In the world of education today, there are many different teaching styles, learning styles, and the “next big thing” is always being recommended to fulfill the ever-changing needs of our students. Keeping up with the trends in teaching can be overwhelming and time-consuming. What if you were able to find a resource that caters to all learning styles, incorporates experiential lessons, provides hands-on engagement, and offers your students an engaging opportunity to build a lasting knowledge base?
Scavenger Hunts may make you reminiscent of Easter egg hunts circa early childhood, or remind you of the wave of geocaching events that populated the latter half of the 2000s. On the surface, you may even recognize Scavenger Hunts as a fun and engaging way to kick off the new school year or pass time before a break, but Scavenger Hunts can offer so much more to your middle school and high school students and can take your basic Social Studies lesson plans from “blah” to “Ta-da!” Scavenger Hunts can be modified and implemented in any lesson. Read further for 5 reasons you should use Scavenger Hunts to teach Social Students lessons!
1. Scavenger Hunts are substantial.
Do you often scour the web for ready-made lesson plans, only to find half-baked ideas that may take up about 20 minutes of your class time, leaving you to scramble to fill the remainder of the block? Do your activities teach but not test, discuss but not develop deep understanding, encourage but not engage? Scavenger Hunts are easily modifiable and can be cut down or fleshed out to fit your needs, and they’re comprehensive in that they offer introductory concepts to begin a lesson and also review and check for understanding as you wrap-up.
2. Scavenger Hunts are easy to implement.
Gone are the days where you spend the whole weekend prepping for Monday’s lesson. Scavenger Hunts are a simple cut and display process, and you can really modify the lesson to fit your classroom needs. Display the scavenger hunt cards around the room, read the instructions, and let your students get to work! View the Scavenger Hunt How-To for more tips and tricks.
3. Scavenger Hunts cater to all learning styles.
Scavenger Hunts are great in large classrooms because you can really cater to different learning styles and provide a unique learning experience for each of your students. Visual learners can view pictures and historical documents. Those that learn by reading can delve into summaries and text-based slides. And your students who need to get up from their seats and engage in the lesson will stay on task, excited about learning, and focused.
4. Scavenger Hunts encourage teamwork.
Students can pair up or join groups to cover all of the content. Assign one team to a certain center and then allow for a larger-group exchange of information at the end. Allow students to become Subject Matter Experts on one area and then trade with their peers. Performing the Scavenger Hunt in groups will encourage your students to consider different perspectives, forge bonds with classmates and work together peacefully, and work collaboratively toward a common goal. This leads to a successful and happy classroom environment!
5. There’s a Scavenger Hunt for EVERYTHING!
Looking to introduce the geography of a certain country, region, or continent? Browse the geographical scavenger hunts! Searching for an engaging lesson to wrap up a holiday study or lead into a break? Choose a Holiday/Event themed scavenger hunt! Or, use Scavenger Hunts to welcome students on the first day of school or dive into a new unit! Browse the Scavenger Hunt category on Michele Luck’s Social Students for even more Scavenger Hunts!
Geography Scavenger Hunts:
Holiday/Event Scavenger Hunts:
Other Great Scavenger Hunts:
For a seamless unit plan, use the continent bundles for
multiple Scavenger Hunts at a discounted price!
Your students learn leaps and bounds faster when they are able to engage one-on-one with the content you’re teaching. Push the desks to the side, encourage your students to get on their feet, and let them explore hands-on. They’re more likely to learn quicker and retain more if they’re engaged in an exciting, experiential lesson! Try a Scavenger Hunt for your next big lesson.
Happy Teaching!
