Literacy-Based Scavenger Hunts - EDU-X711P

Course Description

Add Creative Play into Your Curriculum to Launch Student Learning

This course provides K - 6 grade teachers with creative strategies to teach all literacy/language arts standards and skills. Children will be physically engaged while participating in literacy-based scavenger hunts related to what they are learning. Students will search for various standard-related academic literacy information.  Following a scavenger hunt, students will have a project, lesson or activity to take the information gathered and transfer it into their knowledge base which will help them retain the information in order to make it useful.

Scavenger hunts can provide an academic systematic approach which will generate optimal results and can also be used as a form of student assessment. The clear steps and planned structure will guide students to the end result of learning in a method that is engaging and immersed in mystery.  Scavenger hunts can provide a fun, easy learning tool for teachers to use that are adaptable to various ages and settings in or outside the classroom or home. Students will gather data, reflect, synthesize, apply and explain what they have learned. It is a socially engaging and cognitively challenging active learning strategy. Students can practice problem solving and increase memory resulting in better retention. What will feel like play will actually be an academic learning activity. Once the course is completed you will have lessons and activities ready to go.

"Play is the highest form of research." - Albert Einstein

Learner Outcomes

• Teach literacy and language arts lessons creatively based on standards through the use of scavenger hunts
• Describe and analyze research on systematic instruction an play-based theory in relation to scavenger hunt formats
• Create, modify and prepare innovative lessons, activities, and projects that connect standards and scavenger hunts
• Utilize scavenger hunts for assessments
• Develop language arts standards-based scavenger hunt lessons and activities using self-chosen children's books
• Reflect on and analyze strategies acquired in the course

Course Details

Number of Units: 3.0 graduate level extension credit(s) in semester hours

Who Should Attend: This course provides continuing education for new or veteran K-6 teachers who teach all literacy/language arts standards within their grade level: foundational reading skills, language skills, speaking, listening and writing skills. This course is useful for educators conducting remote teaching, in the classroom or for future curriculum planning.

Course Materials: Text, The Pocket Scavenger by Keri Smith available at Amazon.com or your local bookstore

Note:  This course is an Independent Study course.  Prior district approval is highly recommended and the responsibility of the student if using the units towards salary advancement, credential renewing and/or recertification.

Testimonials

"This course has encouraged me to reevaluate how I teach. My biggest take-away is that scavenger hunts do not require a lot of time, especially if items are found for homework or during learning time. While it seems like a fun game, students are actually learning and making connections to their environment. Those connections are what allow information to be retained. The small amount of time I spend creating these scavenger hunts will reap great benefits in the end and truthfully, they were so much fun to create." -- Dawn Wynne, Independence Charter Academy, Helendale, California

"I am so glad I decided to take this course. I can actually use the lesson plans I created with my class. Scavenger hunts are a great tool to increase productivity and engagement. My biggest takeaway is that I need to develop more strategies to complement the curriculum. Scavenger hunts are a great place to start." -- Samantha Sekelick, 1st Grade Teacher, Fairfield, California

"This class was so beneficial for me. I really enjoyed learning about scavenger hunts and using them in my classroom. What an engaging way to teach, review or introduce a topic. This allowed for more retention and more excitement in learning. It opened my eyes to making sure that even in the older grades, we as teachers, are incorporating play in some way. I also loved being able to create scavenger hunts that are related to ELA standards." -- Stacey B., Educational Technology, Palm Springs Unified School District

Applies Towards the Following Certificate(s), Professional Programs and Series

• Literacy Toolbox Series : Courses - Enroll in One or More