Learn About Lions Math Review Scavenger Hunt Game

Lions are the King of the Jungle (or so you have heard)? Well, they don't even live in the jungle and I am not so totally sure that they are the King of the all African animals anyway! I have been to Kenya three times now to work in the schools of the Mathare Valley Slum in Nairobi, Kenya. After each trip, I took a short safari to see the magnificent animals that live in Kenya and of course was always thrilled with each lion that we encountered.

I wanted to bring more of that experience home to my students, so I started making math review scavenger hunts that more deeply explored these animals while developing math questions along with the facts that I researched and learned. I first came out with The Gigantic Giraffe scavenger hunt and this summer I created a companion African Lion scavenger hunt.

I never fully feel finished with the creation of these scavenger hunt games until I see them in action with my own class, so my class played the scavenger hunt on the second day of school last week. I was thrilled that everything went so well and the question were right on for my new class keeping them engaged for the whole period. They also enjoyed learning the many facts about lions.

I had fun creating this scavenger hunt and also feel accomplished that the photos for each question station included color photos that I took while in Kenya. It was satisfying to see these photos hanging up in my class as the students worked on the questions.

Realizing that all teachers do not have color printers, I also created black and white versions of the questions with a simple drawing of a lion. The scavenger hunt comes with an answer sheet and a student worksheet for answering the questions.

To celebrate the success of this scavenger hunt, I am offering it for 1/2 price for a short period of time. Get it now for only $1.25 here. It makes a great review activity for any time of the year. I based the questions on the fourth grade standards, but for review purposes it will work well with both 5th and 6th graders. It is easy enough to put together for an fun Friday activity or for use when a substitute is in your classroom. You can find the companion Giraffe scavenger hunt here. You can find my Teachers Pay Teachers store here, where I offer many varieties of math scavenger hunts and other products.

Here is one reason I don't think lions are the King of the African animals. This is a video I shot of a group of elephants walking down two male lions. Yes, I know I am not really using exact words like a teach my kids in all the excitement, "Oh look, the elephants have their stuff up!"In my scavenger hunt, you will learn about another animal that lions are afraid of.

Capture the GO Monsters Math Logic Scavenger Hunt Puzzles

There is a great feeling you get when you work hard for something and you achieve your goal. As an athlete, I know that feeling well from the many marathons and Ironman triathlons that I have completed in my past. Most recently, I rode my ElliptiGO up Mt, Washington in New Hampshire on what has been called the toughest bicycle hill climb in the world. There is a great satisfaction is seeing all your hard work and training pay off no matter what the endeavor and I get that same satisfaction from creating activities to use in my classroom and seeing how successful they can be with my students.

I spent countless hours this summer creating math logic puzzle scavenger hunts with a "capture the monster" theme that is similar to the idea of Pokemon GO. Being that is was the summer, I had no idea how it would go over with my fifth grade students. Yesterday was the third day of school and while our district has a new math series, they failed to give me the materials for my students. I thought that this would be a great time to start using these scavenger hunts with my new class. Much to my satisfaction, everything worked perfectly just as it was designed and my students were thoroughly engaged and enthusiastic.

Here is a quick summary of the games from the full bundle of all these Capture the Monster games:

GO and Capture the Monsters Scavenger Hunt Game Bundle" is a complete "Move Around Math" puzzle solving game that gets students out of their seats as they use number strategies to solve math problems. While designed for fourth and fifth grade classrooms, it would also work well in many sixth grade classrooms. 

Your students must be intrigued with the popular new game where they use their phones to go outside, hunt for, and capture anime characters. You know they will be missing playing this game when they are in school. These "Capture the Monsters" games will allow your students to have fun, think critically about math, and capture anime characters at the same time and they can do it during class time.
There are a total of 15 unique animal monsters that students can capture as they finish each game.

There are three game plays for each scavenger hunt set for a total of 15 games. Each game set uses the same 10 station cards (which can be taped on the walls of the classroom). Students can play each game three different times in order to reinforce their thinking and to capture all three monsters. Each game can be played on different days or weeks and in any order. Students can be given different monster cards and can be working on different game plays at the same time as their classmates. 

This game includes directions as well as the story of the monsters. There are stations and student worksheets for all versions of the game. Answer sheets are included as well as color and black and white versions of each of the monsters in card form to hand out when students "capture a monster". There is also cover pages for making a booklet for the captured monsters as well as extra bonus cards for your students to earn.\ 

Each game set is also sold separately

.

