Scavenger+Hunts

=Internet Scavenger Hunts....= Internet scavenger hunts are a way for students to learn how to obtain and use information they find online, while improving their reading and comprehension skills. You can provide a select number of appropriate links for them to explore, so they are not randomly scouring the Internet, getting lost or in trouble.

If you wish, you can use video or audio links as well as text based Web resources. Try: Video: http://www.brainpop.com/ Ask librarians or tech mentors for the password. http://teachertube.com or Audio: http://www.mpsomaha.org/willow/radio/listen.html

For great elementary content links: http://www.enchantedlearning.com or http://dir.yahoo.com/society_and_culture/cultures_and_groups/children/sites_for_kids/
 * A [|general article] on internet scavenger hunts from Education World

It is important that the material students access be accessible to them. Text should be appropriate to their reading abilities. It is possible to include video and audio as well as text sources. Students should be asked to apply a variety of comprehension skills.
 * Education World Scavenger Hunt Archive http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/archives/hunt.shtml
 * Grade Level Hunts http://www.iss.k12.nc.us/schools/scavenger/
 * Scavenger Hunts [|http://www.pitt.edu/~poole/eledScavenger.html]
 * Green Valley AEA 14's Scavenger Hunt Page[| http://www.aea14.k12.ia.us/technology/ScavengerHunt.html]
 * How to Make Online Scavenger Hunts[| http://k-6educators.about.com/library/howto/htscav.htm]
 * Internet Hunt Activities[| http://homepage.mac.com/cohora/ext/internethunts.html]
 * Internet Scavenger Hunts for the Classroom[| http://www.kathimitchell.com/scavenge.html]
 * Scavenger Hunts for Kids (Blackwell) http://www.vickiblackwell.com/hunts.html
 * ESL: Treasure hunts http://iteslj.org/links/ESL/Treasure_Hunts/

=Creating a Scavenger Hunt in MS Word=

Constructing a scavenger hunt is easy!
Open Word,write your questions, and add useful links Leave a space after the links you enter or paste or drag into Word so that they become active hyperlinks (indicated in blue). Word creates links automatically. Example: [|BirdQs.doc]
 * Some thoughts:**
 * Give students useful links, and the right number. Think about the information you are giving them access to and its readability.
 * Focus on the knowledge or comprehension skills you wish students to acquire.
 * They will be learning useful skills, but much may be new, so introduce a bit at a time. //**Simple is good!**//
 * You will be likely to construct the hunt backwards, finding the resources first.Write your questions and provide the Web resources for answers or exploration.
 * The mechanics:**

Once you have the hunt created, you can save it, then protect it from being modified and saved with the same name or deleted. Next place the file on the server in your classroom folder. (in Netdox or Public on a server) When students open the file, they will be able to modify it, but must save it with a different name. This way, your file is safe and they can turn in their work electronically, saved with their name and any other identifying information (assignment topic for example.)
 * Sharing with students:**
 * To do this on a Macintosh go to File>Get Info, then Check the box that says “Lock” || To do this using Windows OS: Right click on the file and choose Properties, then check the box to make it "Read only" ||

You can also save the file as a document in Blackboard.

Students will be working between MS Word and the Internet, going back and forth- a good skill to help them master. To do this they can click from window to window, or use Command-Tab on a Macintosh or Control-Tab on a Windows machine.

[|Scavenger Hunt Powerpoint]