Treasure Hunts

This is a fun activity that can be used over a variety of courses and grades. It doesn't just have to be math. It doesn't just have to be secondary school. It's also a very simple premise and doesn't require a lot of technology. I know there are some great treasure & scavenger hunts out there that have students search for things on the internet. This version is super low-tech. Which is great if your school doesn't offer much technology for students to use.

Basic Premise

Students go around the room and solve problems found on little problem cards that you have posted around the room. They have an answer sheet that you provide them with and on which they record their answers. They solve all the problems and check the answer sheet with you. You can create treasure hunts with as many or as few questions as you want (I would not do fewer than 8, it's not worth effort for less than that).

Here's the Twist

Every problem card has a question on it and an answer in the upper left corner (see sample below):

Notice the polynomial in the upper left corner says "Previous Answer"? Every card has a problem and an answer on it. The answer doesn't match the problem on the card. It goes with some other card around the room. What order the students solve all the cards is dictated by where they find the answers.

How students "play"

Students have an answer sheet and they start recording answers in the first blank. They pick ANY card posted in the room, I encourage students to start in different places so the whole class is not all in front of the same card. Then they FIND the answer they got on a card around the room. They solve the problem on the card that has their answer under "Previous Answer" and so on.

Here are some answer sheet samples:

What's the teacher doing?

The first time your class does this can be tricky so you want to be right there with them as they solve to help them find their way around. I zero in on the students that I think might have some trouble with the directions. 

Once your classes seem to get it, it's still a good idea to walk around the room with the answer key to check answers as needed. You will hear "I can't find my answer anywhere". Usually it IS in the room and they are not looking hard enough. But you can double check if their answer matches anything on the answer key - if it does, tell them to look around. If it doesn't match something on the answer key I have them bring me to the problem card they just solved to see if I can give them a few hints.

How do students "win"?

They need to have all the correct answers in the correct order and depending upon the problems you posted, they have to have work to support their answers. Beware of students who just copy answers from someone else saying they "worked together".  Or students have all the correct answers but not in the correct order (this happens when they go around and copy the "previous answers" on their answer sheets without doing the work.

Modifying

I have had students who cannot handle the walking around and commotion this activity involves. Two years ago I had a student with autism who was very stressed by this activity but wanted to do what everyone else was doing and stay the room. So for that student I printed out a list of the problems and a separate list of the answers (all jumbled up) and gave them an answer key and they did their own quiet treasure hunt at their seat. Don't use this for lazy students*, only for students who need modification for their special needs. *(occasionally you'll have a student who will whine about having to get out of their seat, once you get them moving around they usually enjoy themselves).

Checking answers

When the first few finish up, it's easy to check them as the rest of the class is working. Here's how I check efficiently - I see what their first answer is, find it on my answer sheet and then follow the order on my sheet from there to check the rest of theirs (hope that makes sense).

Once the floodgates open they all want to be checked, so I take all the sheets and check them over as students work on a group individual activity for a few minutes. Or you can check them and hand them back the next day. I do give prizes. Sometimes a small piece of candy, sometimes stickers or fun pencils. But all the problems must be correct and in the correct order (with work shown).

Sounds Great, how do I make one?

HERE is a basic template for you to create your own. The first slide has some instructions for you:

And HERE are all the documents together - answer sheets, sample treasure hunts, etc.