Learning activities/Info hunt

Notes from Macedonia (December, 26, 2007)

“We decided to play Info Hunt in one of the city malls, instead of the game Treasure Hunt. Students from both classes were more than excited, teachers and pedagogues as well. The students were divided in groups, and each group has one guide. Students were bringing their XOs to memorize the answers of the questions we had prepared. They had to visit many shops to get the answers, such as: the super-market, the pharmacy, the post office, the existing restaurants, the dry-cleaner's, the technical equipment store, etc. They asked the shop assistants many questions, most of them related to the given ones. They took photos, recorded answers and calculated some of the answers they have got. From time to time they were being stopped by the other visitors in the mall asking about the XOs. At the particular time they were in a position of somebody who knows a lot about the XOs, and they were giving information, explaining even details, but still keeping time and their tasks in mind. Although planned to finish the information collection sooner and to have time for arranging the answers at the moll, at the end of the scheduled time the students had only completed with the data collection. Presenting what was found out that day would constitute a separate activity. They did not want to leave the mall, but they got in the bus with the smiles on their faces.” --Rozalinda Stojova, UNDP Education/IC Technology Coordinator, Coordinating the OLPC Demo Study,

Task: Adapt This Story

Help adapt this story into a learning activity for children around the world.

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Activity: Info Hunt

Description

Use the XOs outside of a school in a joint activity!

Activity

Preparation

1. Step 1: Hold a meeting with the two teachers and decide about the details on the activity. Determine the goals that need to be achieved. The goals should correspond to the prescribed national objectives for the second grade. It was agreed upon the date, the time and the venue where the activity will take place. The venue will be one of the city malls. Also, the group leaders are identified.
2. Step 2: Both teachers came up with their own set of questions. The six final groups of ten questions were created. The approval from the parents and school principals was received. School pedagogues were informed about their involvement in the activity.
3. Step 3: Mall administration was informed about the visit of 48 students and 6 guides. Transportation from their schools and back was provided.

Activity

1. Divide the classes into 3 groups per class and assign one guide per group.
2. The group guide explains the goals of the game to the group. The goals are to find out and note the answers to the previously prepared list of questions.
3. Each group came up with a plan for collecting the answers.
4. The group visits the shops and offices and collects the answers. Students are motivated to ask any question related to the question at hand.

Create

Students take photos with the Capture, calculate with Calculator and write with Write. Each group may ask as many questions as their imagination can produce.

Collaborate and respect

Students have to work together as a group. Collaboration with each other and with their guide is very important. Respecting peers and listening of their questions, respecting the shop assistants and paying attention to their answers, and finally respecting the time-frame for the tasks are valuable benefits.

Practice and Explore

This activity can be used to practice their already gained knowledge as a baseline for exploring new ways of getting new information.

Reflect

At the end everybody wants to share experience wit the others.

Commentary

Comments, feedback, links to other classes using this activity.