reset days handled.

Looking for more ways to get teenagers talking and connecting without forced sharing? Explore my Middle & High School SEL Activities Bundle for classroom community-building activities you can use throughout the year.