I wanted to start with the addition scavenger hunt with my class. Here is what I became excited about. First, every student was very into the game after I gave the instructions and we did a sample problem together on the board. As the students went around the room solving the problems at the different stations, they were at first a bit unsure of how to solve the puzzles. Most caught on quickly, others needed a little support from myself or the classroom para. Not one kid showed frustration with the difficulty, but all students were challenged. At times they thought there was a "mistake" with a puzzle because the number they chose did not add up. I was able to show them that they had to try a different way to solve the puzzle if it didn't work correctly the first way. As they went along, the "buzz" in the classroom was one of discovery and excitement.

I used about an hour of class time and the kids still wanted to keep working on their puzzles, but we had to go to lunch. About one half of the class completed the 10 logic puzzles that they had been assigned and earned a monster card which they were able to color in and place in a monster card notebook that they created. The rest were told that they could finish the puzzles in their free time and before school and then get their monster card. They were enthusiastic about this.

The kids liked the monster cards and I heard many of them commenting on their favorite monsters.

I was most enthusiastic about the fact that it all worked so well after all my work. I was also thrilled that all the puzzles were right on target for my grade level and that every puzzle I made was accurate. This was satisfying as each of the games has 10 stations with the same logic puzzle card, but there are three different versions of each game. I divided the three different puzzles evenly with my students so there were three different versions of the game going on all at the same time. This was difficult when creating the puzzles as I had to get everything to work together and they did! It also upped the enthusiasm level as kids soon realized they were solving different puzzles than their friends and were going to earn different reward cards.


Next week when the students complete the other two versions of the addition puzzles, they should be able to solve them much quicker and with greater ease as their ability to reason out the solutions will be increased. Mission accomplished!

Each set of games is sold separately or you can purchase the whole set as a bundle. I also created a free version of one of the games if you would like to try it out with your class. The addition monster game set that I used in my class will be on sale for 1/2 price for a few days. You can find it here.

Here is a free version on one multiplication game.

Here are the Candy Monster Mixed Operations games.

Here are the Fire Monsters Multiplication Games.

Here are the Water Monsters Addition Games.

Here are the Wind Monsters Division games.

Here are the Light Monsters Subtraction games.

Here you can get the complete bundle at a reduced price.

I am real proud of creating this series of scavenger hunt games. It was very hard work. It felt like I was working harder than I do when I am in training for an endurance race! There are a couple of things I learned as a Teacher Pay Teacher creator that helped make my job easier.

When I first thought of the concept of this game there was one thing I knew I couldn't do well and that is create the monster characters. I was fortunate to find an artist who created the characters and I was able to license them for use in this product. Her characters were just perfect for what I had in mind. Tip #1 Find and pay for the resources that will make your job easier when creating a new product. I have gone on to purchase more of her clip art for other TPT products that I have created.

One of the most difficult steps in creating a product like this is getting everything right, including the math problems! I used up a couple of pads of paper trying out different number combinations and checking and rechecking my math and numbers. I was becoming math weary when I remembered that I had a Amazon Echo. I knew that I could ask my Echo questions and it would respond, so I tried it with my math questions. It worked! I was able to double and triple check my math using the Echo and it made my job that much easier. Last year I got a project funded through Donor's Choose to purchase an Amazon Echo for use in my classroom. I was thinking it would work for spelling and fact type questions. My students were fascinated that it could do math. Of course, I hit the button to turn it off, when my my students were doing these puzzles! Tip #2 Be creative with techology!

How to get your students moving during math class: Host a classroom Scavenger Hunt

Students should not be sitting in their desks all day long. Scavenger hunts are a fun way to get them moving while working on their math skills.  Studies and experience has demonstrated that students who move learn more effectively than sedentary students. Rather than hand your students a worksheet or asking them to solve problems on a computer site like IXL (the downfall of having acquired a Chromebook for every student in my class is that can make them even more sedentary as they sit in front of a screen), I have been creating and using math scavenger hunts for my students. They solve similar problems that they would be working on at their desks, but now the problems are posted around my classroom and they have to get out of their seats to move from problem to problem. The awesome thing about the scavenger hunts is that the kids now enjoy doing the work. My students get all excited when they see a new hunt being posted around the classroom.   

I have been creating a variety of math classroom scavenger hunts for my fifth grade class and you can find them all here at my Teacher Pay Teacher store. I call it "Move Around Math." There are 15 problems to solve in each scavenger hunt as well as a hidden message. The numbered problems are placed around the classroom and the kids have to move around finding each card before solving the problem. They can start anywhere and go in any order.  I include a blank student worksheets and a worksheet with the problems listed (for modified work or to be used if projecting the problems on a white board when you check over them with the class). I also include an answer sheet. It is an easy no-prep way to keep you students active and working at the same time. 

I have also created scavenger hunt number stations. I laminated these and have hung them in permanent spots around my the classroom. It makes my room look more orderly and it saves me work. Now when I do a new hunt, I have my students take down the old cards and tape the new ones on the number stations. You can find the number station cards here.

