Transforming With Technology

Y’all! I AM TRANSFORMING MY CLASSROOM WITH TECHNOLOGY!

There was so much to take away from the Kenan Summer Learning Institute, but the activity that stuck with me the most was the Goosechase digital scavenger hunt. The level of collaboration and discovery learning was off the charts, and I knew I had to find a way to incorporate that in my classroom because, as I learned during my internship, collaboration and self-directed learning are among the skills most needed in STEM-industry careers today.

The problem? Goosechase isn’t an option because it costs serious paper for a subscription. Enter the reliable lifesaver, GOOGLE FORMS! Using this FREE resource, I created a digital scavenger hunt that blew away my students on day 1.

THE PROBLEM

Reviewing school rules and procedures is deadly boring, but it is a necessary part of the first weeks of school. Instead of teaching these from the same Powerpoint that my 5th graders have seen year after year, the students used my Back-to-School Digital Scavenger Hunt to show what they already know. In groups of 3-5, they traversed the classroom and school to model behavior, show new students key locations, and learn the things they need to know about my classroom, their new learning environment.

MATERIALS NEEDED

Technology with camera
Google access
Student groups
Digital scavenger hunt form ( Mine can be found here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScaw4wZYIhUx-o9W3-gFGb_3FP0GX86-t1ANub18al1KybG0Q/viewform?usp=sf_link)

THE TASKS

Around the Clasroom – Follow each clue to learn about your new classroom
Demonstrate EAGLES behavior – Show what you know! To complete these challenges, you and your team will need to model exemplary Eagle behaviors and provide evidence (photo or video).
Around the School – For this quick hunt, you will take pictures of your teammates at various locations in RWSA. REMEMBER: don’t disrupt any classes; don’t run; don’t be loud. DO HAVE FUN!

THE RESULTS

I have had the best and easiest start to the new school year of my entire career as a teacher. Every single student reported loving this activity, and most reflected that, because I trusted them to return and to show good behavior, they felt responsible. The staff around the school reported that students were truly engaged and that they behaved well. Needless to say, we are all itching to do this again STAT.