Here are some variations to try. 

1) You can tape problem cards to the walls or on other visible surfaces or you can tape them under desks or other unlikely places if your students really need to move and explore. I did the "under the desk"  game on a day they needed some extra movement and it worked quite well. I had them move all chairs to the sides of the classroom and reminded them not to poke their eyeballs out with their pencils when moving on the floor.

2) Tape a card to the back of each student (print out more than one copy of each card if you have more than 15 students). Just tell the class when they have one problem left that they can look at the problem on their own back and solve that one. This was fun because the "problems" were always on the move and they had to cooperate with each other to read the problems.

3) Use the activity as a whole class activity during class, as a free time activity when other work is done, or as a “before” school or class  or as an activity when all other work is done.

4) These problem cards can also be used in a math center, but it defeats the “moving around” purpose. 

5) Place your cards in the hallways or outdoors when the weather is warm.

I strongly believe that we need to allow movement in the classroom.

I have my own classroom spin bike to help my students with their focus and anxieties as they learn self-regulation. You can read about it here.

I have also added bouncy bands to each student's desk. More information here.

Here are my current 5th grade math scavenger hunts (more are being developed and classroom tested). 

5.NBT.B.5 Multiply Multi-digit Whole Numbers

4.NBT.7   Adding Decimals

5.NBT.7   Subtracting Decimals

5.NBT.7   Adding and Subtracting Decimals

5.OA.A.1  Order of Operations

5.OA.A.1  Evaluating Numerical Expressions using Parenthesis, Brackets, and Braces

5.MD.1     Metric Measurement Conversions

5.MD.1     Customary Measurement Conversions

5.MD.1     Measurement Bundle

5.NF.1      Adding and Subtracting Fractions

5.NF.A.1 Adding and Subtracting Mixed Numbers

5.NF.4     Improper Fractions and Mixed Numbers

5.NF.4     Multiplying Fractions

5.NF.B.4  Multiplying Mixed Numbers

                Fractions Bundle

                Permanent Number Stations

              

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Move Around Math Classroom Fraction Scavenger Hunts Grade 5 Common Core

This recent study says that, "Kids who move while learning may absorb more."

"Kids who jump, squat and move their bodies during math and spelling may learn more effectively than students in typical sedentary classrooms."

Students should not be sitting in desks throughout the day. Period. It is a good thing if I can get my students to learn while incorporating movement at the same time. I have been having great success with classroom scavenger hunts in my classroom. Instead of doing a worksheet at their desk, my students start with a blank numbered worksheet and move around the room looking for the problems that they have to solve. I have taped the numbered problems all around the class for them to find, copy, and solve. It has worked fantastic. At first, I thought that it might get a little bit wild, but they were actually very quiet as they moved around the class completing their tasks. There is a good healthy buzz in the classroom and the students are more engaged in their work compared to what they would be doing if it was just seatwork.

I thought it was so fun to do that I have begun developing my scavenger hunts as products on Teachers Pay Teachers. I have started with fractions and have five scavenger hunts listed already. They tie in with the 5th grade Common Core units on Fractions, but can be used for advanced 4th graders or as a review in the 6th grade. Each scavenger hunt has 15 problems as well as a hidden message puzzle to solve just to make it more fun. Each scavenger hunt game sells for $1, although if you want to check out the quality, I currently have listed the 5th Grade Math Scavenger Hunt: Converting Improper Fractions and Mixed Numbers as a freebie.

Here are the fractions scavenger hunts:
5th Grade Math Scavenger Hunt: Adding and Subtracting Fractions
5th Grade Math Scavenger Hunt: Adding and Subtracting Mixed Numbers
5th Grade Math Scavenger Hunt: Converting Improper Fractions and Mixed Numbers

5th Grade Math Scavenger Hunt: Multiplying Fraction

5th Grade Math Scavenger Hunt: Multiplying Mixed Numbers

Get all 5 Scavenger Hunts as a discounted bundle here for $3

Grade 5 Move Around Math Scavenger Hunt: Fractions Bundle 

Cooperative Learning in the Math Classroom

Here is a wonderful video from Edutopia. It shows Chris Opitz, a teacher in Anchorage, Alaska, and how he teaches social and emotional skills at the beginning of the academic year with his fifth grade students. The children in his class learn to talk and listen to each other with respect and when they can do that, the lessons can really take off. This is a 9 minute video, but you will want to watch it more than once. This is a great teacher at work and there is so much modeling being done and Chris explains what he is doing as the video plays. You can also see the video here along with all sorts of resources that Chris includes to take you deeper into how he runs his class.